ARMOR Act

The AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act (ARMOR Act) would modify provisions related to defense trade and cooperation among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership formed in 2021 to foster collaboration on advanced military technologies including nuclear-powered submarines, artificial intelligence, and hypersonic capabilities. The bill specifically addresses Pillar II of AUKUS, which focuses on joint development and sharing of advanced technologies to boost military and defense capabilities.

If enacted, the ARMOR Act would strengthen the expedited review process for defense transfers, exports, and other activities involving advanced technologies and defense articles and services. The bill would expand expedited licensing to include retransfers of technology, remove congressional notification requirements on certain AUKUS transfers, require reports on implementation of expedited review for export licenses, and mandate annual reviews of the Excluded Technology List to ensure it remains relevant and aligned with AUKUS goals.