In mid-September, Australia, the UK and the US announced their partnership. (Represent)
Canberra:
According to a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), the new fleet of nuclear submarines under the AUKUS cooperation framework is expected to cost Australia up to A$171 billion ($121.7 billion). and will not be deployed for at least two decades. .
“As a longer ongoing construction schedule results in a longer completion time, completion costs will range from $153 billion to $171 billion,” the report said.
At the same time, the think tank expects the initial cost of the project to be at least AU$70 billion. In practice, however, it could be more than twice as expensive, due to the need for nuclear safety safeguards, the report said.
“It is very likely that the costs will be significantly higher once the cost dynamics are better understood. Those factors include both the US and UK moving to larger submarine designs, choosing their construction strategies. me and the broader support system and infrastructure required to operate a nuclear submarine,” the report added.
According to the institute, it will be at least two more decades before Australia has a useful military capability with nuclear power.
In mid-September, Australia, the US and the UK announced a new trilateral defense partnership, prompting Canberra to abandon a $66 billion contract with France to develop 12 modern conventional attack submarines, such as The alliance promises to strengthen Australia’s fleet with nuclear-powered submarines.
The new Australian project will take 18 months to select just one US and British submarine model under the AUKUS partnership. However, ASPI believes the deal will give Australia a strategic advantage in the region.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
