<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>King Charles has praised the AUKUS defence pact between Australia, the US and Britain during Donald Trump's state visit to the UK.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a welcome speech for the US President at a state banquet in Windsor Castle, the monarch described the tri-nation agreement as "the benchmark for innovative and vital collaboration".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Under the deal, Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines, but its future has been thrown into doubt after the Pentagon announced it was under review.</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/world/donald-trump-uk-visit-king-charles-iii-prepares-to-welcome-trump-windsor-castle/3fc8ad29-f31f-4424-9b29-6c6fbd5fe706" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump fixated on 'so healthy, so beautiful' host</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It findings are expected to be released within weeks. There are concerns that the US won't provide Australia with its first nuclear-propelled submarine by the early 2030s as planned.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>King Charles also reminded the US President of the long history of British-American defence cooperation and linked it to AUKUS and the importance of western support for Ukraine in its war with Russia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our countries have the closest defence, security and intelligence relationship ever known. In two world wars, we fought together to defeat the forces of tyranny.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-uk-visit-king-charles-praises-aukus-pact/5ad02180-e21e-4df9-bd38-febe2007b92d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And our AUKUS submarine partnership, with Australia, sets the benchmark for innovative and vital collaboration."</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/aukus-submarine-facility-in-perth-to-get-12-billion-dollar-funding-boost/f332b74b-2dda-4cf2-b0b1-06ec3507fcb4" rel="" target="_blank" title="Australia 'pulling its weight on defence', says PM as he pours $12 billion into shipyard"><strong><span>Australia 'pulling its weight on defence', says PM as he pours $12 billion into shipyard</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to hold talks with Trump in the US next week, and AUKUS is likely to be high on the agenda.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>AUKUS 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, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Trump administration was launching a review into the AUKUS agreement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are concerns that the US won't provide Australia with its first Virginia-class submarine by the early 2030s as planned because American submarine building was behind schedule.</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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><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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