Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine fleet under the AUKUS partnership will consist entirely of second-hand Virginia-class boats from the US Navy after the three partner nations agreed to revise the original procurement framework. The announcement was made during discussions at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore involving senior defense representatives from Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Canberra had initially expected to receive a mix of two used submarines and one newly constructed Virginia-class vessel. However, under the updated arrangement, all three submarines will come from active US Navy inventories, a move Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said would provide a more economical and practical solution.
The adjustment reflects ongoing challenges within the US submarine industrial base, where shipbuilders have struggled to achieve planned production rates for new Virginia-class boats. The US Navy currently operates 24 submarines of the class, but fleet expansion efforts have faced delays.
The revised acquisition plan has also attracted scrutiny from some American lawmakers and analysts who question transferring advanced nuclear-powered submarines overseas while domestic naval requirements remain unmet. Nevertheless, the AUKUS submarine program continues to serve as the cornerstone of Australia’s long-term defense modernization strategy, with projected costs reaching US$235 billion over a 30-year period.
