Australia set 'to buy up to five US nuclear submarines' under AUKUS pact - 9News

Australia is expected to buy up to five US Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines in the 2030s under the AUKUS defence pact between Washington, Canberra and London.

Earlier reports by US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, are expected to be confirmed by Australia tonight.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to speak publicly about the supposed $100 billion deal, but will meet with other world leaders next week.

Australia will buy up to five of these US-built Virginia class nuclear powered submarines, a report said. (US Navy)

"I can confirm that on Monday there will be a meeting of the AUKUS partners, between myself, President (Joe) Biden, and Prime Minister (Rishi) Sunak," he said from India.

Australia is expected to buy three Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s with the option to purchase two more.

These will be a stop-gap measure until an Australian-built, British-designed nuclear fleet can be constructed.

The deal will see Australia become just the seventh nation in the world with nuclear-powered submarines, expanding the need for maintenance and engineering jobs in Australia.

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More than 10,000 jobs will be created from Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under the defence pact, according to the country's navy.

Speaking ahead of his visit, the admiral who headed the AUKUS taskforce said thousands of jobs would be created from Australia's biggest defence project.

In an interview with The Australian Financial Review, Vice-Admiral Jonathan Mead, of the RAN, said the acquisition of the new submarines would combine the efforts of Australia, the US and the UK.

"There are thousands of job opportunities in different areas," he said.

"Easily more than 10,000 people are needed. These are really exciting career pathways."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in India. Albanese will travel to the US early next week to unveil the choice of nuclear-powered submarine design for the Royal Australian Navy. (Nine)

But he said a major challenge would be upskilling submarine crews and industrial workers to enable Australia to build, operate and maintain its own nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Albanese said on Wednesday during his visit to India that he plans to meet with President Joe Biden in the US, amid speculation the leaders will make an announcement about Australia's plans to build nuclear-powered submarines.

Albanese has given few details of the US trip, saying there would be further announcements about the arrangements.

UK officials confirmed on Wednesday that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet with Biden and Albanese in the US city of San Diego on Monday for talks on Australia's procurement of nuclear submarines.

The previous Morrison government infuriated France in 2021 by cancelling a $90 billion contract for a French-built fleet of conventionally powered submarines and opting instead for nuclear-powered versions in a deal secretly brokered with the US and Britain.

The deal came amid concern in Australia and the US about China's increasingly assertive presence in the Pacific region.

- Reported with Associated Press

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2023-03-09 07:02:04Z
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