The Pentagon’s former top AUKUS adviser has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to appoint a special tsar to drive forward the pact and ensure opportunities to gain a crucial military edge over China are not lost after US President Donald Trump gave the partnership his enthusiastic backing.

Abraham Denmark, who co-ordinated the US Defence Department’s AUKUS efforts under Joe Biden, said he was confident the United States would sell Australia at least three Virginia-class submarines as promised despite continuing doubts over the American navy’s ability to meet its own requirements.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison echoed Denmark’s comments, saying it was time to draw a line under the “endless speculation” about AUKUS’s future and focus on turning the plan into a reality.

“AUKUS has

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