Historic Submarine Treaty: A New Chapter in UK-Australia Defense Relations
Britain and Australia announced plans to sign a treaty for building nuclear-powered submarines in collaboration with the U.S. Review of the trilateral AUKUS deal is underway. The agreement is vital for bolstering defense against increasing Chinese influence. It includes Australian acquisition of U.S. and British submarines.
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- Australia
Britain and Australia are set to formalize a significant defense agreement, signing a cooperation treaty for constructing nuclear-powered submarines powered by U.S. technology. The announcement came during a strategic meeting in Sydney involving key defense and foreign officials from both nations.
Defense Secretary John Healey and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, alongside their Australian counterparts, underscored the treaty's importance, which marks a milestone in UK-Australia relations since the formation of the Australian government in 1901. The agreement is poised to enhance both countries' defense capabilities in the face of China's rising military power in the Asia-Pacific region.
The trilateral defense agreement, AUKUS, initially unveiled in 2021, is currently under review by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid concerns around the potential delay in delivering Virginia-class submarines to Australia. Despite these uncertainties, both Britain and Australia remain committed to the collaboration, eagerly awaiting confirmation of U.S. engagement.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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