From the US:
The US will speed up Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by arranging for Canberra’s first few subs to be built in the US, according to people familiar with the still-confidential plan.
The arrangement is part of a multifaceted plan to be announced Monday in San Diego at a meeting attended by US President Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The plan to sell up to five US Virginia-class submarines to Australia is intended as a stopgap to provide Australia with nuclear-powered subs by the mid-2030s.
From the UK:
Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines will be based on a modified British design with US parts and upgrades, people familiar with the matter said, as the three countries press ahead with a security partnership meant to counter China.
The submarine plan, set to be announced next week, will take years to produce its first vessel, probably necessitating stopgap measures, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. In the meantime, the US may base nuclear submarines in Australia or even sell the country US Virginia-class submarines.
I think what this means is we will buy five Virginia class subs in the short term, as well as rotate US subs more frequently, and then build our own Astute class in the long.
This doesn’t make much sense to me. Why have two classes of nuclear sub? Then again, the reporting is so all over the place that who knows?
The one thing you can take to the bank on the basis of the above is that if there is a war in Taiwan, Australia will be there.
China is preparing and so should we:
China needs the capability to shoot down low-earth-orbit Starlink satellites and defend tanks and helicopters against shoulder-fired Javelin missiles, according to Chinese military researchers who are studying Russia’s struggles in Ukraine in planning for possible conflict with U.S.-led forces in Asia.
A Reuters review of almost 100 articles in more than 20 defence journals reveals an effort across China’s military-industrial complex to scrutinise the impact of U.S. weapons and technology that could be deployed against Chinese forces in a war over Taiwan.
The Chinese-language journals, which also examine Ukrainian sabotage operations, reflect the work of hundreds of researchers across a network of People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-linked universities, state-owned weapons manufacturers and military intelligence think-tanks.
Aussie resources going to China should be counting down to zero.
