On September 15, 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a joint leaders statement announcing the creation of AUKUS, an enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The agreement included a commitment to collaborate on nuclear-powered submarines for Australia under Pillar I and to jointly develop advanced military capabilities under Pillar II.
According to the joint statement, initial Pillar II efforts would focus on four areas: cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities. The leaders stated that through AUKUS they would promote deeper information and technology sharing and integration of security and defense-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains.
Quantum technologies were identified as one of the partnership’s original four high-priority capability areas. No specific quantum programs or funding amounts were disclosed at launch. Working group structures and implementation details were to be developed in subsequent months.