Australia will buy three Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines with the option to buy two more, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday.
President Joe Biden has confirmed that the US will sell three Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the early 2030s, with the potential to sell up to two more if needed.
“Jump starting their undersea capabilities a decade earlier than many predicted,” President Biden said on Tuesday.
“The ultimate goal isn’t just selling subs to Australia; it’s developing something new together – we’re calling it SSN-AUKUS.
He said SSN-AUKUS is a new state-of-the-art nuclear submarine that will combine UK submarine technology and design with US tech.
“The SSN-AUKUS will not have nuclear weapons,” President Biden said.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were set to unveil details of the so-called AUKUS project on Monday at the U.S. naval base in San Diego, California, principal home port of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
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