In a bid to counter China’s growing military influence in the Pacific, President Joe Biden has announced that Australia will purchase up to five of the newest American nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S.
This move comes as part of a partnership aimed at countering the rising threat from China, with the UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunat characterizing it as a “systemic challenge for the world order.” The submarines, known as the Virginia class, weigh some ten thousand tons and measure 460 feet long.
They are equipped with advanced weaponry, including torpedoes, tomahawk missiles, mines, and unmanned underwater vehicles, designed to seek and destroy enemy boats and carry out intelligence missions.
This deal marks the first time in 65 years that the U.S is sharing this kind of nuclear technology, and it comes as the U.S strengthens military ties with regional allies like Japan and the Philippines.
President Biden stressed that the submarines would not be armed with any nuclear weapons of any kind and that this program would phase in, eventually allowing the UK and Australia to make their submarines based on U.S technology.
