Minister Pat Conroy’s comments about AUKUS spark confusion, send US defence officials scrambling for answers

American officials have sought urgent assurances from the Albanese Government over the planned rotation of US nuclear-powered submarines out of Western Australia after a senior minister suggested the arrangement would be limited to five years. During an interview from Washington, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the AUKUS program known as Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West), and is scheduled to begin next year, would end in 2032. “This is a time-limited rotation,” Mr Conroy told the ABC on Wednesday evening, in comments which The Nightly has been told sparked a flurry of conversations between US and Australian defence officials. “It’s a five-year commitment beginning in 2027... That’s the arrangement that we’ve put in place, with the plan being that as we acquire our own nuclear-powered submarines, they would move into HMAS Stirling and the rotational presence would come to an end.” Under the AUKUS optimal pathway, US and British submarines will first deploy to WA’s HMAS Stirling, before Australia begins to receive second-hand Virginia-class boats in the early 2030s. Mr Conroy who is Washington for talks with senior Department of War officials also hit back at AUKUS critics who suggested the program amounted to allowing a de facto US military base at HMAS Stirling. “The rotation each year is time-limited. That’s why they’re not based there; they’re only in HMAS Stirling for a limited amount of time each year.” When pressed on how much time each year that would be, the Defence Industry Minister said he could not disclose the answer. “That goes to the operational employment that the United States uses for those submarines, but they won’t be there all year long,” he said. Several figures linked to the AUKUS program have told The Nightly that the overnight comments generated some concern and confusion inside the Pentagon with officials seeking urgent clarification from their Australian counterparts. Shadow defence minister James Paterson said it was bizarre that the Defence Industry Minister had used a television interview to “effectively serve an eviction notice to the US Navy from HMAS Stirling before they have even arrived”. “That he did so while he was in the United States is even worse,” Senator Paterson argued. Western Australian Premier Roger Cook downplayed the confusion, saying the SRF-West program in his state was always designed to give Australian submariners experience on nuclear-powered boats before they operated their own. “So yes, it’s a time-limited program because by 2032, those submariners will be starting to transition towards our Australian sovereign fleet,” Mr Cook told reporters. “Obviously it’s an important part of making sure that we’ve got the submariners that have the experience and the expertise to work on a nuclear sub.” During a series of subsequent interviews Mr Conroy also stressed that the deployment of US submarines in WA could easily be renewed or expanded, but that it might not be exactly as constructed under SRF-West. Speaking from Washington, Mr Conroy stressed that the US would maintain a permanent submarine presence at HMAS Stirling into the future under arrangements that may need to be negotiated by future governments. According to diagrams from the Australian Submarine Agency which oversees the massive AUKUS program, SRF-West is scheduled to taper off in the 2030s at the same time the US begins transferring Virginia-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy. The Opposition says Mr Conroy’s attempts to clean up the confusion still left many unanswered questions and demanded the defence minister intervene to give clarity to Australia’s closest ally. “Minister Conroy’s comments require urgent clarification for the sake of the alliance and the deterrence posture we need for our own security,” Senator Paterson said. “Pat Conroy’s boss, (Defence Minister) Richard Marles, must make clear today: are US submarines welcome in WA beyond 2032 or not?”. The Defence Minister’s office has not responded to requests for comment from The Nightly.