“AUKUS and Shared Defense Technology”
with Admiral Dennis Blair
November 3, 2021
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
President Joe Biden announced on September 15, 2021 a new U.S. security alliance with Australia and Britain (AUKUS) that will equip Australia with a nuclear submarine fleet:
“Through AUKUS, our governments will strengthen the ability of each to support our security and defense interests, building on our longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties. We will promote deeper information and technology sharing. We will foster deeper integration of security and defense-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains. And in particular, we will significantly deepen cooperation on a range of security and defense capabilities.”
The agreement makes Australia the first country without nuclear weapons to obtain nuclear-powered submarines (AP). Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, discussed what’s at stake and what the longterm ramifications of this deal may be.
You can read the transcript for this event HERE*.
*Please note that this transcript was Zoom-automated, so there may be technical and grammatical errors.
SPEAKER BIO:
Before retiring from the Navy in 2002, Admiral Blair served as Commander in Chief of U.S. Pacific Command, the largest of the combatant commands. During his 34-year Navy career, he served on guided missile destroyers in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and commanded the Kitty Hawk Battle Group. Ashore, he served as Director of the Joint Staff and held budget and policy positions on the National Security Council and several major Navy staffs.Admiral Dennis C. Blair served as Director of National Intelligence from January 2009 to May 2010. Admiral Blair is the Knott Professor of the Practice in the Curriculum in Peace, War, and Defense at the University of North Carolina.