Australia’s decision to purchase nuclear powered submarines, part of a broader Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) partnership, has many diverse implications. Early days yet, but it ties Australia further into US nuclear warfighting strategies and containment of China.
https://twitter.com/abcnews/status/1438140617746358274
A big blow to Australia-France relations and President Macron’s “India-Australia-France” alliance. France’s Indo-Pacific strategy has been based in part on arms sales to India, Australia and ASEAN, so the loss of the $90 billion submarine contract with Naval Group will hurt.
From ANZUS to AUKUS: further tying Australia into the Anglosphere leaves Aotearoa more isolated in current strategic thinking. New Zealand’s bi-partisan anti-nuclear policy and ratification of the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons #TPNW will create long-term tensions.
The decision on nuclear powered subs opens the way for a nuclear industry in Australia, diverting resources from renewable energy towards nuclear power. It also heartens the think tank boffins who call for Australia to develop nuclear weapons capacity. aspistrategist.org.au/australian-nuc…
In the medium term, nuclear port visits, nuclear waste disposal on Aboriginal land, threats to SPNFZ Treaty and a new nuclear industry may set Australia apart from Pacific neighbours (will non-aligned Vanuatu and Fiji allow port visits? will subs use the new Manus base in PNG?)
All in all, the shift to nuclear submarines sets Australia on a path to confrontation with China, abandoning attempts to build regional co-operation in the face of Chinese human rights abuses and strategic power. Welcome to the Anglosphere (+ paying off our stranded coal assets).
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