New publication by Political Science PhD candidate William Richardson. “AUKUS, shifting alliance dynamics, and Canada” is published by the Royal Canadian Military Institute’s Sitrep journal.
“The announcement of Australia’s ambition to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines under a new partnership with the U.S. and UK in September 2021 prompted commentary on the country’s new strategic direction and soul-searching in Canadian defence circles over Canada’s exclusion. Pillar 1 of AUKUS, the submarine deal, garnered most of the early headlines. Conversely, few specifcs on the trilateral defence technology cooperation formalized under AUKUS were ofered initially. Pillar 2’s scope and strategic import have only come into view over the intervening 2.5 years, with the game changing power of artifcial intelligence now dramatically evident and major state technology investments increasing in priority and public profle. During this short period, Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has further destabilized the shifing international system and also challenged basic assumptions of modern warfare and military innovation. With Japan set to imminently join Pillar 2 and Canada apparently seeking to do the same, what exactly is AUKUS, what is its geopolitical and economic signifcance, and how should Canadians view it today? I employ minilateral network theory and the concept of incomplete contracting from international relations scholarship to argue that while it is still early days, AUKUS could represent the future of high-end Western defence technology cooperation and a major evolution of U.S.-led international security partnerships in an uneasy world. With AUKUS’ far-reaching security and economic implications, it is in Canada’s vital national interest to get on board, and quickly.”