The US, UK and Australian governments have issued a joint statement outlining the AUKUS treaty program to provide the Australian Navy (RAN) with nuclear attack submarines. This includes the development of a new British-designed her AUKUS-class submarine, including an unprecedented sharing of American and British nuclear technology.
The AUKUS Treaty, signed in September 2021, provides the US, UK and Australia with the means to not only acquire long-range nuclear attack submarines for the RAN, but also to develop the industrial infrastructure and know-how to build them. Promised to deliver to Australia. domestic boat.
Key to the plan, according to the statement, is the development of a new British-designed AUKUS-class submarine. Originally intended as a replacement for the Astute-class, which is still under construction, the new boats will become the mainstay of both the Australian and British submarine fleets, with the first ships being built at Barrow-in-Furness, UK, for the Royal Navy. Late 2030s.
New classes also include sharing British and American technology at an unprecedented level. This will increase commonality between the future nuclear ships of the three navies, allowing them to work together more efficiently. Australia will also be her seventh country to deploy nuclear submarines.
The first British-built AUKUS-class submarines will be delivered at the end of the next decade, and the Australian-built boats will be delivered a few years later as domestic facilities become available. To fill that gap, the Australian government agreed to purchase her three to five Virginia-class attack submarines from the United States. One of her first ships will be delivered in her early 2030s, replacing Australia’s current Collins-class conventional submarines.
Additionally, beginning this year, Australian sailors and civilians will board US and UK submarine facilities and ships for training, and around 2027, the RN and the US Navy will support the development of support facilities and such boats. Australian personnel with the necessary experience in handling
“Our partnership with AUKUS and the submarines under construction at our UK shipyards underscore our commitment to global security,” said UK Prime Minister Rishi Snak. “This partnership was founded on a foundation of our shared values and a resolute focus on maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. We are very pleased to be protecting our people and our allies with our British design expertise for generations to come.”
Source: White House, UK Government
