Just a day ago, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese left for the United States of America to get a deal signed on the AUKUS pact, which is part of a strategic partnership between the allies: Australia, the UK, and the US.
The leaders of the allies discussed the nuclear submarines with American technology and the British design, and Rolls Royce will be the manufacturer of the reactors in the UK. In the summit with leaders, president Mr. Joe Biden said, “the deal would not cause any hindrance to Australia’s commitment to be a nuclear-free country as the boats that accompany submarines will not be equipped with nuclear weapons.”
As per the AUKUS deal agreed upon, the Royal Australian Navy will be taught and trained on nuclear submarine operations by US and UK experts in their submarine bases soon this year.
With an ongoing threat from China in the Indo-Pacific region, the allies are committed to delivering at least one nuclear submarine to Australia in the RAN base in Perth(WA) by 2027. By the end of the 2030s, Australia plans to buy Virginia-class submarines and two other designs.
America’s target is to deliver nuclear submarines to the UK and Australia with entirely new designs and technology, and they will be named the SSN-AUKUS. The SSN-AUKUS will be built in the UK and Australia, with a British design and technology from the three countries.
Mr. Biden says, “With this new partnership, we’re showing again how democracies can deliver our security and prosperity… not just for us but for the entire world.” In addition to the deal, $4.6 billion is spent on submarine construction facilities to deliver nations and improve the service of the Virginia-class submarines.
“The AUKUS deal would remain the biggest military deal ever in Australian history and create thousands of jobs in the market.” “It is for the first time since 1965 that the Americans have shared their nuclear propulsion technology,” says Albanese.
The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cites the ongoing instabilities caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s growing threat to Taiwan and the insurgencies in Iran and North Korea. He expresses his concern over world peace by citing the issues.
“The Uk government will increase its military spending to 6 billion USD soon to protect itself from the cruel ideas of hostile nations,” says Sunak.
The Chinese raise concerns over the arms race that the US is propagating in the west. Beijing has reportedly condemned the AUKUS pact and should be loyal and faithful to international commitments and obligations.
The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, recalls the past action of Australia where it scrapped a multi-million dollar submarine deal with France to collaborate with the US and the UK, which created sour relations with Paris.
Australia has greater trade ties with Beijing, and it is yet to see how the AUKUS pact will affect the trade ties between Australia and china. The deal cost AUD 368 billion, which was spent over three decades.
Political experts say, “Australia might be a potential sovereign risk/ military target for China by getting close to the US allies.”
- Published By Team Australia News
