US R Adm Jon Rucker told a naval symposium that raising the rate of America’s submarine shipbuilding ‘is the challenge of our time’.US R Adm Jon Rucker told a naval symposium that raising the rate of America’s submarine shipbuilding ‘is the challenge of our time’.
But Rucker, who is executive officer of the US attack submarine program, revealed it would not reach its most immediate goal of 1.5 by the end of 2024. “Now, we recognise that there are challenges in the industrial base and we’re doing things to address those challenges,” he said.Austin said he had met the leaders of the companies involved and was encouraged by “their focus to get this done, and they will get it done”.
Marles suggested the incoming Trump administration would honour the Aukus submarine deal, pointing to its bipartisan support in the US Congress.