Arlington, Va. (April 17, 2024) – In a roundtable discussion with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Dak Hardwick, Vice President of International Affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), highlighted the importance of industry collaboration in ensuring the success of the AUKUS agreement. The focus of the discussion was on executing the second pillar of AUKUS to facilitate technology sharing and cross collaboration among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Hardwick emphasized the pivotal role of the aerospace and defense industry in addressing threats in the Indo-Pacific region, stating, "The aerospace and defense industry is poised to collectively innovate and deliver capability to make AUKUS a reality." He further stressed the need to reduce barriers to cooperation and swiftly produce high-end capabilities for operational success, adding, "For AUKUS Pillar II, operational success hinges on reducing barriers to cooperation and creating opportunities to produce and deliver high-end capabilities quickly."

The AIA Vice President underscored the necessity of a modern and integrated legislative and regulatory system to support the AUKUS partnership, stating, "This requires a modern, integrated, and consistent legislative and regulatory system." Hardwick also highlighted the significance of establishing a defense trade-friendly regulatory environment across all three governments involved in AUKUS, emphasizing that it is crucial for the success of the agreement.

Regarding recent policy changes, Hardwick mentioned the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act as a significant shift towards a more cooperative and flexible defense trade system, noting, "For AUKUS and overall U.S. defense trade cooperation, the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act ushered in a landmark shift in policy." He emphasized that this legislative change reflects Congress' acknowledgment of the importance of cooperation and flexibility in modern defense trade systems, indicating that the AUKUS model represents the future of defense trade cooperation with allied nations.

In conclusion, Hardwick highlighted the importance of ongoing dialogue between industry stakeholders and government officials for the successful implementation of the AUKUS partnership. He stated, "As those responsible for delivering the capabilities envisioned under the AUKUS partnership, AIA and our members strongly believe regular, consistent industry feedback is essential to its successful implementation," while acknowledging the alignment of views between industry and government officials.

For more details on Dak Hardwick's full testimony, you can visit the provided link, and the full roundtable discussion can be watched online.