Biden letter to Congress greenlights AUKUS NNP progress
In a letter to the US Congress, President Joe Biden has transmitted the text of an agreement between the United Kingdom, United States and Australia for ‘Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion’ – along with his presidential approval of the text.
The letter notes that on November 22, 2021, the AUKUS partners signed the Agreement ‘for the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (ENNPIA) to permit the three Parties to communicate and exchange Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPI), including certain Restricted Data (RD), as needed for purposes of consultations on the Optimal Pathway.’
The ENNPIA entered into force on February 8, 2022, and remains in force until December 31, 2025, unless superseded by a subsequent agreement.
The new agreement, which would supersede the ENNPIA, ‘would permit the continued communication and exchange of NNPI, including certain RD, and would also expand on the cooperation between the governments by enabling the transfer of naval nuclear propulsion plants of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, including component parts and spare parts thereof, and other related equipment.’
It also ‘enables the sale of special nuclear material contained in complete, welded power units, and other material as needed for such naval nuclear propulsion plants,’ and, says the letter,
‘Equipment transferred in accordance with the Agreement could include equipment needed for the research, development, or design of naval nuclear propulsion plants, including their manufacture, operation, maintenance, regulation, and disposal, and could also include training, services, and program support associated with such equipment.’
