Australia, US To Cooperate On Submarines (Sept. 12)
Over the next decade and beyond, Australia's alliance with the United States will play a vital role in pursuing the strategic objectives the Government has set out in its White Paper, Defense 2000: Our Future Defense Force.
In July, the Government announced a comprehensive arrangement with the US Navy on submarine issues. Further to that end, Australia and the United States have entered into a Statement of Principles (attached) which will allow our respective navies to assist each other in providing fully capable, sustainable and interoperable submarine forces.
The agreement was signed in Washington overnight by Chief of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Vice Admiral David Shackleton and Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy (USN), and is further evidence of this Government's commitment to the historic alliance between Australia and its close ally and friend the United States.
Exchange of data and experiences on submarines will benefit both our navies. I believe exchanges of this kind should be encouraged as much as possible by our respective research and development organizations and the operational forces of both navies.
Both Australia and the US aspire to the defense of mutual interests, and both our countries recognize a common goal in employing submarines to achieve these aspirations.
The Government believes the Statement of Principles will maximize the synergy of equipment production and logistics support.
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Australia and US Sign Submarine Cooperation Statement
