US President Joe Biden (R) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold a gathering throughout the Quad Leaders Summit at Kantei in Tokyo on May 24, 2022.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
Australia will receive conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines under an agreement announced following a Monday meeting of the leaders of america, the UK and Australia.
U.S. President Joe Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck the deal on the North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, Calif.
“After we announced the AUKUS partnership in September 2021, we committed to set the very best nuclear non-proliferation standard,” the leaders said in a joint statement referencing a strategic alliance among the many countries. “The plan we announce today delivers on this commitment and reflects our longstanding leadership in, and respect for, the worldwide nuclear non-proliferation regime.”
Speaking after the meeting, Albanese said the agreement “represents the most important single investment in Australia’s defense capability in all of our history.” He thanked the U.S. for sharing its nuclear propulsion technology for under the second time in history.
The trio agreed to seek the advice of 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.”
The submarines will probably be modeled after the UK’s next-generation nuclear submarine design and include up-to-date U.S. technology. Often called “SSN-AUKUS” after the strategic partnership among the many countries, they will probably be built and utilized by each the U.K. and Australia.
The U.K. is slated to deliver its first submarines within the late 2030s. Australia is ready to deliver its first underwater craft to the U.K. within the early 2040s.
Starting this yr, Australian military and civilian personnel will probably be embedded with members of the U.S. and U.K. navies to best learn the technology, eventually holding rotations docking the submarines with Australia starting in 2027.
Pending congressional approval, the U.S. will seek to sell Australia three Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines starting within the early 2030s. The U.S. is willing to sell as much as five submarines, if needed.
“This primary project is barely the start. More partnerships, more potential for peace and security within the region lies ahead,” Biden said after the meeting. “Simply stated, we’re putting ourselves within the strongest possible position to navigate the challenges of today and tomorrow, together.”