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Australia to receive three second-hand Virginia-class submarines instead of new vessels under revised AUKUS deal
Australia will no longer receive any brand new submarines under the AUKUS agreement. The United States will instead deliver three in-use Virginia-class vessels, a shift from the original plan of two second-hand and one new submarine, in a move expected to relieve pressure on US shipyards.
Australia will no longer receive any brand new submarines under the AUKUS trilateral defence agreement. The United States is set to deliver three in-use Virginia-class vessels instead of the originally planned two second-hand and one new submarine, marking a significant shift in the landmark defence pact.
The revised arrangement is expected to relieve some of the considerable pressure on US shipyards, which have struggled to meet production targets for both the US Navy's own fleet requirements and the AUKUS commitment. The change is also anticipated to be cheaper and simpler for Australia to implement.
The decision has drawn criticism from political opponents. The Coalition has signalled it will apply political pressure over the revised deal, while the Greens have been scathing in their response, describing the arrangement as Australia being dudded with second-hand submarines.
Defence analysts have offered a mixed reaction to the announcement. Some see the logic of receiving operational vessels sooner rather than waiting years for new construction, while others have raised concerns about the age and remaining service life of the transferred submarines.
The AUKUS agreement, signed in two thousand twenty-one between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, is considered one of the most significant defence partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. It aims to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarine capability to strengthen deterrence in the face of growing strategic competition.