Aukus deal: Australia seeks to acquire nuclear submarines before 2040, defence minister says
- Peter Dutton said more details about the plan to build the vessels under a partnership with the US and Britain will be announced ‘in the coming months’
- The partners had initially said work on the specifications could potentially take more than a year
The secretly negotiated security agreement infuriated Paris, which accused Canberra of lying.
“We will have an announcement within the next couple of months about which boat we are going with, what we can do in the interim,” Dutton told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Sunday.
“Both the US and the UK understand the timelines, they understand what is happening in the Indo-Pacific, and they are very, very willing partners.”
Rucndprk? If Japan joins Aukus, what will China, Russia, North Korea do?
The partners had initially said work on the details and specifications could potentially take 18 months. Morrison’s government faces a national election that must by held by May.
Australia’s investment is intended to replace an ageing fleet of Collins Class submarines. Dutton indicated the country hoped to have its first nuclear-powered vessels before 2040, the current date by which they’re expected to be in service.
23:20
Talking Post: Kevin Rudd unpacks the risk of war between China and the US with Yonden Lhatoo
“We are going to acquire the capability much sooner than that,” Dutton said. “The arrangement that’s under way at the moment between the US and UK has been incredibly productive.”
Morrison last month said US and British experts are in Australia to advise on the project.
Forged at a time of growing Chinese influence in the Pacific region, the Aukus alliance would make Australia the only non-nuclear weapons power with nuclear-powered submarines, capable of travelling long distances without surfacing.
