The US, Great Britain, and Australia have announced plans to build a new fleet of nuclear submarines designed to counter China’s influence in the Pacific Ocean, the BBC writes.
According to the plan, Australia will receive its first nuclear submarines from the US. The allies will also work on creating a new fleet using the latest technology, including Rolls-Royce reactors. Beijing has already strongly condemned the move. The Chinese foreign minister said that all three countries continue to follow a wrong and dangerous path.
US President Joe Biden informed that the agreement with Great Britain and Australia is aimed at ensuring peace and emphasized that the submarines will operate with nuclear energy and not be equipped with nuclear weapons.
He stressed that the deal would in no way undermine Australia’s commitment to being a nuclear-weapon-free country.
For Australia, this is a major increase in military capabilities. The country will be the second to receive Washington’s nuclear engine technology. The submarines will be able to travel long distances and move faster than Australia’s current diesel-powered fleet.
Under the agreement, Australian Navy sailors will travel to US and British submarine bases to learn how to use the new submarines.
It is planned that from 2027, the US and Great Britain will deploy a small number of nuclear submarines in Perth before Canberra acquires its own submarines in the early 2030s.
Biden said that all three countries are determined to ensure peace in the Pacific Ocean: «Forging this new partnership, we’re showing again how democracies can deliver our own security and prosperity… not just for us but for the entire world.»
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the submarines would also create new jobs in Australia. Similarly, in Great Britain, where submarine construction works will be carried out, there will be additional jobs for local residents.
The Aukus security alliance, which unites Australia, Great Britain, and the United States, was established in the fall of 2021 and has repeatedly received criticism from China. Beijing has pointed out that such an alliance increases the risk that the arms race will intensify.
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