Kurt Campbell says Australia’s nuclear submarines could be built sooner than many expect

A top US adviser says Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines could be built sooner than many people expect.

One of the architects of the AUKUS defence alliance says development of Australia’s fleet of nuclear-powered submarines will be delivered sooner “than many believe”, with a key US adviser to visit Australia soon to launch a “game plan” for the program.

Speaking at an American Chamber of Commerce lunch in Adelaide on Tuesday, US President Joe Biden’s top Indo-Pacific adviser, Kurt Campbell, said his country was committed to supporting the development of Australia’s nuclear capabilities ahead of a key milestone for the pact in February next year.

“I do think that at a fundamental level, that in some respects, this is pass fail with respect to our intent and our determination to deliver submarines at an earlier date than many believe to Australia,” he said via video link from the US.

Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell. Picture: Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP

“I can’t go into great detail about this but I can tell you our AUKUS coordinator Dr Jim Miller, who’s been working closely with Australian and British counterparts since he began about two months ago, will be visiting Australia in the near term.

“The hope will be not only to launch sort of a game plan about the way forward with respect to the submarines, but also talk about a range of issues in technology ... that our countries can collaborate and work together on.”

A former top Pentagon official, Dr Miller was appointed by the Biden administration in November to spearhead its plan to help Australia develop nuclear-powered submarines and broaden its military cooperation.

Under the time frame set out in the AUKUS trilateral alliance announced last September, the three countries have set a February 2023 deadline to identify “the optimal pathway to deliver at least eight nuclear-powered submarines for Australia”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged the submarines will be built in Adelaide, but many defence experts argue Australia should speed up delivery by negotiating to buy them off the US production line.

The sharing of technology for a nuclear-powered submarine fleet to be built and based in Australia is at the heart of the AUKUS pact. Picture: POIS Yuri Ramsey/Australian Defence Force via Getty Images

The federal government dumped Naval Group’s $90 billion submarine contract in favour of the AUKUS deal.

Mr Campbell said the US was rebuilding its relationship with the French government and, “I’m sure in time that will also happen between Australia and France”.

“At the same time we will be left with probably the most important strategic orientation of the last 20 years, in my view, and I believe it will lead to a much more powerful set of engagements between Australia and the United States.”

Originally published as Kurt Campbell says Australia’s nuclear submarines could be built sooner than many expect