It is the single most important national security decision Australia has made since World War II: Prime Minister Scott Morrison forging a “three-eyes” alliance with the US and UK (aka AUKUS) to equip Australia with at least eight of the most lethal, stealthy and, crucially, nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines on the planet. Australia will join just six other countries fielding these highly strategic weapons.

The most likely candidate, an improved version of the pump-jet-propelled US Virginia class boat (which this column has advocated as a solution to Australia’s existential security crisis for a decade now) will carry vertical launch tubes that can fire medium-range cruise, ballistic and hypersonic missiles at any future adversary. (By the way, how do we protect the Kiwis, who spend nothing on defence, if they won’t let our nukes in their waters?)