Pillar 2 of the trilateral agreement AUKUS is focused on cooperative actions between the three nations to develop advanced defense capabilities, which are critical to the balance of power in future strategic competition with China.

AUKUS Pillar 2's potential for establishing and maintaining advantages in critical technology areas can only be fulfilled if the alliance can demonstrate progress and overcome barriers to cooperation. As strategic competition continues to intensify, what can we expect from AUKUS Pillar 2 cooperation and emerging technologies? And how is Australia developing a technological edge the Indo-Pacific?

On September 20th, the Center for a New American Security hosted Professor Tanya Monro, Australia's Chief Defence Scientist, in conversation with Becca Wasser to discuss the latest developments and challenges under AUKUS Pillar 2. This conversation is part of the CNAS Mission Brief speaker series, which features deep-diving discussions with the military and civilian leaders driving future U.S. and allied defense strategy. You can watch past Mission Briefs, and find out about upcoming ones, at cnas.org/events

This podcast is a production of the Center for a New American Security, this episode was produced and edited by Anna Pederson, with assistance from Charles Horn.