US need for a West Australian base should outweigh AUKUS fears: Cook

WA Premier Roger Cook says Australia’s role in the global nuclear submarine supply chain should help counter any US fears about the usefulness of AUKUS.

USS Minnesota, a Virginia-class fast attack submarine, during a visit to HMAS Stirling naval base in February. Picture: Sharon Smith/NewsWire

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The strategic importance to the US of a submarine base in Western Australia bodes well for the AUKUS agreement, WA Premier Roger Cook says.

Speaking soon after US President Donald Trump cancelled his scheduled meeting at the G7 summit with Anthony Albanese, Mr Cook said he believed the US’s strategic needs, as well as Australia’s role in the global nuclear submarine supply chain, should help address any American fears about whether to stick with the pact.

Last week the Pentagon said it was reviewing the AUKUS partnership – which includes Australia buying Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US – to ensure it aligned with Mr Trump’s “America First” agenda.

Some US officials have expressed concerns that the US is struggling to secure enough of its own nuclear-powered submarines even before its commitment to hand over some to Australia.

Mr Cook said he was unperturbed by Mr Trump’s decision to leave the summit before meeting the Prime Minister, given the significance to the US of the HMAS Stirling naval base at Garden Island off Perth’s southern coast.

“It doesn’t raise concerns for me because I know that the Virginia-class subs, the US subs which are in the region, will need to come to HMAS Stirling,” Mr Cook said.

“They will need maintenance, they will need sustainment, and that’s part of the $8bn upgrades which we’re seeing take place at Stirling now.” US nuclear-powered submarines will be based at HMAS Stirling from 2027 as part of Submarine Rotational Force West. A major upgrade of the base in preparation for those submarines is already in the works.

‘Whether the US does or doesn’t agree with certain aspects of AUKUS, they need Australian industry to assist them as part of growing their nuclear sub fleet,’ West Australian Premier Roger Cook says. Picture: Philip Gostelow/NewsWire

“The point around which the US was concerned was whether they could continue to manufacture the Virginia-class subs for themselves as well as provide some as part of the AUKUS deal to Australia,” Mr Cook said. “Now, Western Australia’s part of the AUKUS partnership is essentially around the continued maintenance and sustainment of the Virginia-class and the UK subs. That will continue to take place. They need to have a forward base in the Southeast Asian region as part of the geopolitical landscape in which we’re operating, so we’ll continue to benefit from that.”

Mr Cook said if there were any doubt about the AUKUS program, it was over proposed construction of a joint UK-US designed sub in South Australia. He said Australia was crucial to the US and UK’s submarine manufacturing targets.

“If the US and the UK are going to meet their ambitions for growing their nuclear sub fleet, they’re going to need Australian industry to be part of that global supply chain,” he said. “So in a lot of respects, whether the US does or doesn’t agree with certain aspects of AUKUS, they need Australian industry to assist them as part of growing their nuclear sub fleet.”

WA is shaping as one of the main beneficiaries in Australia under AUKUS, given the required infrastructure investments in the state as part of the program.

Beyond the $8bn of upgrades to HMAS Stirling, up to $20bn is expected to be spent on expansion and development of a defence precinct at the shipbuilding hub of Henderson, across the water from the naval base.

The Henderson facilities will support the maintenance of the AUKUS submarines and the delivery of other assets such as the surface vessel frigates and optionally crewed naval vessels announced by the federal government in 2024.

“That’s where the big job opportunities are going to come for Western Australia,” Mr Cook said.

“Ultimately, Western Australia will play a role in basing the subs which we construct ourselves and the ones that we purchase in Western Australia. So it continues to be a good situation for Western Australia, for Western Australian jobs and the Western Australian economy.”