New AUKUS Attack Submarines to Arrive by 2040

By Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow

The SSN-AUKUS-Class Nuclear Attack Submarines project, a trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK, and the US, is a significant development in modern naval warfare. This initiative will see the Royal Australian Navy acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines by 2040.

This project involves the construction of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) for the UK and Australian navies. The SSN-AUKUS fleet is a product of the AUKUS trilateral agreement signed in September 2021. The aim of this collaboration is to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarine capability and jointly develop a new class of attack submarines. These submarines are designed to bolster undersea capabilities, enhance deterrence, and counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The AUKUS agreement capitalizes on the UK’s advanced design capabilities and incorporates technologies from all three nations, including submarine technologies from the US. In March 2024, the Australian Government selected UK-based defense company BAE Systems to construct Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. This marked a significant milestone in the AUKUS trilateral agreement.

The SSN-AUKUS will be powered by Rolls-Royce’s pressurized water reactors (PWR). The submarines will be equipped for intelligence, surveillance, under-sea warfare, and strike missions.

According to Dan Packer, the AUKUS director for the Commander of Naval Submarine Forces, there are ongoing discussions over whether the boat would use just the American torpedo Australia also buys, or whether it could also launch a separate British torpedo. He stated, “Right now, we are in a game of trying to put metrics to which system is better” as the three nations look to create a best-of-breed submarine design.

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