Defence secretary confirms commitment to AUKUS partnership

John Healey, the new defence secretary, has set out the UK's commitment to the AUKUS partnership.

On a tour of a key military steel supplier in Sheffield, alongside the Australian deputy prime minister and defence minister, Richard Marles, Healey highlighted the partnership as an important driver of jobs and growth in Yorkshire and across the UK.

AUKUS is the trilateral defence and security partnership between the UK, US and Australia, and during the visit, the duo saw how the Sheffield business is benefitting from the partnership.

It is expected that The AUKUS submarine programme will generate 7,000 additional British jobs and at its peak, there will be over 21,000 people working on the SSN-AUKUS programmes in the UK supply chain.

Healey said: "Working with allies and partners is fundamental to our security and so it is a pleasure to host my Australian counterpart within my first fortnight as Defence Secretary. The UK and Australia are the closest of friends and our work through AUKUS is testament to this.  

"Sheffield Forgemasters is a shining light of UK industry that helps boost global security and employs skilled staff from the local community. This is just one example of how our hugely important partnership with our Australian and American partners can help drive jobs and growth across Britain."

Marles said: "Australia and the United Kingdom’s relationship is enduring and forged in deep history.

"Be it under the defence and security cooperation agreement, or the work we continue to achieve under AUKUS, we are modernising our partnership.  

"And importantly, we continue to work together on our support for Ukraine and to support a global rules-based order."