Reports that US Defence ­official and long-time AUKUS critic Elbridge Colby was launching a review of the multibillion-dollar defence pact were leaked last month, with expectations the investigation into AUKUS would take just 30 days.

But in a statement on Wednesday (AEST), the US Defence department revealed the review would not be completed until “fall”, which runs from September to November in America.

USSC CEO Dr Michael Green was quoted in the article saying a longer review was better than a short, 30-day process that did not capture the significance of AUKUS.