Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Politics
John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University

AUKUS submarine plan will be the biggest defence scheme in Australian history. So how will it work?

The agreement to deliver Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS tripartite security pact was announced today with great fanfare at United States Navy facilities in San Diego, California.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined UK counterpart Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden to announce what will be the biggest defence project in Australia’s history. This momentous decision is premised on an unprecedented level of collaboration between the three countries.

Australia will buy three US “Virginia class” nuclear-powered subs (and potentially two more) as an interim measure from around 2033 onwards.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.