Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia?

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia?

The multi-billion dollar deal was heralded as ensuring the security of the Indo-Pacific. But with America an increasingly unreliable ally, doubts are rising above the waves

Ben Doherty
Thu 6 Mar 2025 14.00 GMT
Last modified on Fri 7 Mar 2025 01.33 GMT

Maybe Australia’s boats just never turn up.

To fanfare and flags, the Aukus deal was presented as a sure bet, papering over an uncertainty that such an ambitious deal could ever be delivered.

It was assured, three publics across two oceans were told – signed, sealed and to-be-delivered: Australia would buy from its great ally, the US, its own conventionally armed nuclear-powered attack submarines before it began building its own.

But there is an emerging disquiet on the promise of Aukus pillar one: it may be the promised US-built nuclear-powered submarines simply never arrive under Australian sovereign control.

Instead, those nuclear submarines, stationed in Australia, could bear US flags, carry US weapons, commanded and crewed by American officers and sailors.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/07/surface-tension-could-the-promised-aukus-nuclear-submarines-simply-never-be-handed-over-to-australia

[Irish_Dem]

1. And who will control those US subs? China, Russia?

[S/V Loner]

2. I'm not surprised this is happening...

The equipment I designed and manufactured is a part of that deal. I’m glad I sold the business and retired.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

3. You'll probably know better then me, but I was always under the impression that this was a risk from the beginning

For the Australians, this deal is a significant part of their defense budget and was dependent on future increases that may not happen. Plus, they have no native nuclear industry and will be entirely dependent on the US or UK for both training and technical support as well as fuel and maintenance of the reactors.

For US, our capacity to build additional subs has been a known problem. Newport News is currently busy with the Ford's and Groton is busy with getting more Virginia classes out to replace our Los Angeles class subs and also trying to get the Columbia class production up and running.

[S/V Loner]

4. To answer the first part...

it’s like anything else. So much is based on trust between partners. If there is an advantage to both parties in such an arrangement then it is worth the risk. This deal offers advantages to both parties. The reality is this was all done before trump and as the saying goes…"Trust is lost in buckets, and comes back in drops.”
As far as the second part is concerned a new partnership is being put together between the Navy and private shipyards. The following article will provide info on that.
https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/Article-View/Article/3913023/navy-partners-with-private-industry-to-grow-submarine-industrial-base-capacity/