Australia's Defence Minister, Richard Marles, stated that the country plans to announce its choice of nuclear-powered submarines in the first quarter of 2023 as part of the AUKUS agreement to expand its underwater fleet. Marles, the country's deputy prime minister, spoke with reporters on July 14 at a Defence Writers Group roundtable.
He emphasized the importance of developing a nuclear-powered submarine to Australia"s Pacific interests, calling it " the most significant platform we have which builds our strategic space." As part of its trilateral agreement with the US and the UK, Australia is considering several options "within the family of attack submarines." The price tag, however, will be a significant challenge for AUKUS, according to Marles.
Marles has also expressed a desire to "settle" with France, with whom Australia signed and then cancelled a 50 billion Euro worth submarine agreement shortly before announcing the AUKUS agreement. A move that made French President Emanuel Macron furious.
"If you include maritime borders, France has the largest border with any other country in the world," he observed. "France is a country in the Pacific, and it"s critical that we value our relationship with France, move forward with them, and understand the strategic alignment that we both share."
