Australia to Receive All Second-Hand US Submarines

(MENAFN) All three nuclear-powered submarines Australia is set to acquire under the AUKUS security pact will be second-hand vessels, Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed Sunday — framing the revised arrangement as a source of "significant" financial savings.

The disclosure marks a departure from the original 2021 agreement, which had envisioned Australia receiving at least two used and one brand-new Virginia-class submarine, an Australian broadcasting agency reported.

Marles told reporters that under the updated framework, Canberra will now purchase exclusively pre-owned Virginia-class boats from Washington, abandoning the earlier provision for a newly built vessel.

A Streamlined Alliance
A joint statement from Washington, London, and Canberra framed the revision as a deliberate efficiency drive, describing the change as mutually "simplifying supply-chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies."

The AUKUS submarine program — the centerpiece of the trilateral security alliance between the US, UK, and Australia — is widely regarded as a cornerstone effort to bolster Indo-Pacific defense capabilities against the backdrop of rising regional tensions.

The Price Tag
The financial commitments underpinning the program are substantial. The UK has pledged £4 billion ($5.3 billion), the US has committed $17.5 billion, and Australia has earmarked more than 30 billion Australian dollars ($20.7 billion) — a combined outlay that underscores the strategic weight all three governments have attached to the alliance's long-term ambitions.

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