As Aukus spending and delays blow out, will Australia’s nuclear submarines ever materialise?

The US Navy has admitted it would take until 2032 before it was building two Virginia-class boats a year – still below the rate needed to supply Australia. Photograph: Colin Murty/AAP

As Australia’s Aukus spending blows out further, US submarine building falls years further behind: the strongest signal yet that America’s promised Virginia-class submarines are increasingly unlikely to materialise under Australian command.

The US navy has admitted it would take until 2032 before it was building two Virginia-class boats a year – still below the rate needed to supply Australia.