Aukus project: Australia gives up a new submarine and will rely on three used American units

Australia is marginally but significantly reviewing one of the most ambitious defense programs in its history. Gathered in Singapore on the occasion of the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Australian, American and British Defense Ministers confirmed developments in the Aukus program relating to the acquisition of nuclear attack submarines.

Canberra was initially to receive a mix of new and used Virginia-class vessels. Finally, the first three submarines transferred by the United States will all come from the fleet already in service of the US Navy. For the Deputy Prime Minister and Australian Defense Minister, Richard Marles, this decision responds above all to a logic of operational efficiency. “In the context of a very complex project, we must attach primary importance to simplicity,” he explained on Sunday.

According to him, having three identical buildings will simplify crew training, maintenance, spare parts management and the organization of the logistics chain.

Aukus’ three partners – Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom – present this development as a rationalization measure.

In their joint statement, Richard Marles, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his British counterpart John Healey say they want “Simplifying supply chain management”alleviate maintenance constraints and optimize costs. “It’s clearly profitable,” insisted Richard Marles, recalling that the program represents a colossal investment for Australian finances.

According to official estimates, the entire Aukus project could cost up to 235 billion US dollars over three decades.

This development also comes at a time when American industrial capacities remain under pressure. The US Navy currently operates 24 Virginia-class submarines, but shipyards are struggling to meet the production target of two new ships per year.

This situation has fueled a debate in Washington for several months. Some elected officials and experts question the advisability of transferring nuclear submarines to an ally while the American fleet itself seeks to maintain its operational level in the face of China’s rise in military power.

For Canberra, however, Aukus remains the cornerstone of its defense strategy in the Indo-Pacific. The program should allow Australia to have nuclear-powered submarines for the first time and strengthen its military integration with the United States and the United Kingdom in a region that has become one of the main centers of global strategic rivalry.