The US Navy is about to deploy a squadron of nuclear submarines to Australia.
Australia's Defence Minister announced on June 12 that the US Navy will deploy a squadron of nuclear-powered submarines to a strategic Australian naval port this year.
Under the AUKUS agreement, four US-commanded submarines will operate on a rotational basis at a port on Australia's west coast starting next year. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said that personnel from the US Submarine Squadron 3 will oversee the submarines' operations, coordinating with Australian and British personnel.
Mr. Marles further shared that the US rotational force will train and lay the groundwork for Australia to operate its own nuclear submarines in the future. He emphasized that the presence of this force shows that "AUKUS is on the right track and it is really happening."
Mr. Marles' visit to London this week to discuss AUKUS was overshadowed by the unexpected resignation of his British counterpart, John Healey, over funding for UK defense projects. Although Mr. Healey had pledged support for AUKUS after meeting with Mr. Marles on June 11th, he left his post just before a scheduled visit to the Portsmouth naval base.
Under the AUKUS agreement – Australia's most expensive defense project – Canberra will purchase three used submarines from the United States starting in 2032. Australia also plans to collaborate with the United Kingdom to build a new class of nuclear-powered submarines. However, the agreement is facing skepticism over whether the slow pace of submarine production in the US and UK will leave Australia short of the necessary submarines by 2040.
