Thread by @thewittynoise

AUKUS IS AFLOAT 🧿‼️

▶️ The leaders of the #US, #UK, & #Australia have revealed details of the #AUKUS security pact, which includes providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

Key details of the announcement👇🏻

@LevinaNeythiri @InsightGL @SandeepUnnithan @CovertShores

US will provide three Virginia-class subs to Australia in the early 2030s, a new nuclear sub design entering UK service in the late 2030s and Australian service in the early 2040s as well as a brand new basing agreement will give American subs a major strategic hub in the Pacific

Phase one, which will take effect immediately, focuses on preparing the Australians, both civilian and uniformed, to take control of a nuclear submarine force...

...The country’s shipbuilders will travel to shipyards in both the US and UK to get experience on submarine production lines and its military personnel will embed on American and British submarines, as well as attend military schools focused on training nuclear submarine crews.

Meanwhile, the US and UK will begin what has been dubbed “submarine rotational force west,” which will involve up to four American and one British submarines forward deploying to Perth, located on Australia’s southwestern coast.

To mitigate the time gap between now and when the first next-generation submarine is expected to go on patrol, the plan’s second phase will see the US sell at least three Virginia-class attack submarines, a mix of in-service and new production, to Australia.

As part of #AUKUS announcement, the US has pledged a total of $4.6bn (£3.7bn) over the next few years to build its submarine construction capacity and to improve maintenance of its Virginia class SSN.

Of that money, $2.4bn will go towards the US submarine industrial base over the years 2023 to 2027.

The rest will be spent on maintenance of the Virginia class SSN - America's latest nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine model - over the years 2024 to 2028.

The deal also includes an option for Australia to purchase two additional submarines from the US, but the administration views that option as a safety net in case the next-generation boats become heavily delayed during production.

Last phase of plan involves the production of a new submarine design—SSN AUKUS. This new boat will effectively act as the United Kingdom’s follow-on program to its Astute-class sub, but will take advantage of “extensive amounts” of American technologies from the Virginia-class.

By using a British boat design, American technologies and Australia’s workforce, all 3 countries will achieve “significant integration of their supply chains.”

For the first time ever, it will mean three fleets of submarines working together across both the Atlantic and Pacific.

UK PM Rishi Sunak cited Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, China's growing assertiveness, and the "destabilising behaviour" of Iran and North Korea as reasons for strengthening resilience.

He further said, "For the first time, the United Kingdom will move away from the baseline commitment to spend 2% GDP on defence to a new ambition of 2.5%, putting beyond doubt that the UK is, and will remain, one of the world's leading defence powers".

UK engineering giant Rolls-Royce will provide the reactors for the nuclear-powered submarines, creating jobs at its business in England's East Midlands.

The 2021 Aukus pact aims to counter what the three nations see as China's threat in the Indo-Pacific region.

If all goes to plan, not only will Aus. bolster its military with technology, held by only a handful of countries around the world, but both US and UK will notch a major strategic advantage in the Indo-Pacific with their submarine forces gaining a reliable homeport in Aus.