AUKUS’s importance goes beyond deterring China

The article documents an AUKUS parliamentary inquiry into Australia's nuclear-submarine acquisition, with testimony clarifying that the primary strategic role is anti-submarine warfare against Chinese nuclear-armed submarines in the western Pacific. The government's struggle to communicate AUKUS benefits and the inquiry's focus on strategy-to-China linkage directly bear on Pillar 7 (Alliance credibility and AUKUS delivery) and Pillar 6 (maritime deterrence posture).