<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A leading American think tank has urged Australia to provide the US with "concrete" pledges on how it would deploy nuclear-powered submarines if conflict breaks out.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) comes as Defence Minister Richard Marles holds talks with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The future of the AUKUS pact, under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered, but not armed, submarines from the US and Britain, is likely to be top of the agenda.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/erin-patterson-mushroom-triple-murderer-prepares-to-face-her-victims/74768c8b-70b9-4675-942b-fdcb7db11270" rel="" target="_blank" title="Life behind bars awaits Erin Patterson"><strong><span>Life behind bars awaits Erin Patterson</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The three-way alliance was announced in 2021 to contend with growing Chinese military might in the Asia-Pacific region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It would deliver Australia at least eight submarines including three to five second-hand US Virginia-class submarines. Britain and Australia would co-operate to build their own SSN-AUKUS submarines.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in June, Hegseth announced the Trump administration was launching a review into the AUKUS agreement. There are concerns that the US won't provide Australia with its first Virginia-class submarine by the early 2030s as planned because Americian submarine building was behind schedule.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/aukus-agreement-tops-agenda-for-defence-minister-richard-marles-in-us-visit/a9a97916-1ee6-4314-8184-fb98c7dd0dae" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US officials have also sought to tie delivery of the submarines to Australia increasing its defence spending. There have also been reports the US wants guarantees from Australia it would deploy the submarines to help Taiwan combat any future attack by China.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/spring-weather-forecast-australia-2025-what-to-expect-everything-to-know-explainer/3e51b48f-caf0-474c-8466-2a6a38451a18"><strong><span>A warmer and wetter spring in store for much of Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The CSIS report says AUKUS is at a "critical juncture", urging all three countries to ensure its success.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It backs the Trump administration's review of the agreement, but warns discarding AUKUS would make the US "less capable" in the Indo-Pacific region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian naval base HMAS Stirling in Perth can help the US Navy strengthen its submarine deployment in the region, the think tank noted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The CSIS report says Australian should retain control over the nuclear submarines, but start in-depth "contingency planning" with the US about how Australian nuclear-powered submarines might be used in a war.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Planning, in which military strategists from the United States and Australia would jointly undergo a comprehensive process of strategising and organising military operations to achieve specific objectives, would provide US officials with more concrete reassurances that submarines sold to Australia would not disappear if and when needed," the report says.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It could also preserve Australian sovereignty in developing the plan and, if necessary, in determining implementation during a crisis."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian government confirmed in late July it had paid the Trump administration a second $800 million installment on the AUKUS deal. The first $800 million was paid in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The submarines are expected cost Australia up to $380 billion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia has invested $1.5 billion in the US submarine industry, with another $1.5 billion to be paid before the end of this year. It has agreed to contribute a total of $4.6 billion to uplift the US submarine base, and it has sent both industry personnel to train at Amercian shipyards and naval personnel for submarine training in the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span> </span><em><span>- With AP</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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