The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom have just sealed a pact aimed at producing the nuclear-powered submarines of tomorrow. Here is everything we know about this defense project supported by the three countries.
A “promising” tripartite project. American, Australian and British leaders, Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak met on Monday in San Diego, California (USA), to seal the Aukus, an agreement to produce nuclear submarines from the future.
“Our project strengthens for decades the industrial capacity of our three nations to produce and deploy nuclear-powered submarines, it develops our submarine presence in the Indo-Pacific and contributes to global security and stability” , the leaders announced in a joint press release. Update on this ambitious project.
an American submarine
The project mainly concerns the production of new submarines named SSN-AUKUS, intended for the Royal Navy, the maritime forces of the British army, and the Royal Australian Navy, its Australian equivalent, to ensure the maintenance of security in the ‘Indo-Pacific.
This project must be spread over more than fifteen years, according to the joint declaration of the three heads of state, since the submarines will have to be delivered to the Australian navy in 2040, and in 2030 for Great Britain.
The United States must, under this agreement announced in 2021 and concluded yesterday, deliver three “Virginia” class nuclear submarines to Canberra, with the possibility of selling up to two more if necessary, after a favorable vote of Congress.
Australian staff
Starting this year, “Australian military and civilian personnel will be integrated into the US Navy, Royal Navy and submarine industrial bases in the US and UK to accelerate their training,” the policymakers promised.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that this project will “support the Australian economy for decades”, and will create approximately “20,000 direct jobs”, in the country, from the naval base in San Diego, this Monday .
The SSN-AUKUS submarines will be equipped with British and American technology, some of which are already present in submersibles used by one of the greatest military powers in the world.
IAEA monitoring
This colossal pact, which represents the largest “military investment in Australian history”, estimated at more than 183 billion dollars (170 billion euros) according to Australian media, will be closely scrutinized by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).
Indeed, the United States and Great Britain have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty” (NPT) and must therefore “report international transfers of nuclear material”, recalls the body, whose director general published a statement.
“Ultimately, the Agency must ensure that no risk of proliferation emanates from this project”, announced Rafael Grossi, promising to “fulfill its mandate of verification and non-proliferation impartially and in complete transparency “.
Moscow and Beijing revolted
Russia on Tuesday accused the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom of planning “years of confrontation in Asia” by making this international pact.
“The Anglo-Saxon world is building block structures like AUKUS, advancing NATO’s infrastructure in Asia, and seriously betting on long years of confrontation,” said the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs during a speech in Moscow. Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov.
For its part, Beijing denounced a “wrong and dangerous path”, violating the objectives of the Non-Proliferation Treaty with “a serious risk of nuclear proliferation”, through the voice of a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy, Wang Wenbin. , the day after the meeting between Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak in California.
