AUKUS and ASCA

Legislative changes in relation to AUKUS are progressing in all three nations.

Australia has passed the Defence Trade Controls Amendment Act 2024 (DTC Amendment Act), which comes into effect on 27 September 2024. The Defence Trade Legislation Amendment Regulations (DTL Amendment Regulations), which aims to build out details needed for the DTC Amendment Act, has been open for public consultation and will be considered by the Executive Council during July 2024. The finalised regulations will also come into effect on 27 September 2024.

The United Kingdom is drafting the Open General Licence (OGL) for the AUKUS Partnership, which aims to allow transfers of UK-controlled items to or between Authorised Users in Australia, the UK or the US, provided the items are not excluded. The draft is currently open for public comment, but no date yet known for when the finalised OGL will come into effect.

The United States is working on proposed Rule 89 FR 35028 to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which is similar to the UK’s proposed OGL inasmuch as it will create the AUKUS exemption, i.e., remove the need for a license or other approval for transfers of defense articles or defense services to or within ‘authorized users’ in Australia, the UK, or the US, provided the defense articles or services are not excluded.

Concurrently, the US is working on the interim final Rule 89 FR 28594 to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) which amends the EAR to create the AUKUS exemption, i.e., remove almost all license requirements for transfers of EAR-controlled items to and between Australia, the UK, and the US.

Both proposed changes are currently open for public comment until the start of June 2024.

ASCA’s Mission Zero has been announced as the extra-large autonomous undersea vehicle (XL-AUV) known as Ghost Shark.

In collaboration with Anduril Australia, the Royal Australian Navy and Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) are working to co-design the prototype and then aim to deliver the first production variants in late 2025. 

Para Bellum Solutions is proud to support the Ghost Shark team at the cutting edge of innovation and speed to capability – the very essence of ASCA.

Find out more here: Ghost Shark - Mission Zero | Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (asca.gov.au)