Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed
on the 31st that Australia will be unable to purchase newly built US
Virginia-class nuclear submarines under the prior procurement agreement and will
instead receive US in-service Virginia-class boats. Under the US-UK-Australia
trilateral security partnership (AUKUS), Canberra had planned from the 2030s to
acquire two US in-service Virginia-class submarines plus one newly built,
improved Virginia-class boat. Marles said the adjustment will age Australia’s
submarine fleet but could relieve pressure on US shipbuilding capacity.
