Dissent voiced in an ongoing inquiry into Australia’s most ambitious nuclear submarine pact has laid bare growing uncertainty over US commitment, amid questions about the clarity of Canberra’s explanation of the Aukus deal to citizens.
Under the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, Canberra will get eight nuclear-powered submarines at an estimated cost of up to A$368 billion (US$266 billion).
Three used Virginia-class nuclear submarines will initially be bought from the US and delivered from between 2032 and 2038. Australia will also work with the UK to build the new Aukus submarines locally, with the first delivery expected in the early 2040s.
At an Aukus public inquiry in Canberra last week, one of Australia’s leading submarine experts, retired Rear Admiral Peter Briggs, called the plan “flawed and undeliverable”.
Australia scrapped an agreement for France to supply Attack-class submarines in favour of the Aukus sale in 2021. Briggs said the French deal was the better option, arguing that US shipyards, already struggling to meet the domestic demands, could not deliver the promised nuclear-powered submarines on time.
At the same inquiry, former civil servants dealing with national security Michael Keating and Jon Stanford said joining Aukus meant Australia was significantly more likely to be dragged into a conflict with China and potentially targeted with nuclear weapons. Australia had “sacrificed considerable sovereignty” to the US while leaving the country vulnerable without a guaranteed security safety net, they said.