After years of rumors, four U.S. officials said that Australia is expected to buy up to five U.S. Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines in the 2030s as part of a landmark defense agreement between Washington, Canberra, and London in a deal that would present a new challenge to China.
The deal, known as AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-United States), was announced in 2021 and is seen as an attempt to counter Beijing’s growing power and strong positioning in the Pacific region. It also includes cooperation on hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence, and cyber warfare.
As part of the deal, Australians will visit U.S. submarine shipyards to observe and train on nuclear propulsion systems. This will help to increase the number of people who can work on US-built submarines and could be an essential source of labor for the United States, according to a congressional source familiar with the plan.
It would be the first time a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty other than the United States, Russia, China, or Britain would have its nuclear-powered submarines.
AUKUS is expected to be the most significant defense project ever undertaken by Australia, with production likely to take place in Australia and the United Kingdom. It will also offer opportunities for jobs in all three countries.
The first step in the AUKUS partnership, announced in 2021, is equipping the Royal Australian Navy with submarines. As part of that effort, the three nations have discussed the legal ramifications of transferring classified technology and how to train Australia’s sailors on the submarines.
One of the officials said that Australia would buy at least three Virginia-class submarines by the mid-2030s and have the option to add two more. The officials said the ships would be able to stay underwater longer than conventional ones and are harder to detect.
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They will also be more potent than conventionally-powered submarines, have a more excellent range, and be able to carry more sophisticated weaponry. The officials said the U.S. would deploy some of its new nuclear-powered submarines in Western Australia by 2027 before deploying all its new boats to the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific.
Another official said the deal was expected to lead to a new class of submarines, which would be built with British designs and American technology. Australia aimed to have the first two boats in service by the mid-2030s.
AUKUS is expected to be Australia’s biggest defense project, with production likely to occur in South Australia and the U.K. It will also offer job opportunities in both countries, providing the world’s most potent submarines with a new home. It will also present a new challenge to China, which has long sought to dominate the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia’s maritime domain.
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