Defence Minister Richard Marles insists AUKUS partners are working 'at pace' to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines after the United States revealed it would halve next year's planned production of Virginia-class boats.
Defence Minister Richard Marles says AUKUS partners are working to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines despite changes to procurement plans in the US.As part of the AUKUS deal, Australia will provide more than $4.5 billion to bolster America's submarine industrial base.
Critics of the move, including vocal Democratic congressman Joe Courtney, who heads Washington's so-called "AUKUS Caucus", warned the decision would have a "profound impact" on both countries' navies. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull told the ABC Australia's future defence had become completely dependent on the United States.
"The reality is the Americans are not going to make their submarine deficit worse than it is already by giving or selling submarines to Australia and the AUKUS legislation actually sets that out quite specifically."In March last year the AUKUS leaders detailed a plan to begin transferring the first of at least three US Virginia-class boats in 2032 to avoid a capability gap as Australia's Collins-class fleet is retired and British-designed submarines are built in Adelaide.
"When the US passed the law to set up AUKUS they put in kill switches, one of which allowed the US to not transfer the submarines if doing so would 'degrade the US undersea capabilities'. Budgeting for one submarine all but guarantees this," he warned.
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