Australia to buy US made nuclear-powered submarines to modernise its fleet
Australia will purchase U.S.-manufactured, nuclear-powered attack submarines to modernise its fleet, a European official and a person familiar with the matter said Thursday, amid growing concerns about China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The purchase agreement for Virginia-class submarines will be announced Monday when President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meet in San Diego for talks on the 18-month-old nuclear partnership known by the acronym AUKUS. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter ahead of the announcement.
The AUKUS agreement, announced in 2021, paved the way for Australia to get access to nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered boats.
We all recognize the imperative of ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific over the long term, Biden said in September 2021 when the partnership was announced. We need to be able