Military Space News
FLOATING STEEL
Australia, US, Britain leaders to meet, submarine deal expected
Australia, US, Britain leaders to meet, submarine deal expected
by AFP Staff Writers
Washington (AFP) March 9, 2023

The leaders of the United States, Britain and Australia will meet in the United States next week to discuss security and foreign policy, all three countries said Wednesday ahead of an expected nuclear submarine deal aimed at countering China's growing assertiveness in the Pacific.

After 18 months of negotiations, it is anticipated that Australia will reveal plans to obtain eight nuclear-powered submarines, in what Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called "the single biggest leap" in defense capability in his country's history.

The deal is part of the fledgling regional security pact among Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States known as AUKUS.

President Joe Biden will meet Monday in San Diego, California with Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss AUKUS, and will also hold separate bilateral talks with them, the White House said. The meeting was also announced by Australia and Britain.

On Monday the British government will also publish an update to its so-called "Integrated Review" of security, defense and foreign policy, a spokesman for Sunak said in London.

The last update two years ago was billed as the most comprehensive since the Cold War era and crafted as London recalibrated its post-Brexit foreign policy.

London has insisted the new three-way defense alliance is not intended to be adversarial towards any other nation. But it has been widely seen as a Western response to concern about China's increasing influence in the region, and the pace and size of Beijing's military expansion.

Since September 2021, behind-the-scenes talks have been taking place between the AUKUS partners about how to equip Australia's military with sensitive nuclear-propulsion technology.

Australia does not have the expertise to build its own nuclear subs -- which have an extended range and powerful strike capabilities -- and must buy them from either the United States or Britain.

The emerging deal has worried some of Australia's largest regional allies, with both Indonesia and Malaysia questioning whether it could spark a nuclear arms race in the Indo-Pacific.

While the subs will be powered by a nuclear reactor, Australia has ruled out equipping them with nuclear weapons.

The submarine contract is expected to be worth tens of billions of US dollars, but experts say its significance goes beyond jobs created and investments pledged.

- Beijing opposition -

Nuclear-powered submarines are difficult to detect, can travel long distances for prolonged periods and can be armed with sophisticated cruise missiles.

That would allow Australia to launch strikes or counterstrikes deep into enemy territory with little warning.

Beijing has voiced deep opposition to the project, which it sees as "dangerous" and designed to corner China.

Major questions still linger, including whether Australia will look to buy US or British submarines, where they will be built, and when they will be in the water.

Britain's The Times newspaper reported Tuesday that Australia is expected to acquire submarines built by Britain, rather than the United States, under the AUKUS pact because it is easier to crew the smaller UK vessels.

If the submarines are from the United States, it would be the first time US-derived nuclear submarine technologies were exported since the 1960s, when the United States helped Britain design its undersea fleet.

"The AUKUS partnership seeks to provide a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability to Australia at the earliest possible date," a Pentagon spokesperson told AFP ahead of Albanese's announcement.

"Bolstering our deterrence means boosting all of our industrial bases, growing our collective capabilities, and sharing technology as never before."

The AUKUS pact also foresees collaboration between the three allies on hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence and cyber warfare.

The subs deal has been contentious in the United States, which is struggling to grow its own fleet of nuclear submarines.

The chair of the influential US Senate armed services committee, Democrat Jack Reed, warned Biden in December that selling subs to Australia could undermine American naval prowess.

In a leaked letter sent to Biden, Reed also wrote that the AUKUS agreement risked "stressing the US submarine industrial base to the breaking point".

Australia had originally planned to buy diesel-powered submarines in a lucrative deal inked with France, but abruptly scrapped that agreement in favor of AUKUS.

UK's Sunak to meet Biden, Australian PM next week: govt
London (AFP) March 8, 2023 - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will on Monday meet US President Joe Biden and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese to discuss the emerging AUKUS security pact, the UK leader's spokesman said Wednesday.

The meeting comes with Australia set to seal a nuclear-powered submarine deal with Britain or the United States, seen as part of the trio's efforts to counter China's growing assertiveness in the Pacific region.

The three leaders will reportedly convene in San Diego, California for the one-day meeting. The US has one of its largest naval bases there.

"The prime minister will be in the US on Monday for discussions on AUKUS with President Biden and the Australian Prime Minister Albanese," Sunak's spokesman told reporters.

The UK government will also that day publish an update to its so-called "Integrated Review" of security, defence and foreign policy, he added.

The last update two years ago was billed as the most comprehensive since the Cold War era and crafted as London recalibrated its post-Brexit foreign policy. It outlined a pivot in strategic focus towards Asia, labelling China a "systemic competitor".

Within months Britain, the United States and Australia had announced their "enhanced trilateral security partnership", which has paved the way to providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

London has insisted the new defence alliance is not intended to be adversarial towards any other nation. But it has been widely seen as a Western response to concern about China's growing influence in the region, and the pace and size of its military expansion.

Britain's The Times newspaper reported Tuesday that Australia is expected to acquire submarines built by Britain, rather than the United States, under the AUKUS pact because it is easier to crew the smaller UK vessels.

Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FLOATING STEEL
Australia PM says to meet Biden in US, submarine deal expected
Sydney (AFP) March 8, 2023
Australia's prime minister said Wednesday he will soon meet President Joe Biden in the United States, where they are expected to unveil a nuclear submarine deal aimed at countering China's growing assertiveness in the Pacific. After 18 months of negotiations, it's anticipated that Australia will reveal plans to obtain eight nuclear-powered submarines, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called "the single biggest leap" in defence capability in the country's history. The deal is part of t ... read more

FLOATING STEEL
North Korea warns US against intercepting missiles during tests

Germany to give Slovakia Mantis air defence systems

Advanced manufacturing powering development of Next Generation Interceptor

Kremlin keeps mum on missile systems seen on Moscow rooftops

FLOATING STEEL
Russia pounds Ukraine with barrage of rare hypersonic missiles

Northrop Grumman test fires stage-one solid rocket motor for Sentinel Missile

Japan to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles from US: PM Kishida

Ukrainians pray, ready for strikes one year after Russian invasion

FLOATING STEEL
US blacklists Chinese firms supplying drone parts to Iran

Rafael's Drone Dome to be tested by FAA for Use at US Airport

Russia in talks with Chinese drone maker on supplies: report

US ends search for downed Chinese balloon debris, other objects

FLOATING STEEL
SpaceX launches 40 more Internet satellites for competitor

Rensselaer researcher breaks through the clouds to advance satellite communication

Advanced comms satellite launched from Sichuan

Babcock secures UK Military Skynet satellite contract

FLOATING STEEL
German firm in talks to build tank plant in Ukraine

EU eyes extra 1 bn euros on ammunition for Ukraine

Northrop Grumman's new multifunction sensor designed for rapid production

US pledges $2 bn in Ukraine security aid on invasion anniversary

FLOATING STEEL
UK in major defence boost to respond to Russia, China

China increases military spending in face of 'escalating' threats

How China has ramped up its defense capabilities

Germany wants to buy old Swiss Leopard tanks: Bern

FLOATING STEEL
China's Xi spotlights national security in congress closing speech

China's Xi handed historic third term as president

Biden meets Finland president, reaffirms support for NATO entry

Chinese security vessel orders Philippine plane carrying media to 'leave'

FLOATING STEEL
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.