Australia is set to purchase up to five US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines in 2030s as part of a significant Pacific security agreement, AUKUS pact, with the United States and the United Kingdom, four US officials told media outlets on Monday.
The AUKUS agreement, first announced in September 2021, aims to counter China’s growing power and assertiveness in the region and will include collaboration on hypersonic missiles, cyber warfare, and artificial intelligence.
The plan
At least one US submarine will visit Australian ports in the coming years, and a new class of submarines with UK designs and US technology will be built by the late 2030s. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that after annual port visits, the US would deploy some submarines in Western Australia by around 2027. In the early 2030s, Australia will purchase three Virginia-class submarines, with the option to buy two more. Nuclear submarines can stay underwater for longer than conventional ones and are harder to detect.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will reveal the next steps for the AUKUS agreement during a meeting with US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego on Monday.
According to The Guardian newspaper, the UK had “succeeded in its bid to sell British-designed nuclear submarines to Australia” and that Sunak was “buzzing about it” when he told ministers.
Next-generation submarine
The Virginia-class submarines from the US will serve as a stop-gap while Australia and the UK work together on a design for the next-generation submarine, which might not be ready until the 2040s, given the task’s complexity. Australia currently operates a fleet of six conventionally powered Collins-class submarines, which will have their service life extended to 2036.
China condemns the move
China has condemned the effort by the Western allies, who are seeking to counter China’s military buildup, pressure on Taiwan and increasingly muscular deployments in the contested South China Sea.
Regional allies are concerned
However, the AUKUS announcement has raised concerns among Australia’s regional allies, including Indonesia and Malaysia, who fear that it could fuel a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific. To address these concerns, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles assured parliament that the move is intended to provide stability and peace in the region.
“Clearly, these submarines will have the capability to operate at war, but the true intent of this capability is to provide for the stability and for the peace of our region,” Marles told parliament.