nuclear-news

Australia to become major hub for US submarines, [and target?]

Andrew Tillett, Political correspondent  Financial Review, Jan 19, 2023

Australia is poised to become a major western Pacific hub for maintaining US submarines under the AUKUS deal as part of a boost to America’s presence in the region while Canberra waits for nuclear-powered submarines of its own to be delivered.

Hundreds of Australian companies are likely to be brought into the supply chain to help sustain visiting submarines, provided they meet strict quality assurance and security standards demanded by the US, including not using Chinese-made parts………………………………

The Albanese government is expected to unveil in March what it has described as the “optimal pathway” for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines with help from the US and UK under the AUKUS pact.

Experts believe it might not be until the late 2030s at the earliest that the Australian navy receives nuclear-powered submarines that can be fully crewed and commanded by Australians.

That challenge of building submarines was magnified last month when US Democrat senator Jack Reed, who chairs the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, and his former Republican opposite James Inhofe wrote to US President Joe Biden warning the American submarine industrial base could be pushed to “breaking point” because of AUKUS.

January 18, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized