U.S. to sell nuke-powered submarines to Australia

OAN Geraldyn Berry
UPDATED 4:02 PM – Monday, March 13, 2023

As fears grow about China’s influence over the Indo-Pacific, President Joe Biden and two heads of important U.S. allies officially confirmed Monday that Australia will be purchasing nuclear-powered attack submarines from America to upgrade its fleet.

In the Australia-U.K. and U.S. agreement known AUKUSBiden, Rishi Sunak, British Prime Minister, and Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, described a strategy of three phrases that sees London and Canberra creating enhanced versions for their highly sensitive warships for their navies.

“Today, as we stand at an inflection point in history, where the, where the hard work of advancing deterrence and promoting stability is going to affect the prospect of peace for decades to come, the United States can ask for no better partner in the Indo-Pacific, where so much of our shared future will be written,” Biden said.

Step one “Optimal Pathway,” Biden outlined that the U.S. and British submarines visit Australian ports, integrating sailors into their armed forces as well as nuclear power training facilities. Australia does not employ nuclear propulsion in its submarines. The United States of America and the United Kingdom, however, use it. These three countries will participate in a rotating submarine force, appropriately titled Submarine Rotational Forces West, beginning in 2027.

The second phase will see Canberra purchase three nuclear-powered submarines of the Virginia-class from the United States. It may also purchase two additional submarines if required. If funding from Australia and the United States are successful and infrastructure upgrades for American shipyards is completed, then that will be in the 2030s.

Phase three of the agreement is its core. It will begin late in the next decade. SSN AUKUS will be a new submarine powered by nuclear power that Britain will build and then deliver to its military. Australia will follow the same design for its fleet of submarines in the early 2040s.

Australia’s Collins class diesel-powered submarines will be replaced by these submarines. Australia’s submarine capability will be significantly improved by using nuclear propulsion systems. They can cruise at sea for longer periods of time, and they can travel almost unlimited distances without the need to dock to refuel.

Australia will contribute an undisclosed amount in aid of that effort.

Despite three administrations promising more money and more forces to counter China’s rapid growth in military force, the sub-sea and technology contract represents Washington’s most concrete step toward focusing on the Indo-Pacific.

Kathleen Hicks (Deputy Defense Secretary) stated Monday, at the Pentagon’s $842 billion budget announcement that the majority of the investments are for deterring China.

“This latest budget expands production capacity even more, and procures the maximum amount of munitions that are most relevant for deterring and, if necessary, prevailing over aggression in the Indo-Pacific,” She spoke.

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