AUKUS Initiative

  • As part of the AUKUS initiative with Australia and the US, the UK has given three UK
    businesses a 4 billion pound ($4.9 billion) contract to design and build an attack
    submarine powered by nuclear energy.
  • AUKUS established in 2021, the AUKUS is intended to be a strategic partnership among
    Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States to bolster their allied
    deterrence and defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
  • The trilateral partnership, whichh builds on their decades-long security cooperation, has
    two pillars.
  • Pillar I revolves around the acquisition and development of conventionally armed
    nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy;
  • Pillar II calls for collaboration on advanced capabilities that will involve technology and
    information sharing;
  • It is designed to equip Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).
  • In total, Australia will end up with eight of the new nuclear submarines, called SSNAUKUS.
  • Those submarines will be based on a British design but have American technology or an
    American combat system.
  • The deal marks the first time the US has shared nuclear propulsion technology with an
    ally other than the UK.