{"id":2024489,"date":"2023-09-07T11:22:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-07T15:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-raise-concerns-over-dwindling-us-nuclear-submarine-supply-amid-deal-with-australia\/"},"modified":"2023-09-07T11:25:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T15:25:06","slug":"senators-raise-concerns-over-dwindling-us-nuclear-submarine-supply-amid-deal-with-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-raise-concerns-over-dwindling-us-nuclear-submarine-supply-amid-deal-with-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators worry about declining US nuclear submarine stock amidst Australia deal."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenators-raise-concerns-over-dwindling-us-nuclear-submarine-supply-amid-deal-with-australia%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2024489&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee are deeply \u200bconcerned about the United States&#8217; ability to defend\u2063 itself following the \u200dagreement to supply American submarines to Australia.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<blockquote>\n<p>The senators made the remarks during a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/senate-foreign-affairs-committee-hearing-on-enhancing-relationship-with-australia-united-kingdom-5486557\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sept. 6 \u200bhearing<\/a> \u2062where officials from the state and defense departments testified on the security\u2062 partnership struck \u2062between\u200d Australia, the \u200bUnited Kingdom, and \u2063the \u200dUnited\u2062 States, known as AUKUS, in September 2021.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n<p>Australian \u200cPrime Minister\u200d Anthony Albanese, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and President Joe Biden have agreed that Australia will acquire\u2064 &#8220;conventionally-armed, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/4-hostile-regimes-testing-joe-biden-during-his-first-months-in-office\/\" title=\"4 Hostile Regimes Testing Joe Biden During His First Months In Office\">nuclear-powered submarine<\/a> (SSN) capability&#8221; by purchasing three submarines as part of the \u2064AUKUS partnership. This \u200bpartnership also aims to develop \u2064and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senators-raise-concerns-over-dwindling-us-nuclear-submarine-supply-amid-deal-with-australia\/\" title=\"Senators worry about declining US nuclear submarine stock amidst Australia deal.\">provide joint advanced\u2064 military capabilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/defence-department-ends-deloittes-nuclear-submarine-adviser-contract-just-weeks-in-5471558\">Defence Department Ends Deloitte\u2019s Nuclear Submarine Adviser\u2063 Contract Just Weeks In<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/16\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/defence-department-ends-deloittes-nuclear-submarine-adviser-contract-just-weeks-in-5471558\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/russia-in-talks-with-north-korea-for-joint-military-drill-defense-minister-5486194\">Russia in Talks \u200bWith \u2062North Korea\u200d for Joint \u2064Military Drill: Defense Minister<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/5\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/russia-in-talks-with-north-korea-for-joint-military-drill-defense-minister-5486194\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">According\u200c to the agreement, the United \u2064States may\u2062 sell up to two additional\u200c submarines to Australia if necessary\u2064 (<a href=\"https:\/\/crsreports.congress.gov\/product\/pdf\/RL\/RL32418\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>).<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">As part of the deal, \u200dAustralia has committed approximately 3 \u2063billion Australian\u2062 dollars ($1.9 billion) to support\u200c the development and expansion of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-enters-nuclear-sub-partnership-with-uk-and-australia-to-take-on-china\/\" title=\"US Enters Nuclear Sub Partnership With UK and Australia To Take on China\">submarine technology<\/a> \u200din the United States\u200c and United Kingdom. The majority of this\u200b funding will be used to \u200caccelerate the\u200b production\u2064 of \u2063U.S.\u2064 Virginia-class submarines, as reported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/australias-nuclear-submarine-plan-cost-up-245-bln-by-2055-defence-official-2023-03-13\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters<\/a>.<\/div>\n<p>However, during Wednesday&#8217;s hearing, lawmakers raised\u2062 concerns about \u200bthe \u2063United States&#8217; readiness to \u200dsell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russian-nuclear-submarines-on-par-with-us-top-general-says\/\" title=\"Russian Nuclear Submarines \u2018On Par\u2019 With US, Top General Says\">nuclear submarines<\/a> to Australia, especially given the current\u2063 tensions with China and Russia. There\u200b were also concerns about the contribution agreed upon by Australia, which has yet to be finalized.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers pointed out that the U.S. Navy currently has 49\u200b fast-attack submarines, leaving a shortfall of 17 \u200bsubmarines \u2062to\u200d meet the country&#8217;s \u200bdefense \u2062needs.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, China and Russia are projected to surpass U.S. naval power, with China potentially \u2064commanding up to 440 warships by the\u2063 end of \u200dthe \u200ddecade \u2064compared to America&#8217;s 290 \u200bvessels, according to a press release \u2062from Sen. Roger Wicker\u2064 (R-Miss.), ranking\u200c member of the \u2064Senate Armed Services \u2064Committee.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>U.S. President Joe Biden (C) speaks alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (R) \u2063and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference during\u2062 the AUKUS summit at Naval\u200c Base Point Loma in San \u200bDiego, Calif., on March 13, 2023. (Jim\u200c Watson\/AFP via\u200b Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2>China &#8216;Outpacing&#8217; US\u200d Navy<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;We\u2064 have talked a lot today about the People\u2019s Republic of\u200c China, they\u200c have the largest navy in \u2064the world,&#8221; Sen.\u2062 Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said during the hearing. &#8220;They are expanding their capabilities and this is all \u2063part of the plan to \u200ddominate the world by 2049. In some areas, they are outpacing us but one\u2062 area\u2062 they cannot do\u200b that in is \u200bour allies, \u200bwhich\u2064 is why this agreement is important.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It \u200cis important\u200d that we get our ducks in a row\u200b to meet\u2063 the commitment,&#8221; he continued, before citing the\u2064 Navy&#8217;s requirement of 66 \u200bfast-attack nuclear submarines necessary to defend the\u2063 nation.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Ricketts\u2063 said the\u2064 United\u200d States has \u206349 submarines, \u200band nearly half of \u200cthose are not available due to maintenance issues.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are grateful\u200c that the Australians want\u2063 to invest $3 billion,&#8221;\u2062 the lawmaker continued. &#8220;What are we going to\u2064 have to invest to get to 66 submarines?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Sen. Bill Hagerty \u200b(R-Tenn.) shared a\u2063 similar concern, noting \u200dthat providing Australia with U.S. submarines could result \u2063in delays in the\u200b U.S. Navy reaching its optimal defense goals.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Today, the Navy has\u200b 49 attack submarines, that\u2019s roughly 25 percent short of its goal of 66 submarines,&#8221; Mr. Hagerty said. \u200b&#8221;The pace of making as I\u2019ve read is maybe 1.2 submarines a year. By giving these submarines \u200cto Australia, that will put us three to four years behind in our production process.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>A Chinese Navy nuclear-powered \u200bsubmarine\u2062 sails during an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/reagan-carrier-strike-group-operating-with-japanese-and-canadian-warships\/\" title=\"Reagan Carrier Strike Group Operating With Japanese and Canadian Warships\">international fleet review<\/a> for the \u206360th anniversary of\u2064 the founding of People&#8217;s Liberation Army Navy, on April\u200c 23, 2009. (Guang Niu\/AP Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2>Deal a &#8216;Risk We Should Not Take&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>In July, a group \u2063of 25 Republicans, \u200bincluding Sen. Mitt Romney \u2063(R-Utah), wrote to President Joe Biden warning that \u200bthe\u2064 plan to supply Australia with submarines, if implemented as it currently stands, \u200bwould &#8220;unacceptably weaken the U.S.\u200c fleet \u200deven as China seeks\u200b to expand\u200b its military \u2063power and \u2062influence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Under the current AUKUS plan to transfer U.S. Virginia-class submarines to a partner nation before meeting the \u200bNavy\u2019s own requirements, the\u200c number of available nuclear submarines in the\u200b U.S. submarine fleet would be lowered further. This is a risk we should not take,&#8221;\u2062 the Republicans wrote.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We support the vision of the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership and its potential to change \u2063the strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific. The AUKUS agreement is vitally important, but we must simultaneously<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senators worry about US defense capabilities as they discuss the agreement to provide submarines to Australia. During a hearing on Sept. 6, officials from state and defense departments testified on the security partnership. Concerns arise regarding the US&#8217;s nuclear submarine shortage and its ability to defend itself effectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":69,"featured_media":2024490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2024489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2024489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/69"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2024489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2024489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2024490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2024489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2024489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2024489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}