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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The SSN-AUKUS submarines is a significant project involving multiple nations and substantial investments. The submarines will be a major upgrade for both the UK Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, replacing the existing Astute-class and Collins-class submarines respectively.
The SSN-AUKUS submarines will be equipped with advanced intelligence, surveillance, underwater warfare, and strike capabilities, integrating cutting-edge technologies from the UK, Australia, and the US. Australia will be investing up to A$368bn over the next 30 years in this project, the UK government investing £5bn through 2025, and the US investing $2.4bn from 2023 to 2027.
Key companies involved in this project include BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce Submarines, and Babcock International, each contributing their expertise to various aspects of the submarines’ design, construction, and support infrastructure. It’s fascinating to see the level of international cooperation and technological advancement the SSN-AUKUS project represents.
The SSN-AUKUS-Class Nuclear Attack Submarines project is a significant step forward in modern naval warfare, bringing together the expertise and resources of three nations to enhance their naval capabilities and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.
OLAWALE ABAIRE is a Warrior researcher, writer and analyst who has written many published nonfiction books
