Australia could get nuclear submarines from US earlier to combat growing Chinese influence in region
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Anthony Albanese reveals Australia could get nuclear-powered submarines from the US ahead of schedule to counter growing Chinese influence in Asia-Pacific
- Australia may have US nuclear-powered submarines sooner than expected
- It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese makes his commitment to AUKUS. confirmed
- ‘We stand together for an international order that respects human rights’
- Mr Albanian also said the nation is steadfast to get them as early as possible
- A first fleet could arrive by the mid-2030s to cope with growing Chinese influence
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Australia’s first batch of nuclear-powered submarines could arrive earlier via the United States, as Anthony Albanese reaffirms the country’s commitment to the AUKUS treaty.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the treaty between Australia, the US and the UK, the prime minister said it has made significant progress in acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia to acquire this opportunity as soon as possible,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
The US government is considering accelerating Australian submarines to respond to China’s growing influence in the Pacific, the Wall Street Journal reported (pictured, a Royal Australian Navy submarine during an exercise with the Indian Navy last year)
“We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes without coercion,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
It comes as the Wall Street Journal reports that Australia’s first shipment of nuclear submarines could arrive earlier.
The US government is considering speeding up Australian submarines to respond to China’s growing influence in the Pacific, the paper reported.
A first fleet could arrive in the mid-2030s as Australia builds its own capacity to produce the submarines.
Albanian said the need for the treaty is “as clear today as it was a year ago.”
“We stand together to support an international order that respects human rights, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes without coercion,” he said.
If the submarines arrive earlier than initially thought, they will still have conventional weapons on board, with Mr Albanese reaffirming that Australia is neither seeking nor acquiring nuclear weapons.
The AUKUS treaty has also enhanced Australia’s progress in hypersonic and counter-hysonic missile technology, electronic and cyber warfare, artificial intelligence and quantum computing, Mr Albanese said.
He said AUKUS will look for opportunities to engage with allies and close partners as the work progresses.
The security pact was signed in the run-up to scrapping Australia’s $90 billion submarine deal.
Those submarines would also enter service in the mid-2030s.