![]() While negotiations continue, according to a government spokesman, the British government will not prejudge the conclusion of the current review period, which is being used to determine Australia’s capacity requirements. The Sun earlier stated that Sunak’s administration had negotiated an agreement in principle to equip the Royal Australian Navy with nuclear submarines developed and at least partially constructed in the United Kingdom, each worth approximately £2 billion. According to a source, the prime minister was ecstatic when he told the ministers, smiling and jumping up and down.Īccording to sources, the United Kingdom is prepared to sell Australia two Astute-class nuclear submarines, HMS Agamemnon and HMS Agincourt, which are expected to be completed in 20. The deal clearly favours the United Kingdom. At the conference, it is expected that a decision will be made regarding which submarines Australia would purchase as part of the AUKUS defence pact.Īccording to an unnamed minister, Sunak expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the 1.5-year talks with cabinet colleagues. President Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the second largest naval facility of the U.S. On March 8, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit the United States. In March, the Australian government will reveal whether it intends to purchase nuclear submarines from the United States or the United Kingdom. The Australian Minister of Defense spokesman, Richard Marles, downplayed the leak, stating that the ideal path for Australia to acquire nuclear submarines is emerging and that an announcement is expected in the first half of this year. The Astute-class submarines are anticipated to stay in service with the Royal Navy for at least 30 years. The Royal Navy has received seven Astute-class submarines as of 2023, with three more currently under construction. They are also equipped with a unique coating that absorbs sound and a propulsion system that generates less noise to diminish their acoustic signature. Submarines of the Astute class are designed to be exceptionally silent, making them particularly effective in anti-submarine warfare. In addition, they possess an array of sophisticated sensors and communication systems that enable them to collect and transfer information without being discovered. These submarines are outfitted with sophisticated weaponry, such as torpedoes, Tomahawk land-attack missiles, and the most recent Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. Submarines of the Astute class have a maximum speed of over 30 knots (35 miles per hour or 56 kilometres per hour) and a dive depth of over 300 metres. They have an approximate submerged displacement of 7,400 tonnes and are fueled by a nuclear reactor, allowing them to remain submerged for extended periods without refuelling. The Astute-class submarines measure 97 metres in length, 11.3 metres in width, and 10 metres in depth. The first vessel entered service in 2010, making them the most modern submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated. ![]() He noted that a pair of submarines off the U.K.’s manufacturing line might be a lifeline for its naval construction industry and an assurance to the Albanian government that submarines would be delivered before the decade’s end.Īstute-class submarines are nuclear-powered assault submarines (SSN) designed and constructed for the Royal Navy. Crew size is a crucial constraint for Australian submarines, which have crewing problems even on the considerably smaller Collins class. Blacksand argues that the United States produces large boats, but their production line is busy, whereas the British version is smaller and easier to operate. John Blacksland, the chairman of the Australian National University’s Center for Strategic and Defense Studies and one of Australia’s foremost defence specialists, said that Australia would purchase British-made nuclear submarines as a stopgap measure until it could construct its own.Īccording to Blacksand, Australia prefers smaller British submarines. The Times, quoting the director of the Australian National University’s Center for Strategic and Defense Studies, also reported on March 7 that Australia would obtain nuclear submarines from the United Kingdom rather than the United States. The Guardian reports that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants Australia to choose nuclear submarines manufactured in Britain rather than those manufactured in the United States.
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