Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 78 of his department’s Strategic Defence Review, published 2 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that GCAP and AUKUS are exemplars of successful capability collaboration.

The Department is ensuring AUKUS and GCAP are exemplars of successful capability collaboration by aligning the requirements, investment, expertise and industrial capacity of trusted allies to deliver advanced military capability at pace.

Under AUKUS, the first Pillar II Signature Project, announced at the May 2026 Defence Ministerial Meeting, will develop advanced payloads and enabling systems for Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles, with delivery beginning in 2027.

Under Pillar One, the UK, Australia and the US are working together to deliver a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability to Australia, alongside developing the supporting industrial capacity, workforce and regulatory infrastructure.

GCAP is applying the same collaborative model to the delivery of a next-generation combat air capability at pace, bringing together the military, industrial and technological strengths of the UK, Italy and Japan.