Trouble in AUKUS?
Defence Minister Richard Marles insists AUKUS partners are working “at pace” to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines after the United States revealed it would halve next year’s planned procurement of Virginia-class boats.
Under the Biden administration’s defence budget request released on Tuesday (Canberra time) the US Navy confirmed it would order just one of the fast-attack submarines in 2025, rather than two, pushing a projected saving of $US4 billion into future years.