The new submarines allow Australia to join, from the next decade, a group of nuclear submarine nations that includes the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and India.
The United States will sell Australia up to five Virginia-class nuclear submarines by the 2030s under the AUKUS security treaty, which appears to be the equivalent of China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The White House National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, announced on Monday that the United States had already met with Australia to sell three of these submarines and agreed that two more could be delivered to the oceanic country if needed.
Although AUKUS is felt to be counterbalancing China, Sullivan contended that the agreement is not directed against any country and demonstrates the intent of the US Indo-Pacific commitment.
During a press conference in San Diego, the leaders of the three AUKUS member countries made statements about the agreement.
US President Joe Biden said: “These submarines are nuclear powered, they are not nuclear armed submarines. Australia is a proud non-nuclear weapon state and is committed to remaining so.”
“The first three classes of submarines will be working together in the Atlantic and Pacific, keeping our oceans free, open and prosperous for decades,” said Rishi Sunak, UK Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia declared: “The scale, complexity and economic importance of this investment is similar to the creation of the Australian car industry in the post-World War II period.”
Australia invests 0.15% of its GDP
Australian Navy personnel join US and UK bases to train underwater skills. According to Biden, this is the first time in 65 years that the US has shared with another country the technology that is at the heart of its nuclear submarines.
Starting in 2027, the US and the UK will install a small number of nuclear submarines in Perth, Western Australia, before Australia buys the first three US Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s.
Australia’s finance minister said that his nation will invest in this project over the next 30 years a total of 368,000 million Australian dollars, 228,751 million in cash, equivalent to about 15% of the country’s GDP.
New Zealand prohibits the entry of nuclear submarines into its territory
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed on Tuesday that he would withdraw the entry of nuclear submarine powers from the AUKUS treaty in accordance with the denuclearization policy adopted by the country in the 1980s.
“New Zealand is proud to be a denuclearized state. Our position will not change,” Hipkins told reporters in Wellington, following the announcement by the leaders of the United States, Australia and Britain.
“We are not in an agreement about nuclear-powered submarines and we are not going to be part of that agreement,” said the New Zealand Labor leader, adding that he would cooperate with the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. a denuclearized country” if it is New Zealand’s interest.
He also told reporters that he “has no intention of changing” the 1987 anti-nuclear law to allow the entry of nuclear submarines into Australia.
Friction with France
At the time, the announcement generated a diplomatic crisis between Australia and France because it hinted at the signing of an agreement with French naval shipping companies for the development of conventional submarines in Canberra.
The new submarines allow Australia to join, from the next decade, a group of nuclear submarine nations that includes the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and India.
