Whitlock and Jones: Former top U.S. admiral cashes in on nuclear sub deal with Australia
Apr 12, 2023
In its quest to build nuclear-powered submarines, the government of Australia recently hired a little-known, one-person consulting firm from Virginia: Briny Deep, write Craig Whitlock and Nate Jones in the Washington Post.
Briny Deep, based in Alexandria, Va., received a $210,000 part-time contract in late November to advise Australian defence officials during their negotiations to acquire top-secret nuclear submarine technology from the United States and Britain, according to Australian contracting documents. U.S. public records show the company is owned by John M. Richardson, a retired four-star U.S. admiral and career submariner who headed the U.S. Navy from 2015 to 2019.
Richardson, who declined to comment, is the latest former U.S. Navy leader to cash in on the nuclear talks by working as a high-dollar consultant for the Australian government, a pattern that was revealed in a Washington Post investigation last year. His case brings to a dozen the number of retired officers and former civilian leaders from the U.S. Navy whom Australia has employed as advisers since the nuclear talks began in September 2021, documents show.
….
Edited extract of an article first published in the Washington Post March 7, 2023.
To continue to the full version of this article, click here (paywall).
Editors’ note:
Whitlock and Jones’ article was released on 7 March. On 15 March, ABC’s 7.30 report hosted a sympathetic interview with John Richardson, in which he promoted AUKUS and SSNs for Australia.
The reporter, Sarah Ferguson, did not put any questions to Richardson regarding the Washington Post report or potential conflicts of interest.
At the time of writing, according to its online search function, the ABC has not released any story related to the Washington Post report.
For more on this topic, P&I recommends:
Mack Williams
Contributions to Pearls and Irritations
Your contribution will fund quality independent comment and analysis in Pearls and Irritations
Contribute
