SEVERAL US officials revealed that Australia is planning to buy up to five nuclear-powered submarines from the United States sometime in the 2030s.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, 4 US officials revealed Australia’s next steps as part of its trilateral security pact with the UK and the US more commonly known as the AUKUS agreement.
The 4 unnamed sources revealed that Australia will buy as many as 5 US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines in the 2030s as part of the AUKUS agreement.
Under the deal, at least one US submarine will visit Australian ports in the coming years, and by the late 2030s, Australia will buy between 4 and 5 U.S.-built Virginia class submarines, while construction and design of UK-built submarines will start sometime in the 2040s.
The purchase of the US-built nuclear submarines will come around the same time when Australia’s 6 conventionally powered Collins-class submarines will retire in 2036.
Nuclear submarines can stay underwater for a longer period and are harder to detect than conventional ones, while the vessels can accommodate 70-80 more crew members per boat.
Some of Australia’s regional allies, including Indonesia and Malaysia, raised concerns that the AUKUS deal could fuel a nuclear arms race in the indo-pacific but the Australian Defense Minister reassured them that the true intent of the nuclear-powered submarines is to provide stability and peace in the region.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese assured that Australia will have 100% control of its nuclear submarines in an event of a disagreement between the US and the UK over military strategy.
China has accused the US, UK, and Australia of trying to assemble an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO” a few months after the 3 countries announced their plans to create hypersonic weapons under the AUKUS pact.
