Nuclear-powered Submarine Program
Precincts Osborne Naval Shipyard The enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) was first announced in September 2021, with an Optimal Pathway to delivering Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine capability announced in March 2023. Nuclear-powered submarines have superior stealth, speed, manoeuvrability, survivability and endurance compared to their conventional counterparts. These submarines can deploy unmanned underwater vehicles, while also carrying more advanced and greater capacities of weapons. Collectively, these abilities will allow the nuclear-powered submarines and Royal Australian Navy to operate in contested areas with lower risk of detection. The AUKUS Optimal ...