美国五角大楼政策主任埃尔布里奇·科尔比表示，美国已向澳大利亚政府在私下场合明确阐述了对AUKUS协议的期望。[1]科尔比强调称"他们知道需要什么，我们已经在私下与他们非常明确地说过"。[1]美国特别关注HMAS Stirling基地对其战略地位的重要性，该基地将作为美国核动力潜艇轮换部署（SRF-West）的计划地点。[1]
五角大楼对去年AUKUS审查后的进展表示满意。[1]然而，潜艇生产能力成为协议执行的关键障碍。五角大楼承认，弗吉尼亚级核潜艇的当前生产率约为每年1.1至1.2艘，而AUKUS协议所需产能达到每年2.33艘。[1]前总理马尔科姆·特恩布尔此前表示，美国不太可能按时将生产速率翻倍。[1]
美国核潜艇在HMAS Stirling基地的部署期限与澳大利亚《拉罗汤加条约》核武器禁区义务之间的协调问题仍存争议。[1]澳大利亚防务工业部长帕特·康罗伊曾表示美国潜艇仅在该基地停留至2032年，但随后改口称美国存在将是"持续的"。[1]一项规模368亿美元的防务协议公开调查目前由AUKUS怀疑论者主持。[1]
The U.S. Department of Defense has privately communicated explicit requirements to the Australian government regarding the AUKUS trilateral defense agreement, according to Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's director of strategy.[1] "They know what they need, and we've been very clear with them in private," Colby stated.[1] The Pentagon has expressed satisfaction with progress following last year's AUKUS review.[1]
A central point of discussion involves the planned rotational deployment of U.S. nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia, known as Strategic Rotational Force-West.[1] Australia's Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy previously indicated that U.S. submarines would remain at the facility only until 2032, but later revised his position to suggest an American presence would be "ongoing."[1]
The Pentagon has acknowledged a critical production gap: Virginia-class nuclear submarines are currently manufactured at a rate of approximately 1.1 to 1.2 vessels annually, whereas AUKUS requirements demand 2.33 vessels per year.[1] Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has cast doubt on whether the U.S. can realistically double its production rate on schedule.[1]
These negotiations also address how rotational submarine deployments can be coordinated with Australia's obligations under the Rarotonga Treaty, which establishes a nuclear weapons-free zone in the South Pacific.[1] An ongoing $36.8 billion defense cooperation investigation is being overseen by an AUKUS skeptic.[1]