Visit to the United States for the Honolulu Leadership Dialogue
Tonight I will travel to the United States as head of Australia’s delegation to the Honolulu Leadership Dialogue from 25–28 October.
The Honolulu Leadership Dialogue brings together senior Australian and US defence officials, parliamentarians, security experts and industry leaders to discuss the complex operating environment across the Indo-Pacific. It is held by the Australian American Leadership Dialogue.
While in Hawaii, I will meet with the senior leadership of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. It will be an opportunity to discuss our shared geostrategic challenges as well as our plans to acquire conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, and Australia’s plan to manufacture missiles by 2025.
I will also be discussing in detail the sustainment requirements for UK and US submarines under Submarine Rotational Force-West from 2027, and Australia’s Virginia-class submarines to be acquired in the early 2030s. I will visit the US Pacific Fleet training centre that develops a world-class submarine workforce, to further understand the infrastructure Australia will require to train an Australian workforce to operate nuclear-powered submarines in the future.
Australia’s partnership with the United States is built on an enduring foundation of trust and a long history of collaboration. I look forward to discussing how we can continue working together to strengthen deterrence and uphold the global rules-based order.