Former minister Bob Carr says US will never hand over nuclear subs under Aukus
Bob Carr says the US will never sell nuclear submarines to Australia, calling the $368bn Aukus deal a fiction.
Former Labor foreign affairs minister Bob Carr says the Aukus deal, signed in 2021, has become a mutual pretence. Officials on both sides now expect America will station its own nuclear-powered submarines at Australian bases instead of building and selling three or more Virginia-class boats to Australia.
Carr told Guardian Australia that Chinese military strength makes the US unlikely to transfer the submarines. The agreement requires a US president to approve any transfer.
This is subject to American military demand. Australia has already spent over $3 billion supporting US submarine manufacturing, with total promised payments of about $4.6 billion.
- $368bn
- Aukus deal value
- over $3bn
- Already paid by Australia
- about $4.6bn
- Total promised payments
- 2021
- Agreement signed
Why it mattersIf Australia never receives the submarines it paid billions to help build, the entire strategic logic and cost of Aukus collapses.
AustraliaAustralians have committed $368 billion and billions more in defence infrastructure to a submarine plan that may deliver only leased American vessels, not the owned capability promised.
