AUKUS submarine deal promotes regional stability, counters Chinese influence
FORUM Staff
An arrangement for Australia to acquire conventionally armed, nuclear-power submarines (SSN) through a trilateral alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States will uphold the highest non-proliferation standard and deliver on a commitment to enhance deterrence and promote stability in the Indo-Pacific, the White House announced in March 2023.
New details of the deal emerged following an 18-month consultation period for Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. — a security pact known as AUKUS — to identify the optimal path for Australia to acquire the new class of submarines, which will be called SSN-AUKUS.
SSN-AUKUS will incorporate the U.K.’s next-generation SSN design and integrate “cutting edge” U.S. submarine technologies, the White House said. SSN-AUKUS will be built and deployed by both Australia and the U.K. The vessels can travel farther and faster than existing diesel-powered submarines and enable Australia to carry out long-range strikes against enemies for the first time, the BBC reported.
“We represent three allies who have stood shoulder to shoulder together for more than a century,” British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said, standing with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss the deal, Politico reported. “Three peoples who have shed blood together in defense of our shared values. And three democracies that are coming together again to fulfill the higher purpose of maintaining freedom, peace and security now and for generations to come.” (Pictured: From left, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak herald the AUKUS submarine deal at a U.S. Navy base in San Diego in March 2023.)
Australia does not and will not seek nuclear weapons, according to AUKUS, a security pact formed to deepen diplomatic, security and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. AUKUS seeks to revitalize and modernize alliances and partnerships around the world, enhancing Indo-Pacific engagements to advance security, prosperity, and freedom of movement for people and goods.
“The United States has safeguarded stability in the Indo-Pacific for decades for the enormous benefit of nations throughout the region,” President Biden said, according to The New York Times newspaper. “We’re showing again how democracies can deliver our own security and prosperity, and not just for us but for the entire world.”
Nuclear-powered submarine reactors are a proven and safe technology operated by the U.S. for more than six decades without incident. They have been present in the Pacific for decades. In addition to the U.S. and the U.K., nuclear-powered submarines are operated by France, India, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia.
Though the AUKUS deal does not reference the PRC, analysts view it as another tool to counter aggressive behavior and influence by Beijing.
“AUKUS was undertaken against the backdrop of a deteriorating security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically revolving around the exponential growth of China’s military power and its more assertive foreign policy over the past decade. Those two trends have heightened security concern in the region and motivated AUKUS members to align their strategies and respond to the challenges posed by China,” according to an analysis by Charles Edel, senior advisor and Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Thus, fundamentally, AUKUS is a bet by Washington, Canberra and London that by further integrating industrial bases and deepening their interoperability, AUKUS will enhance these countries’ capabilities, send a firm message to Beijing that it is no longer operating in a permissive security environment, and ultimately strengthen stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
AUKUS outlined a phased approach for the submarine deal. Australian military and civilian personnel will embed with the U.S. and British navies to accelerate training. The U.K. and U.S. will establish a rotational submarine presence in Australia. The U.S. will invest U.S. $2.4 billion through 2027 to increase construction capacity. The U.K. intends to deliver its first SSN-AUKUS to the British Royal Navy in the late 2030s, and Australia plans to deliver the first Australian-built SSN-AUKUS to the Royal Australian Navy in the early 2040s, according to the White House.
“All three nations appreciate the enormity of this endeavor and are committed to the principles that have upheld the United Kingdom and United States naval nuclear propulsion programs’ unmatched safety records,” the White House said in March 2023. “For over 60 years, the United Kingdom and United States have operated more than 500 naval nuclear reactors that have collectively traveled more than 150 million miles — the equivalent of over 300 trips to the moon and back — without incident or adverse effect on human health or the quality of the environment. Australia is committed to upholding these same standards to safely steward naval nuclear propulsion technology.”
IMAGE CREDIT: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS