US approves sale of training programme as part of AUKUS alliance to Australia.

The U.S. State Department has recently approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia, consisting of a training program related to AUKUS Pillar I, as well as training devices and associated equipment. The estimated total program cost is up to $2.0 billion.
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The Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit Mississippi (SSN 782) conducts alpha trials in the Atlantic Ocean. (Picture source: US DoD)

Announced by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on December 1, 2023, this sale is intended to support Australia in acquiring, constructing, and maintaining nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) within the framework of a trilateral pact that also includes the United Kingdom.

Australia plans to purchase up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the U.S., with an option for two additional units. This acquisition, valued at approximately 2 billion U.S. dollars (1.86 billion euros), is expected to start with deliveries scheduled for 2030, marking an ambitious milestone in the AUKUS military alliance.

In parallel, the three partner nations are planning to develop a new generation of submarines, named SSN-AUKUS, which will integrate advanced American technologies into a British design. These submarines, nuclear-powered but conventionally armed, are expected to be deployed by the end of the 2030s and the beginning of the 2040s.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described this project as "the greatest investment in Australia's history" within the AUKUS partnership. He emphasized that this project, in collaboration with the U.S. and the U.K., would stimulate the Australian economy for decades and create about 20,000 direct jobs. A new shipyard will also be constructed in Adelaide, South Australia, to support this project.

This significant investment follows Australia's cancellation of a previous contract with the French Naval Group for the acquisition of ocean-class submarines valued at 50 billion Australian dollars. This decision had led to a major diplomatic crisis with France.

The AUKUS alliance, an initiative of the U.S., Australia, and the U.K., primarily aims to counter China's rising power, especially concerning concerns about Chinese military ambitions in Taiwan. U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of the alliance in ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains "free and open," a statement seen as a direct response to China's growing influence in the region.