The leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have provided more information about how Australia will acquire nuclear submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which was first announced 18 months ago. The agreement aims to preserve a “free and open” Indo Pacific, and will see Australia purchase three American nuclear submarines, with the option to buy two more after the initial deal. The submarines are slated for delivery in the early 2030s. The security agreement is part of an ongoing effort by the three nations to respond to Beijing’s growing military might and increasingly assertive presence in the Asia Pacific. It includes a commitment to cooperate on building artificial intelligence capabilities, hypersonic weapons and other advanced technologies.
Speaking from Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, US President Joe Biden called the moment “an inflection point in history, where the hard work of enhancing deterrence and promoting stability is going to affect the prospect of peace for decades to come”. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that it was “the first time in 65 years and only the second time in history that the United States has shared its nuclear propulsion technology, and we thank you for it”. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cited growing challenges “including Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, China’s growing assertiveness, and destabilising behaviour of Iran and North Korea”.
In the short term, Australian military and civilian personnel will embed with the US and UK navies and at nuclear submarine bases in the countries. The US and UK will also increase nuclear submarine stops at Australian ports in the coming years, before beginning more substantial forward rotations in Australia. The moves will be part of decade-long effort to help Australia develop “the infrastructure, technical capabilities, industry and human capital” needed to operate and develop their own submarine.
By the early 2030s, pending US Congressional approval, Washington will sell three Virginia-class submarines, which have an estimated value of $3bn each, to Australia. Meanwhile, Australia and Britain will start building a new submarine model with US technology and support, with the UK expected to deliver its first home-built nuclear submarine by the late 2030s. Australia is set to deliver those new vessels to its navy by the early 2040s.
China has repeatedly accused the AUKUS trio of adopting a “Cold War mentality” that risks greater escalation in the region. The country has argued that AUKUS risks setting off an arms race and violates the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Beijing has said that the transfer of nuclear weapons materials from a nuclear weapons state to a non-nuclear-weapons state is a “blatant” violation of the spirit of the treaty. In response, the US, UK and Australia have pushed back against the criticism, saying “we continue to consult with the International Atomic Energy Agency to develop a non-proliferation approach that sets the strongest precedent for the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine capability”. Biden stressed that the submarines will be nuclear powered but “will not have nuclear weapons”.
Prior to Monday’s meeting, the UK announced $6bn in additional military funding over the next two years to “replenish and bolster vital ammunition stocks, modernise the UK’s nuclear enterprise and fund the next phase of the AUKUS submarine programme”. Longer-term spending increases for the defence budget are being considered.