Latest news with #VirginiaClass
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Albo's grilling after UK's shock move
Anthony Albanese has been forced to defend AUKUS' snail pace after his British counterpart said the UK would build up to 12 new nuclear-powered boats under a plan to rapidly bolster its 'war-fighting readiness'. Keir Starmer on Monday announced the UK would build the new attack submarines as part of AUKUS and pledged to hike defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2029, including a £15bn ($31.3bn) boost to its nuclear warhead program. The British Prime Minister cited 'war in Europe' and a 'new era of threat'. The submarines would enter service by the late 2030s. Meanwhile, Australia is expected to acquire its first American-made Virginia Class nuclear-powered submarine 'as soon as the early 2030s', while the first Australian-made boat would not be finished until the 2040s. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been grilled on AUKUS after his British counterpart Keir Starmer announced a massive expansion of the UK's nuclear-powered submarine fleet. NewsWire / Handout Credit: NewsWire Mr Albanese on Tuesday shrugged off questions about whether Australia should act 'in line with their allies'. 'What, with the UK? The UK's in a different place from Australia,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Perth. Pressed on when Australia would get its submarines, he said Australia would 'determine our policy here'. 'We're a sovereign nation that needs to have pride in our sovereignty and in our capacity to make decisions in our national interest,' Mr Albanese said. Pressed further, he insisted his government had a 'plan in place'. 'We have a plan, that is for the visiting of submarines from the US and the UK,' Mr Albanese said. 'We also have a plan for Virginias to come here in the 2030s, and we have a plan for manufacturing here as well.' Australia will not get its first American-made Virginia Class submarine until the 'early 2030s'. NewsWire / Pool / Richard Wainwright Credit: Supplied He also defended Labor's defence budget target of 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033 despite calls from Washington to hike it to 3.5 per cent and defence analysts calling for more cash to strengthen Australia's immediate combat readiness. 'Our goal is to give Australia the capability that it needs,' Mr Albanese said. 'We saw during the election campaign the alternative approach, which was a Coalition that announced $21bn of spending – they couldn't say where the money was coming from or what it was for. 'If people think that's a good idea, that's one road to go down. 'The other road … is identify what's the capability that we need and to provide that investment.' He added that investing in 'relationships in the region' was also 'pretty important'. Mr Albanese says Australia's defence policy is a sovereign matter. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'That's why, when I was in Indonesia, my first visit, not by accident, our near neighbours, where we are in this region, sitting down with President Prabowo, talking about our defence relationship there as well,' Mr Albanese said. 'So we'll continue to invest in our capability and in our relationships.' Australia's military budget came up in a bilateral talks between Defence Minister Richard Marles and his US defence counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore at the weekend. In a read out, the US Embassy said the two senior officials 'discussed aligning investment to the security environment in the Indo-Pacific, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, advancing defence industrial base co-operation, and creating supply chain resilience'. 'On defence spending, Secretary Hegseth conveyed that Australia should increase its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of its GDP as soon as possible,' the embassy said. Mr Hegseth used his address at the Shangri La Dialogue to warn of an 'imminent' threat from China, saying Beijing could invade Taiwan as early as 2027. Such a move would deal a major blow to global supply of semiconductors and likely massively disrupt vital trade routes. 'Let me be clear, any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' Mr Hegseth told the conference. 'There's no reason to sugar-coat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent. 'We hope not but certainly could be.'
West Australian
3 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
PM defends AUKUS timeline after UK pledges massive fleet expansion
Anthony Albanese has been forced to defend AUKUS' snail pace after his British counterpart said the UK would build up to 12 new nuclear-powered boats under a plan to rapidly bolster its 'war-fighting readiness'. Keir Starmer on Monday announced the UK would build the new attack submarines as part of AUKUS and pledged to hike defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2029, including a £15bn ($31.3bn) boost to its nuclear warhead program. The British Prime Minister cited 'war in Europe' and a 'new era of threat'. The submarines would enter service by the late 2030s. Meanwhile, Australia is expected to acquire its first American-made Virginia Class nuclear-powered submarine 'as soon as the early 2030s', while the first Australian-made boat would not be finished until the 2040s. Mr Albanese on Tuesday shrugged off questions about whether Australia should act 'in line with their allies'. 'What, with the UK? The UK's in a different place from Australia,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Perth. Pressed on when Australia would get its submarines, he said Australia would 'determine our policy here'. 'We're a sovereign nation that needs to have pride in our sovereignty and in our capacity to make decisions in our national interest,' Mr Albanese said. Pressed further, he insisted his government had a 'plan in place'. 'We have a plan, that is for the visiting of submarines from the US and the UK,' Mr Albanese said. 'We also have a plan for Virginias to come here in the 2030s, and we have a plan for manufacturing here as well.' He also defended Labor's defence budget target of 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033 despite calls from Washington to hike it to 3.5 per cent and defence analysts calling for more cash to strengthen Australia's immediate combat readiness. 'Our goal is to give Australia the capability that it needs,' Mr Albanese said. 'We saw during the election campaign the alternative approach, which was a Coalition that announced $21bn of spending – they couldn't say where the money was coming from or what it was for. 'If people think that's a good idea, that's one road to go down. 'The other road … is identify what's the capability that we need and to provide that investment.' He added that investing in 'relationships in the region' was also 'pretty important'. 'That's why, when I was in Indonesia, my first visit, not by accident, our near neighbours, where we are in this region, sitting down with President Prabowo, talking about our defence relationship there as well,' Mr Albanese said. 'So we'll continue to invest in our capability and in our relationships.' Australia's military budget came up in a bilateral talks between Defence Minister Richard Marles and his US defence counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore at the weekend. In a read out, the US Embassy said the two senior officials 'discussed aligning investment to the security environment in the Indo-Pacific, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, advancing defence industrial base co-operation, and creating supply chain resilience'. 'On defence spending, Secretary Hegseth conveyed that Australia should increase its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of its GDP as soon as possible,' the embassy said. Mr Hegseth used his address at the Shangri La Dialogue to warn of an 'imminent' threat from China, saying Beijing could invade Taiwan as early as 2027. Such a move would deal a major blow to global supply of semiconductors and likely massively disrupt vital trade routes. 'Let me be clear, any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' Mr Hegseth told the conference. 'There's no reason to sugar-coat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent. 'We hope not but certainly could be.'
eNCA
30-04-2025
- Business
- eNCA
Nuclear submarine deal lurks below surface of Australian election
SYDNEY - A landmark security pact to overhaul Australia's navy with American muscle faces growing scepticism, stoked by its eyewatering cost and growing distrust of US President Donald Trump. But the sweeping deal, which will see Australia buy nuclear-powered submarines from the United States, is just about the only thing not up for debate ahead of Saturday's closely fought election. Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom signed the AUKUS agreement to great fanfare in 2021, joining forces in a multi-decade effort to balance China's military might. AUKUS commits Washington, London and Canberra to the joint development of cyber warfare tools, artificial intelligence and hypersonic missiles. A key feature is for Australia to acquire a fleet of cutting-edge nuclear-powered submarines from the United States. Government forecasts estimate the submarine programme alone could cost Australia up to US$235-billion over the next 30 years -- one of its biggest-ever defence investments. The price, as well as Trump's return as commander-in-chief and his "America-first" foreign policy, has critics questioning the agreement. "AUKUS is a terrible deal. It is so unfair to Australia," former conservative prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said earlier this year. "(Trump) will be thinking: who are these dumb guys who agreed to this?" But both left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his conservative challenger Peter Dutton are adamant that -- whoever wins the May 3 poll -- AUKUS is here to stay. It is almost the sole area of agreement between two leaders with wildly different views on everything from climate change to immigration. "What we need is certainty, what we need is bipartisanship on issues of defence policy," Albanese said on the campaign trail this month. - 'Dumb guys' - Australia plans to acquire at least three Virginia Class submarines from the United States within the next 10 to 15 years. Eventually, and with American help, Australia aims to manufacture nuclear-powered submarines itself. These submarines -- a tightly guarded piece of American military hardware -- would prowl the Indo-Pacific, making China think twice before any skirmish in flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait. The US navy has a fleet of 24 Virginia-class vessels, which can carry cruise missiles, but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year. Critics question why the United States would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first. Others fear a scenario in which Australia forks out hundreds of millions in deposits and down payments, only for a mercurial Trump to tear up the deal on a whim. "This government has sold out to the United States," another former prime minister, Paul Keating, said in 2024. "They've fallen for dinner on the White House lawn." Michael Green, who runs the United States Studies Centre in Australia, said AUKUS was still the best route in the absence of a "credible second option". "Understandably, there is anxiety in Australia about whether AUKUS can survive Trump. Because nothing seems sacred to him," the former National Security Council advisor told AFP. "But there is no indication that the Trump administration would change course. So much prestige and so much effort has been put into this." - Trump distrust - From World War II to the Iraq invasion in 2003, the United States has long counted Australia as one of its most resolute military allies. But the longer Trump sits in the Oval Office, the less faith the Australian public seems to have in a nation sometimes dubbed its "greatest friend". "The unambiguous finding is that Australians have far less trust in the US than there has ever been," said Ryan Neelam, who runs the annual Lowy Institute public poll on Australia's foreign affairs. Only 36 percent of Australians trust the United States, according to the poll's latest findings from April, down 20 percentage points from 2024 to the lowest in almost two decades of Lowy Institute polling, Neelam said. Despite misgivings about Trump, however, Neelam said most Australians still put their faith in the longstanding alliance. "There's strong political bipartisanship on this issue, it's not divisive. "Albanese and Dutton are united in backing in the alliance. That makes a difference."
Japan Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Nuclear submarine deal lurks below surface of Australian election
A landmark security pact to overhaul Australia's navy with American muscle faces growing skepticism, stoked by its eyewatering cost and growing distrust of U.S. President Donald Trump. But the sweeping deal, which will see Australia buy nuclear-powered submarines from the United States, is just about the only thing not up for debate ahead of Saturday's closely fought election. Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom signed the AUKUS agreement to great fanfare in 2021, joining forces in a multi-decade effort to balance China's military might. AUKUS commits Washington, London and Canberra to the joint development of cyber warfare tools, artificial intelligence and hypersonic missiles. A key feature is for Australia to acquire a fleet of cutting-edge nuclear-powered submarines from the United States. Government forecasts estimate the submarine program alone could cost Australia up to $235 billion over the next 30 years — one of its biggest-ever defense investments. The price, as well as Trump's return as commander-in-chief and his "America-first" foreign policy, has critics questioning the agreement. "AUKUS is a terrible deal. It is so unfair to Australia," former conservative prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said earlier this year. "(Trump) will be thinking: who are these dumb guys who agreed to this?" But both left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his conservative challenger Peter Dutton are adamant that — whoever wins the May 3 poll — AUKUS is here to stay. It is almost the sole area of agreement between two leaders with wildly different views on everything from climate change to immigration. "What we need is certainty, what we need is bipartisanship on issues of defense policy," Albanese said on the campaign trail this month. 'Dumb guys' Australia plans to acquire at least three Virginia Class submarines from the United States within the next 10 to 15 years. Eventually, and with American help, Australia aims to manufacture nuclear-powered submarines itself. These submarines — a tightly guarded piece of American military hardware — would prowl the Indo-Pacific, making China think twice before any skirmish in flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait. The U.S. navy has a fleet of 24 Virginia-class vessels, which can carry cruise missiles, but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year. Critics question why the United States would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first. Others fear a scenario in which Australia forks out hundreds of millions in deposits and down payments, only for a mercurial Trump to tear up the deal on a whim. "This government has sold out to the United States," another former prime minister, Paul Keating, said in 2024. "They've fallen for dinner on the White House lawn." Michael Green, who runs the United States Studies Centre in Australia, said AUKUS was still the best route in the absence of a "credible second option." "Understandably, there is anxiety in Australia about whether AUKUS can survive Trump. Because nothing seems sacred to him," the former National Security Council advisor said. "But there is no indication that the Trump administration would change course. So much prestige and so much effort has been put into this." Trump distrust From World War II to the Iraq invasion in 2003, the United States has long counted Australia as one of its most resolute military allies. But the longer Trump sits in the Oval Office, the less faith the Australian public seems to have in a nation sometimes dubbed its "greatest friend." "The unambiguous finding is that Australians have far less trust in the U.S. than there has ever been," said Ryan Neelam, who runs the annual Lowy Institute public poll on Australia's foreign affairs. Only 36% of Australians trust the United States, according to the poll's latest findings from April, down 20 percentage points from 2024 to the lowest in almost two decades of Lowy Institute polling, Neelam said. Despite misgivings about Trump, however, Neelam said most Australians still put their faith in the longstanding alliance. "There's strong political bipartisanship on this issue, it's not divisive. "Albanese and Dutton are united in backing in the alliance. That makes a difference."
Int'l Business Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Nuclear Submarine Deal Lurks Below Surface Of Australian Election
A landmark security pact to overhaul Australia's navy with American muscle faces growing scepticism, stoked by its eyewatering cost and growing distrust of US President Donald Trump. But the sweeping deal, which will see Australia buy nuclear-powered submarines from the United States, is just about the only thing not up for debate ahead of Saturday's closely fought election. Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom signed the AUKUS agreement to great fanfare in 2021, joining forces in a multi-decade effort to balance China's military might. AUKUS commits Washington, London and Canberra to the joint development of cyber warfare tools, artificial intelligence and hypersonic missiles. A key feature is for Australia to acquire a fleet of cutting-edge nuclear-powered submarines from the United States. Government forecasts estimate the submarine programme alone could cost Australia up to US$235 billion over the next 30 years -- one of its biggest-ever defence investments. The price, as well as Trump's return as commander-in-chief and his "America-first" foreign policy, has critics questioning the agreement. "AUKUS is a terrible deal. It is so unfair to Australia," former conservative prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said earlier this year. "(Trump) will be thinking: who are these dumb guys who agreed to this?" But both left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his conservative challenger Peter Dutton are adamant that -- whoever wins the May 3 poll -- AUKUS is here to stay. It is almost the sole area of agreement between two leaders with wildly different views on everything from climate change to immigration. "What we need is certainty, what we need is bipartisanship on issues of defence policy," Albanese said on the campaign trail this month. Australia plans to acquire at least three Virginia Class submarines from the United States within the next 10 to 15 years. Eventually, and with American help, Australia aims to manufacture nuclear-powered submarines itself. These submarines -- a tightly guarded piece of American military hardware -- would prowl the Indo-Pacific, making China think twice before any skirmish in flashpoints like the Taiwan Strait. The US navy has a fleet of 24 Virginia-class vessels, which can carry cruise missiles, but American shipyards are struggling to meet production targets set at two new boats each year. Critics question why the United States would sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia without stocking its own military first. Others fear a scenario in which Australia forks out hundreds of millions in deposits and down payments, only for a mercurial Trump to tear up the deal on a whim. "This government has sold out to the United States," another former prime minister, Paul Keating, said in 2024. "They've fallen for dinner on the White House lawn." Michael Green, who runs the United States Studies Centre in Australia, said AUKUS was still the best route in the absence of a "credible second option". "Understandably, there is anxiety in Australia about whether AUKUS can survive Trump. Because nothing seems sacred to him," the former National Security Council advisor told AFP. "But there is no indication that the Trump administration would change course. So much prestige and so much effort has been put into this." From World War II to the Iraq invasion in 2003, the United States has long counted Australia as one of its most resolute military allies. But the longer Trump sits in the Oval Office, the less faith the Australian public seems to have in a nation sometimes dubbed its "greatest friend". "The unambiguous finding is that Australians have far less trust in the US than there has ever been," said Ryan Neelam, who runs the annual Lowy Institute public poll on Australia's foreign affairs. Only 36 percent of Australians trust the United States, according to the poll's latest findings from April, down 20 percentage points from 2024 to the lowest in almost two decades of Lowy Institute polling, Neelam said. Despite misgivings about Trump, however, Neelam said most Australians still put their faith in the longstanding alliance. "There's strong political bipartisanship on this issue, it's not divisive. "Albanese and Dutton are united in backing in the alliance. That makes a difference."
