With tensions rising around the future of Australia’s $368 billion submarine program, Four Corners is putting the AUKUS agreement under the microscope in a high-stakes new episode airing Monday night on ABC.
Titled Submerged, the investigation sends Mark Willacy to Washington and London to track mounting doubts around the landmark defense pact. Central to the episode is a question gaining traction on both sides of the Pacific: What happens if the U.S. walks away?
The concerns aren’t theoretical. With the Pentagon and Trump allegedly now re-evaluating the deal, sources warn the trilateral agreement may face more than just construction delays. A former U.S. Defense Secretary featured in the episode calls the pace of the plan “too slow to matter,” while senior U.K. officials signal deepening anxiety over budget blowouts and dockyard capacity.
The episode arrives at a critical flashpoint. AUKUS was designed to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, but the emerging consensus is that political and logistical hurdles are threatening to undercut the program’s original timeline—and its strategic purpose. Australia’s $368B commitment, once framed as a security guarantee, could now leave the country exposed if the deal falters.
The scrutiny also puts pressure on Canberra, which has publicly backed the agreement but remains tight-lipped about contingency planning. If U.S. policy continues it pivot toward isolationism—or simply stalls—Australia could be left with billions spent and no submarines delivered.
Four Corners: Submerged airs Monday, June 16 at 8:30 PM AEST on ABC and ABC iview.
