Australia’s a step closer in acquiring nuclear submarines after top US congressmen offered their support

Australia is one step closer to acquiring nuclear submarines after a major backing from top US congressmen.

A BIPARTISAN coalition of top US congressmen have offered Joe Biden their support if he decides to sell or lease American-made nuclear submarines to Australia.

Australia’s pathway to acquiring a nuclear-powered fleet was put under scrutiny last week when two influential US senators warned the AUKUS pact risked pushing the US defence industry to “breaking point” and could leave them without enough submarines.

But nine key backers of AUKUS in the House of Representatives have now intervened, writing to the President to back any moves to expand their submarine production line so that some boats could be given to Australia.

While acknowledging the US industrial base was strained by the pandemic, they say “this need not be a static picture in the coming decades over which AUKUS will be carried out”, especially with the potential benefits of a “fully integrated industrial base” with Australia.

United States Navy Virginia Class submarine USS Mississippi arrives at Fleet Base West, Rockingham, Western Australia for a routine port visit. *** Local Caption *** United States Navy Virginia Class submarine USS Mississippi has arrived at Fleet Base West, Rockingham, Western Australia. The submarine is in Australia for a routine visit to provide respite for the crew. The visit reflects the ongoing strength of Australiaâs alliance with the United States and builds on the visits of nuclear-powered submarines from AUKUS partners over the last 60 years.

“We are supportive of expanding the industrial base to meet AUKUS expectations,” the congressmen wrote to Mr Biden.

They specifically encouraged the President to bolster the US production line – which is currently due to produce two new nuclear-powered submarines every year – so that existing US boats could be “made available” for Australia as its Collins-class boats retired.

Democrat Senator Jack Reed, the chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, last week cautioned that AUKUS was turning into a “zero-sum game” that would leave the US Navy without enough submarines.

Earlier this week, he released another statement saying he was proud to support the agreement, although he said it would require “responsible oversight and a stable industrial base”.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles held a bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of Defence the Hon Lloyd J. Austin III.

The letter from the US congressmen – including AUKUS caucus co-chairs Joe Courtney, Mike Gallagher, Derek Kilmer and Blake Moore – responded by saying AUKUS was “far from a zero-sum game”.

“The potential for the United States to provide or build new submarines under AUKUS, should that be the recommendation of the trilateral consultation, could very well be a ‘rising tide that lifts all boats’,” they wrote.

The letter was also signed by Republican Mike Rogers, the new chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

Australia’s plan to acquire a nuclear-powered fleet is due to be revealed in coming months.

Defence Minister Richard Marles, responding to Senator Reed’s comments last week, said there was “no doubt that the pressure this places on the industrial base of the United States, also the United Kingdom, is really significant”.

But he said there was a “shared sense of mission” between the AUKUS partners, especially because the pact would ultimately see Australia producing its own nuclear submarines in Adelaide “as quickly as we can”.

AUKUS SCEPTIC MOVES TO DEFEND SUB PACT

A key US politician who warned the AUKUS submarine deal risked pushing America’s defence industry to “breaking point” has now thrown his support behind the pact.

It was revealed last week that Democrat Senator Jack Reed, the chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, had warned Joe Biden not to lease or buy American nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.

In a letter to the President, he cautioned that AUKUS was turning into a “zero-sum game” that would leave the US Navy without enough submarines, and that it would “take decades” to deliver an Australian fleet.

But on Tuesday (AEDT), Senator Reed issued a statement saying he was proud to support the agreement between Australia, the US and the UK.

He said that successfully implementing AUKUS would require “responsible oversight and a stable industrial base, particularly when it comes to our submarine programs”.

Senator Jack Reed (left) is the chair of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee. Picture: Chip Somodevilla (AFP)

Senator Reed also declared: “This powerful partnership is central to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, dramatically improving the capabilities of our allies, and increasing our engagement in the region.”

“Importantly, AUKUS also lays the foundation for the most significant integration of our undersea and other military capabilities ever achieved. I am encouraged by the progress our nations have made,” he said.

“There is broad consensus that the United States’ greatest comparative advantage over China is our network of partners and allies around the world. Strengthening this network should be at the center of our strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, and AUKUS does just that.”

The option of Australia buying or leasing nuclear-powered submarines from the US has been under consideration in Washington DC, Canberra and London as the AUKUS partners finalise how Australia can acquire its own nuclear-powered boats.

Defence Minister Richard Marles remains confident Australia’s effort to acquire nuclear submarines remains on track and has praised the “shared mission between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States”.

Senator Reed’s letter was written with Republican James Inhofe, who was the ranking member on the committee until this week.

“We are concerned that what was initially touted as a ‘do no harm’ opportunity to support Australia and the United Kingdom and build long-term competitive advantages for the US and its Pacific allies, may be turning into a zero-sum game for scarce, highly advanced US (nuclear submarines),” they wrote to Mr Biden, in a letter reported by the Breaking Defense website.

Australia is seeking to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine fleet as soon as possible. Picture: Australian Defence Force

“We urge you to adopt a ‘do no harm’ approach to AUKUS negotiations and ensure that sovereign US national security capabilities will not be diminished as we work to build this strategic partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom over the coming decades.”

While they backed Australia’s push to operate a nuclear-powered fleet to help manage “long-term competition with an increasingly militaristic China”, the lawmakers said “such a goal will take decades to achieve”.

“We cannot simply ignore contemporary realities in the meantime,” they wrote.

In response to their letter, a spokeswoman for Mr Marles affirmed that “the optimal pathway for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines remains on track”.

“An announcement remains on track to be made in the first part of this year,” she said.

“Australia is grateful for the work which we have been able to do with the United States and United Kingdom to enable Australia to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine capability, and the significance of the US working with the UK through the AUKUS framework to provide Australia with that important capability is not lost on us.”

News Corp revealed last month that while US submarines were expected to visit Australia more regularly, Mr Marles had rejected basing them down under to bolster our defences.

Defence Minister Richard Marles with US Defense Secretary in Washington DC last month. Picture: Alexander Kubitza (US Defense Department)

The Australian government has also all but ruled out acquiring new conventional submarines as it instead focuses on extending the life of its Collins-class boats and fast-tracking the nuclear-powered fleet.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin promised last month that the Biden administration would “not allow Australia to have a capability gap” in its undersea defences.

“The need for AUKUS is even clearer today,” he said.

“On behalf of President Biden, I want to reaffirm the US commitment to ensuring that Australia acquires this capability at the earliest possible date.”

The AUKUS partners are due to unveil the submarine plan within months. Mr Marles said it was “crystallising” after the first in-person meeting of AUKUS defence ministers in Washington DC in December.

Originally published as Australia’s a step closer in acquiring nuclear submarines after top US congressmen offered their support