Australia will receive at least three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US as part of the AUKUS defense partnership. Delivery is expected in the early 2030s and will be the largest upgrade of the Royal Australian Navy in its history, Army Recognition reports.
The Virginia boats have a displacement of 7,800 tons, a length of 115 meters and an underwater speed of more than 25 knots. They are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, MK-48 torpedoes and advanced sonar systems for reconnaissance and target detection. An important feature is the absence of a traditional periscope – instead, a photonic mast complex with high-tech cameras is used.
Australia has already paid $500 million of a total contribution of $3 billion to expand US production capacity. In addition, the country is investing in its own shipbuilding infrastructure, preparing for the creation of the SSN-AUKUS nuclear submarines, which will be jointly developed by Australia, the US and the UK.
Despite the strategic importance of the agreement, it is controversial. Some Pacific nations are concerned about the potential risks of nuclear proliferation, although Australia insists that its submarines will be nuclear-powered only in terms of propulsion, not armament. Australia itself is also debating the high cost of maintaining a nuclear submarine fleet.