Peter Dutton reveals former government’s plans to buy two nuclear subs direct from US

The new Defence Minister has lambasted his predecessor for being “loose” after he revealed a secret plot to buy two nuclear subs straight from the US production line.

Former defence minister Peter Dutton has been accused of being “loose” and “undermining” the AUKUS security pact by revealing a secret plan to buy two nuclear-powered submarines from the US by 2030.

Writing in The Australian, Mr Dutton revealed the Morrison government had planned to purchase two Virginia-class submarines from the production line in Connecticut before building another eight in Adelaide.

It has prompted a political stoush between Mr Dutton and his successor Richard Marles, who says the Opposition leader is playing “rank politics” with the nation’s defence.

“This outburst today, from someone so recently in the chair, is damaging to Australia’s national interest. The comments are loose and undermine the AUKUS agreement,” he said.

“The government has made no decision on the preferred submarine. All options remain on the table.”

Mr Dutton criticised Mr Marles for keeping an “open mind” to building new conventional submarines as an interim capability.

“These are weasel words of a minister already crab walking away from the nuclear submarine deal,” Mr Dutton said.

The Opposition leader wrote in The Australian the British option of an Astute-class would involve a new design that would lead to “cost blowouts and design faults”.

Former defence minister Peter Dutton has revealed he was planning to buy two nuclear subs direct from the US, before building another eight in SA. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tracey Nearmy

“I believed it possible to negotiate with the Americans to acquire, say, the first two submarines off the production line out of Connecticut,” Mr Dutton said.

“This wouldn’t mean waiting until 2038 for the first submarine to be built here in Australia. We would have our first two subs this decade.”

He said the Morrison government still planned to build eight nuclear-powered boats at Osborne, bringing the total fleet to 10 boats, and could order extra Hunter-class frigates to keep the Brits happy.

The Virginia class, is a class of nuclear-powered submarines, in service in the United States Navy.

The Advertiser this week revealed the Morrison government had extensively examined the option of building a so-called “son of Collins” – a newer version of the country’s current fleet. But Defence officials warned it would risk sinking the AUKUS pact due to security concerns and Australia’s limited resources to operate three submarine platforms.

The Morrison government abandoned its $90bn plans to build 12 Attack-class submarines to instead pursue a fleet of nuclear-powered boats that can travel further and stay under water longer.

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