Such challenges will no doubt affect how fast the US may be able to supply nuclear subs to Australia.įurthermore, an August 2022 report from the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) shows that the US is struggling to fulfill its own nuclear submarine requirements. The study also says aging US nuclear subs and increased workloads on the US carrier fleet have caused more work in fewer maintenance periods, resulting in less frequent availabilities for skilled workers and inefficiencies in project execution. Pappano mentioned workforce issues as a drag factor, noting that securing skilled naval shipyard workers such as casters and molders is increasingly difficult as many of these laborers have shifted from manufacturing to services.Ī 2017 study by RAND mentions declining levels of workforce experience in US shipyards, noting productivity drops when experienced workers are replaced with less-experienced ones. Former Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton has defended the AUKUS deal. Pappano’s statements, however, would appear to shoot down the possibility of such an early delivery. In those comments made on national television, Dutton expressed confidence that the US would pull out all the stops to help Australia acquire nuclear submarines. His statements contrast with earlier comments made by Australian opposition leader and former defense minister Peter Dutton this June saying that the US could provide the first two nuclear subs by 2030, without providing material evidence such a timeline was in place.
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