“The question now is… to solve how they (Doge) can streamline the submarines and produce better,” said former ambassador Arthur Sinozinos.
The former Australian US ambassador hopes tech giant Elon Musk will play a bigger role in streamlining the trilateral uplift partnership.
The comments come after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at revitalizing the US shipbuilding industry.
Musk is tasked with a three-month investigation into why it takes so long to build a vessel, but is looking for ways to streamline efficiency. The military in developed countries is constantly tackling the issue of procurement by slowing cost overruns and common occurrences.
Under the Orcas Agreement, Australia will receive two or three US Virginia-class nuclear submarines to counter the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attacks in the Indo-Pacific region.
On March 16, 2025, a USS Minnesota (SSN-783) Virginia-class First Attack submarine ship sails in waters off the coast of Western Australia. Colin Murty-Pool/Getty Images
However, Sinozinos said the costs will only be revealed when the equipment is delivered.
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With the involvement of Musk and Doge (the government’s Bureau of Efficiency), Sinodinos was hoping for changes to the Aukus program.
“The problem right now, and what Elon Musk is involved in the process here, is to figure out how they can streamline the submarines and produce better,” he told nine today’s programs.
“And there’s a potentially big role Elon Musk (a): Let’s take him to Australia and see the shipyard and see if he’ll tell us what he thinks.”
The former ambassador said the US is still committed to a security agreement with Australia.
“In my view, Congress has the ability to continue supporting hearing, which is important because they provide money,” he said.
On February 1, 2017, Arthur Sinodinos was former Australian ambassador to the United States at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia. Stefan Postles/Getty Images
Prime Minister with confidence in Orcas
Following Musk’s appointment, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed confidence in the outlook for the auricle program.
“I feel confident about Auguss because during my state visit to the United States, I had a direct discussion with the US President and more than 100 members of Congress in the Senate,” he told reporters.
Concerns about tariffs that will increase costs for Orcas
At an Oaks Dinner in Washington on April 9, Virginia’s Democrat Sen. Tim Kane, a bull advocate, warned that recent steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump administration could reduce the costs of the submarine program.
“We’re already struggling to get these ships and submarines on time (and) on budget. We’ll raise the price of them. That’s going to be a problem,” he said.
The senator also said he was concerned that tariffs would send a negative message to US allies.
“Allies are friends, and like I said, the alliance we have is our strategic advantage.
“We must deal with this tariff question in a more reasonable and responsible way.”
