TIME TO CANCELL $400 BILLION AUKUS SUBS !!!, page-92

AUKUS isn't really that expensive when you remember the costs are going to be spread over, what, 40 years? $7Bn-$8Bn is a drop in the bucket when you compare it to something like the ever increasing NDIS annual spend.

Not sure about the drone option. The US, Chinese & Russians are all developing new nuclear submarine designs while pumping out submarines based on current designs. The Chinese & US are still happily churning out aircraft carriers. Not one of the 170 Iranian drones made it through to it's target in the April attack on Israel. Not saying they won't/don't have an important role to play, but the big boys don't seem to think they should be relied upon to form the bulk of a defence strategy yet.

Re other countries & closer military ties / alliances, they need to want them as well though. I don't think Indonesia, Vietnam or India have any interest in formal alliances like that. Japan, already working on via AUKUS, same as South Korea.

Cheers!