ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: Australia is expected to buy up to five United States (US) Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines in the 2030s as part of a landmark defence agreement between Washington, London and Canberra, four US officials said on Wednesday in a deal that would present the latest challenge to China.
The agreement, known as the AUKUS pact, would have multiple stages with at least one United States submarine reaching Australian ports in the coming years and end in the late 2030s with a new class of submarines to be built with British designs and American technology, one of the officials said.
US president will host leaders
United States President Joe Biden will host leaders of Australia and Britain in San Diego on Monday to chart a way forward for providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines and other high-tech weaponry.
China has condemned the Western allies’ efforts, seeking to counter China’s military buildup, pressure on Taiwan, and increasingly muscular deployments in the contested South China Sea.
Speaking anonymously, two officials said that after the annual port visits, the United States would forward deploying a few submarines in Western Australia by around 2027.
In the early 2030s, Australia would purchase 3 Virginia class submarines and have the option to buy two more.
AUKUS has expected to be Australia’s biggest-ever defence project and offers the prospect of jobs in all three nations.
