US, Australia, Britain Enter Nuclear Submarine Deal to Counter China

The United States, Australia, and Britain announced a nuclear-powered submarine deal. This deal is aimed at countering the ‘Chinese aggression’ in the Indo-Pacific region.

This deal was announced following a summit meeting of the leaders of the three countries in San Diego on Monday.

As part of the deal, beginning in the early 2030s, the United States will sell three Virginia-class submarines to Australia with the potential to sell up to two more if needed, stated American president Joe Biden said in San Diego.

“This state-of-the-art conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine will work — that will combine the UK submarine technology and design with the American technology,” Biden said. Australia’s future SSN, which Biden described as “SSN-AUKUS”, will also be a state-of-the-art platform designed to leverage the best of submarine technology from all three nations.

SSN-AUKUS will be based upon the United Kingdom’s next-generation SSN design while incorporating cutting-edge US submarine technologies. This submarine will be built and deployed by both Australia and the United Kingdom.

“The AUKUS agreement, we confirm here in San Diego, represents the biggest single investment in Australia’s defense capability in all of our history”, said Australia PM Albanese.

“We are providing an extra £5 billion over the next two years, immediately increasing our defense budget to around 2.25 per cent of GDP. This will allow us to replenish our war stocks and modernise our nuclear enterprise, delivering AUKUS and strengthening our deterrent. Our highest priority is to continue providing military aid to Ukraine because their security is our security,” said British PM Sunak.