According to information published by the West Australian on July 15, 2022, the type of nuclear submarines Australia will acquire will be unveiled early next year said the Australian Minister of Defense, Richard Marles. The Royal Australian Navy could be interested in the British Astute-class submarines or the US' Virginia-class submarines.
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AUKUS announcement between Joe Biden, Scott Morrison, and Boris Johnson. (Picture source: blitznews)
In September 2021 Australia scraped its French contract of Barracuda-class submarines to sign a trilateral security pact called AUKUS with the United Kingdom and the United States.
AUKUS, also styled as Aukus, is a trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, announced on 15 September 2021 for the Indo-Pacific region. Under the pact, the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
The pact also includes cooperation on advanced cyber, artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum technologies, undersea capabilities, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic, electronic warfare, innovation and information sharing.
US Virginia-class submarines
The Virginia class, also known as the SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, in service in the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics's Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia-class is the United States Navy's latest submarine model, which incorporates the latest in stealth, intelligence gathering, and weapons systems technology.
They are designed to excel in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare, and mine warfare. Fast-attack submarines project power ashore with special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises.
The Virginia-class submarine has a length of 114.8 m, and a beam of 10.36 m. The submarine can reach a top speed of 28 miles per hour (45 km/h). She has a crew of 132 people including 15 officers and 117 enlisted.
British Astute-class submarines
The Astute class is the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines (SSNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. Seven boats will be constructed: the first of class, Astute, was launched by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in 2007, commissioned in 2010, and declared fully operational in May 2014.
Audacious has provision for up to 38 weapons in six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes. The submarine is capable of firing Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.
