The funniest part about this is bridge colby is now on record as saying "yes, I think deploying a fast attack to look for go-fasts is the best use of a resource I've spent the last 5 years filling my diapers about how we'll never have enough of so we have to blow up AUKUS"
Aussies utterly played themselves on the sub deal imo.
Well, using nuclear subs to hunt for pangas is just as important as a show of force in the SCS when you think about it while mainlining horse tranquilizers.
Doesn't everyone immediately think of CG's and SSN's when they hear the words "interdiction and boarding?"
Broke: using Burks & Ticos for law enforcement actions. Woke: using super-carriers & nuclear subs for law enforcement actions.
I wish I had the context to understand this one
Elbridge Colby is currently the undersecretary of Defense for policy, he's made a big stink about the trilateral US-UK-AUS AUKUS agreement, specifically the component that will have the US providing nuclear attack ("fast attack") subs to the Aussies, because he thinks we don't have enough for China
This is very dumb because his core gripe is we don't have enough industrial capacity to build enough of them fast enough and a core part of AUKUS is the Aus govt investing billions of dollars into the US submarine industrial base
Its even dumber right? Arent the Brits doing most of the actual submarine building, we're just going to train the crews and contribute, like, the reactors if I remember right??
We've promised them 3 Virginias, what you're thinking of is the ultimate aim of the agreement which is them also getting 5 subs from the UK But those are the Astute replacement and so won't be ready until like 2040 at the earliest, hence the 3 Virginias
Anyway given all that, him giving enthusiastic approval to ordering a nuclear attack sub to fart around the Caribbean chasing drug runners is extremely funny
Lol, got it. Thank you very much!
Elbridge Colby, master of unintended humor.
(Policy has to hack on all SDOBs and let's just say it would appear he concurred vigorously with this one)