US won’t let China impose ‘hegemony’ in Asia, Hegseth says<\/a><\/p>\n The US Defense Secretary addressed Asia’s most important defence summit, but did not mention Taiwan as questions remain over a stalled weapons package.<\/p>\n While most of the public debate on AUKUS has focused on the Pillar I nuclear-powered submarines plan, there has been less attention on the Pillar II initiative to develop sophisticated military technology, with numerous critics saying the program has been drifting.<\/p>\n Mr Healey told journalists that “for too long on AUKUS we have talked too much and delivered too little” but declared that the three current governments were intent on changing that.<\/p>\n Mr Marles called the announcement “hugely significant” and said all three countries would move to deliver the new technology from 2027.<\/p>\n “This is all three countries putting real money behind a capability we will put into the hands of the war fighter next year,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n he said.<\/p>\n Mr Hegseth told journalists in Singapore that the new drones would help the three nations maintain their “collective advantage” in the technology.<\/p>\n The exact quantum of the new investment in underwater drone technology is not clear.<\/p>\n Mr Healey said he had committed more than $US170 million ($236m) to the project, but neither Australia or the US have yet publicly committed to a figure.<\/p>\n All three governments hope the new initiative will help develop underwater drones that can protect undersea cables, engage in sophisticated surveillance missions and strike enemy targets.<\/p>\n The AUKUS defence pact between Australia, the United States and Britain was formed in 2021. (Reuters: Edgar Su)<\/p>\n Mr Healey said the new drone technology would help all three countries “detect, deter and deal with threats, including to the underwater pipelines and cables which so much of our daily life depends on”.<\/p>\n![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/54fbbd5079f5271432e01ce8d975e0ea.jpeg\")
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