EXCLUSIVE: US Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven on the AUKUS agreement

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U.S. nuclear-powered submarines are nan crown jewel of American subject might and cardinal to deterring adversaries for illustration China. The Biden management signed a historical three-way business pinch Australia and nan United Kingdom, known arsenic AUKUS successful 2021. 

The statement promotes deeper accusation and exertion sharing betwixt nan 3 countries and nan U.S. agreed to stock atomic submarine exertion pinch Australia for nan first clip ever. Also a first; nan U.S. will waste respective nuclear-powered onslaught submarines to Australia.

But location is 1 problem. The U.S. does not person capable submarines for itself. Old subs are being retired faster than they tin beryllium replaced and nan U.S. vessel building manufacture is years down schedule.

"The intelligence couldn't beryllium clearer... China is preparing for a warfare and specifically for a warfare pinch nan United States," Wicker said connected nan Senate floor. "The AUKUS woody will thief forestall that warfare from happening."

Wicker has been ringing nan siren for years connected really nan U.S. needs to build up its business base. Wicker inserted $3.4 cardinal into nan nationalist information supplemental to jumpstart nan vessel building base.

The Navy requires 66 onslaught submarines but correct now only has 49. In total, the Pentagon is 17 atomic onslaught submarines short of Navy requirements and needs to build 2.33 Virginia-class submarines per twelvemonth to meet its AUKUS commitments connected time.

Jennifer Griffin and Navy Under Secretary Eric Raven

Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin’s sat down for an exclusive question and reply pinch Navy Under Secretary Eric Raven connected nan AUKUS statement and submarine business guidelines astatine nan Pentagon connected Friday April 12, 2024. (Fox News)

"The basal truth is this: Our defense business guidelines is not wherever it needs to be," Wicker said.

In an exclusive question and reply pinch Fox News, U.S. Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven explained really the Navy is addressing nan shortage. Asked why nan submarine manufacture is truthful down and backed up, Raven said request for submarines has gone up 5 times successful nan past 15 years.

Raven explained nan U.S. Navy is partnering pinch backstage industry, authorities and section governments, organization colleges and non-profits to enlistee 100,000 Americans to activity successful nan submarine industry.

"We're going done a generational alteration successful nan workforce astatine our shipyards and our suppliers. So we request to build caller talent, bring successful much Americans to activity successful nan assemblage and besides successful proviso chain. Covid was a important interruption successful our expertise to do business," Raven said.

It is simply a modern time "Uncle Sam Wants You!" campaign.

Jennifer Griffin and Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven

Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin’s sat down for an exclusive question and reply pinch Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven connected nan AUKUS statement and submarine business guidelines astatine nan Pentagon connected Friday April 12, 2024. (Fox News)

Non-profit BlueForge Alliance has been tasked pinch helping nan Navy prosecute 100,000 Americans.

Kiley Wren, nan co-founder and main executive put this arsenic an entreaty to patriotism.

"There are virtually tens of thousands of opportunities complete nan coming decade and much for agelong term, family-sustaining generational jobs that person a really important purpose," Wren told Fox News.

"We have, high-paying, bully wage, family-sustaining jobs. But the number 1 point that comes up is intent and the expertise to service your state successful a occupation that you spell to each time is an tremendous consciousness of pride," Wren said.

The U.S. nuclear-powered submarine USS Michigan is anchored astatine a larboard successful Busan, South Korea, connected June 16, 2023. (Reuters/Yonhap)

Earlier this month, Admiral John Aquilino, U.S. Pacific Commander, assessed China would beryllium tin of invading Taiwan successful 2027. One measurement nan U.S. stays up of China arsenic nan ascendant Navy powerfulness is its submarines.

"Submarines person a unsocial domiciled successful securing nan bid each astir nan world. Their expertise to move unchallenged, through, done nan seas, each astir nan world is an unthinkable asymmetric advantage. And nan United States builds and operates nan world's astir precocious submarines," Raven said.

Asked astir reports China is building a "Great Underwater Wall," to show submarine activity successful nan waters astir China, Raven said he is not concerned.

"We person an incredibly tin submarine unit that's tin of tackling immoderate situation that her adversaries whitethorn pose… our submarines are incredibly capable," Raven said.

"These are good, dependable jobs pinch a agelong future. No matter whether you are an engineer, a welder, an electrician aliases an accountant, there's immoderate domiciled for immoderate American who has an liking successful helping america build submarines," Raven said.

Liz Friden is simply a Pentagon shaper based successful Washington, D.C.

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Source foxnews.com
foxnews.com