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Australia, the UK and the US will jointly develop and manufacture the new submarine model. Photo/REUTERS
WASHINGTON – United States (US) President Joe Biden laid out a process by which Washington will deliver a minimum of three nuclear-powered attack submarines to Australia in the coming years under the auspices of the Australia-Britain-US (AUKUS) pact.
That explanation was revealed in remarks at the 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego, California.
Appearing alongside British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Biden called their countries Monday “America’s two most powerful and capable allies” who “share the same vision”.
“The US couldn’t ask for a better partner in the Indo-Pacific,” Biden said.
Biden said their pact “demonstrates yet again how democracy can make that happen.”
Biden said the US would start building three Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and sell them to Australia “beginning in the early 2030s, with an option for Canberra to buy two more.”
“These submarines … are nuclear powered, not nuclear armed,” Biden said quickly. “These ships will not carry any nuclear weapons.”
He said, “The US is deeply committed to strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
According to Biden, “Australia is not going to produce nuclear fuel” for the submarines.
