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View all search resultsAustralia to receive used submarines from US in 'streamlined' AUKUS deal
The two nations met at Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts from about 45 countries.
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The Virginia-class USS North Dakota (SSN 784) submarine is seen during bravo sea trials in this U.S. Navy handout picture taken in the Atlantic Ocean August 18, 2013. The Navy commissioned its newest attack submarine North Dakota, during a ceremony October 25, 2014, at Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, defense officials announced. (Reuters/US NAVY)
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ustralia and the United States announced Saturday the nations will "streamline" the AUKUS agreement regarding its purchase of nuclear-powered submarines, which will no longer include any new vessels.
The two nations met at Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue, which brings together top defence officials and experts from about 45 countries.
Under the 2021 AUKUS deal, Australia is expected to receive at least three of so-called "Virginia-class" nuclear-powered submarines from the United States within 15 years.
In a joint statement from Australian deputy prime minister Richard Marles, US Minister for Defence Pete Hegseth, and the UK Secretary for Defence John Healey the trio confirmed the tweak to the submarine agreement.
"The deputy prime minister and secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia's acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS), simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies," the statement said.
"This approach would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants."
The US Navy has 24 Virginia-class vessels but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year.
In the United States, critics questioned why Washington would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first.
Australia had been expecting to receive two used and one new Virginia-class submarine.
The AUKUS submarine programme lies at the heart of Australia's defence strategy and could cost up to US$235 billion over 30 years, according to government forecasts.
Formed by the three countries in 2021, AUKUS is part of their efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Indo-Pacific region.
China has called the AUKUS pact dangerous and warned it could spur a regional arms race.
"This will rapidly give our forces the very most advanced battlefield technologies as together we produce a range of cutting-edge sensors and weapons systems for undersea drones," said Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey.
Healey added that the unmanned undersea vehicles will sharpen all three countries' ability to respond to threats, including those targeting underwater cables and pipelines.
"For too long in AUKUS, we talked too much and delivered too little," said Healey, who was talking alongside Hegseth and Australia's defence minister on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
