A US official has insisted that Australia will have full control of its new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines after concerns were raised that the US would retain control.
Joe Courtney dismissed concerns about the joint crew as “overrated”, insisting that the subs will be under “Australian control”.
US officials revealed on Wednesday that Australia is expected to buy up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US in the 2030s.
A US official has insisted that Australia will have full control of its new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines after concerns were raised that the US would retain control (file image)
The purchase is part of a landmark defense deal between Washington, Canberra and London and is known as the AUKUS pact.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to make the formal announcement on Monday.
Courtney, who co-chairs the Washington AUKUS Caucus, called the partnership “transformational” and said it would be a “very thoughtful product.”
“It’s going to be a transformational company for workers in Australia,” he told ABC Insiders on Sunday.
“Everyone is going to be contributing to the needs of others.”
Courtney said that concerns about the joint crew were “overblown”, saying that once the ships were handed over, the subs would be under “Australian control”.
“Everyone understands that we need to train Australian sailors and officers in terms of nuclear propulsion,” he said.
“When the time comes to hand over deeds of title to the Australian Government for a vessel, it will be fully, with the full understanding that it will be under Australian control.”
Asked if Australia would get used or new submarines, Courtney assured that the country would get the “highest quality”.
“The useful life of a Virginia-class submarine is 33 years,” he said.
‘It has a nuclear reactor, it does not require refueling.
‘No one is going to endorse pots and pans to good friends and allies. It’s about having the kind of stealth, the kind of range, that the strategic environment requires.’
Courtney said the update was necessary considering the missiles produced by China and the ranges at which they can be flown.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to make the formal announcement on Monday.
Port Kembla in NSW, has become Defense’s preferred location for a new submarine base on the east coast, according to ABC.
It is reportedly favored for its close-ups to the deep ocean and the surrounding infrastructure.
Albanese left India on Saturday for the United States, where he will join President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego on Monday for the historic declaration.
The three countries first announced the AUKUS plan in 2021 as part of efforts to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region, and the US and UK agreed to provide Australia with the ability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. .
Australia is expected to purchase up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US.
There has been speculation that there will be multiple stages to the plan, with at least one US submarine visiting Australian ports in the coming years and the arrival of a new class of submarines built using British designs and US technology.
On Saturday, Albanese said the bill also concerned Australian jobs, particularly shipyard and manufacturing work in South Australia and Western Australia.
Also asked about the enormous cost, Albanese said he would explain to the Australian people why it was worth it given the national budget deficit.
US Congressman Joe Courtney dismissed concerns about the joint crew as “overrated”, insisting the subs will be under “Australian control”.
“Yes, we will,” he said in New Delhi before leaving for the United States.
‘Australia faces real challenges. We have said very clearly and explicitly that there are great pressures on spending, not only in defense, but in other areas as well.”
In the run-up to the release of the 2023/24 budget in May, Albanese reiterated that the government needed to be prepared to “make some tough decisions.”
Albanese last week rejected China’s criticism of the submarine plans, saying Australia could increase its military power while improving relations with Beijing, as well as its relations with other countries in the Indo-Pacific.
“It’s a consistent position, we need to make sure Australia’s defense assets are the best they can be,” he said.
Mr. Albanese will also discuss with Mr. Biden and Mr. Sunak Russia’s war against Ukraine, action against climate change, and global economic challenges, including inflation and energy prices.
