Why Australia Wants Virginia-Class Attack Submarines (Think China)

Why Australia Wants Virginia-Class Attack Submarines (Think China)

THE SIGNAL

Australia has long been a reliable US ally. The recently mooted submarine deal which links Australia to the US – as a part of the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) bloc – is a good arrangement for both sides. The deal looks to be the sale of five used American Virginia-class submarines. Their used status would keep the price down – important for Australia’s middle-sized economy – and Australia would also contribute to the improvement of the subs’ construction facilities in the US.
Australia Has Long Been a Reliable US Ally
Since the conclusion of World War II, America has pursued a forward posture in the Pacific. It maintains a string of bases around the region, supporting those with alliances with like-minded states. Previously, the US was far more retrenched, with only Guam and the Philippines as major US commitments west of Hawaii. The expansion of Soviet power in far east and the communist takeover of China in the 1940s changed all that. The US would sta …

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