New Delhi: Australia will receive only second-hand nuclear-powered submarines from the United States under a revised AUKUS defence agreement, marking a significant change to the original plan announced earlier.
According to an AFP report, the change was announced during discussions between defence leaders from Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore.
New agreement to come in place
The updated arrangement will see Australia acquire three in-service Virginia-class submarines in the 2030s instead of a mix of one new and two used vessels.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said the change would simplify operations, training and maintenance while also reducing costs. In a joint statement, Marles, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the revised arrangement would streamline Australia’s submarine acquisition process while improving operational efficiency and reducing overall costs.
The submarines are expected to have roughly two decades of operational life remaining when transferred. Deliveries are scheduled to begin from 2032 as Australia works toward eventually operating the jointly developed SSN-AUKUS submarines expected in the 2040s.
The revision comes as the United States faces challenges increasing submarine production, with some analysts saying that limited manufacturing capacity has made it difficult for the US to provide newly built vessels while also meeting their domestic needs.
The AUKUS submarine programme is expected to cost Australia up to $235 billion over the next three decades. Australian officials have been looking for ways to manage costs while ensuring the project remains on schedule, the AFP report added.
Supporters of the change argue that receiving submarines already in service will allow Australian crews to train more quickly and operate a more uniform fleet. Detractors have meanwhile questioned whether the ageing vessels will provide sufficient long-term value and whether delays in future submarine programs could create capability gaps.
The AUKUS partnership, launched in 2021 between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, remains one of the most significant defence initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region, aimed at strengthening military and technological cooperation amid growing strategic competition.
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