Explainer | What to know about Australia’s Aukus subs and why it’s causing anxiety in Asia

Southeast Asian nations are concerned that Australia’s nuclear-propelled submarines may mainly operate in their region, particularly in the South China Sea

Critics worry that the deal could set a dangerous precedent that can be used by other states to hide highly enriched uranium or plutonium from international oversight

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From left: Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, and UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leave after a joint press conference following their meeting at Point Loma naval base, to discuss the procurement of nuclear-powered submarines under a pact between the three nations as part of Aukus. Photo: dpa

Published: 12:00pm, 16 Mar 2023Updated: 12:13pm, 16 Mar 2023

The United States, Britain and Australia on Monday announced a plan for Canberra to purchase up to five conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered US submarines, starting in the early 2030s, in an effort to counter China’s influence in the Pacific.

Starting this year, Australian military and civilian personnel will integrate with US and British navies and submarine industrial bases.

The Aukus pact, which was first sealed in 2021 and has four phases, drew a strong reaction from China which called it a “blatant act that constitutes serious nuclear proliferation risks, undermines international non-proliferation system, fuels arms race, and hurts peace and stability in the region”.

Critics have also raised concerns that the Aukus deal may undermine the non-proliferation regime, as it is the first time a loophole in the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has been used to transfer fissile material and nuclear technology from a nuclear weapon state to a non-weapons state.

Here’s what you need to know about the Aukus pact and its implications for Asia.

What was revealed about the deal?

The nuclear-powered submarine programme between Australia, the US and Britain may cost up to A$368 billion (US$244 billion) over the next three decades – the largest single defence project in history that will give Australia its first nuclear-powered submarines.

The programme would start with a A$6 billion investment over the next four years to expand a major submarine base and the country’s submarine shipyards, and to train skilled workers, said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.