H.R. 5013: AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025

This bill, known as the AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025, aims to enhance the AUKUS partnership between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom by modifying provisions related to arms exports and defense agreements. Below are the main components of the bill:

Short Title

The bill may be cited as the "AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025."

Changes to Arms Export Regulations

The bill proposes amendments to the Arms Export Control Act, particularly concerning how defense articles (military goods and services) can be exported among the AUKUS countries. The key changes include:

• Exemption from Certain Requirements: The bill allows defense articles sold by the U.S. to be reexported, retransferred, or temporarily imported exclusively between the Governments of Australia and the United Kingdom without needing to secure the consent of the U.S. President. This change reduces bureaucratic hurdles related to the movement of military equipment.
• Intra-Company and Intra-Governmental Transfers: It authorizes the transfer of defense articles and services between various parties within companies, organizations, and governments involved in the AUKUS partnership. This includes allowing transfers between dual or third country nationals under specific regulatory conditions.

Elimination of Certification Requirements

The bill also eliminates the need for a certification for commercial technical assistance or manufacturing license agreements that involve Australia and the United Kingdom. This means:

• Companies and entities looking to engage in these agreements no longer need to meet specific certification criteria that were previously necessary for collaboration on defense-related projects with these countries.
• The bill redefines certain terms and adjusts the list of nations involved in these agreements, removing the United Kingdom from the previous requirement list.

Impact on Defense Collaboration

By streamlining regulations and reducing the certification processes, the bill aims to strengthen collaboration among the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom in defense matters. This could facilitate more efficient technology and resource sharing, thereby bolstering the military capabilities and readiness of the three nations involved.

Relevant Companies

• BA - Boeing: The company produces military aircraft and may benefit from increased defense contracts and streamlined export processes.
• LMT - Lockheed Martin: As a major defense contractor, Lockheed Martin could see improved opportunities for partnerships and sales under the revised arms export regulations.
• RTX - Raytheon Technologies: Involved in defense technology, Raytheon may gain from easier collaboration and transfer of technologies with AUKUS partners.