The agreement, known as the AUKUS pact, will have multiple stages with at least one US submarine visiting Australian ports in the coming years and end in the late 2030s with a new class of submarines being built with British designs and American technology, one of the officials said.

US President Joe Biden will host leaders of Australia and the United Kingdom in San Diego on Monday to chart a way forward for provision of the nuclear-powered submarines and other high-tech weaponry to Australia.

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.

Two of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that after the annual port visits, the US would forward deploy some submarines in Western Australia by around 2027.

In the early 2030s, Australia would buy three Virginia class submarines and have the option to buy two more.

AUKUS is expected to be Australia's biggest-ever defense project and offers the prospect of jobs in all three countries.

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