Australia to receive three in-service Virginia-class submarines under Aukus
Australia will receive only second-hand Virginia-class submarines under aukus after Richard Marles announced in Singapore on Sunday that the plan for nuclear-powered boats would be streamlined. The defence minister said Australia would buy in-service Virginia-class vessels and shift more attention toward underwater drones.
Marles said the approach would simplify supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximise cost efficiencies. In a statement, he said: "The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS), simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies."
Singapore statement on Aukus
The revised plan changes the way Australia is set to receive submarines under the military deal with the United States and the United Kingdom. Marles said: "This approach would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants." The statement also said the first phase's nuclear-powered submarines will be supported by second-phase underwater drones designed to protect underwater infrastructure such as internet cables.
Hegseth on partners
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth paired the submarine update with a sharper message on allied defence spending. Speaking at the conference on Saturday, Hegseth said: "The era of the United States subsidising the defence of wealthy nations is over. We need partners, not protectorates. We seek alliances built on shared responsibility, not dependency." He also said: "For those who continue to free-ride on the generosity of the American taxpayer, hear us now: those days are over. Allies that refuse to stand up and carry their weight for our collective defence will face a clear shift in how we do business."
Hegseth told SBS News in Singapore that the United States is grateful for Australian support in the Middle East. He said: "When we’ve called Australia in this context, they’ve been willing to help with whatever assets they’ve been able to provide and we’re grateful with that." He added: "It’s in keeping with how Australia has been a strong partner of ours."
Trump and the 3.5 per cent demand
The timing follows pressure from Washington, which has repeatedly demanded that US allies increase defence spending to at least 3.5 per cent. Last month, Donald Trump said he was not happy with Australia over its perceived failure to come to their aid in opening the Strait of Hormuz. For Australia, the immediate practical change is that the AUKUS submarine path now points to in-service boats rather than a mix of new and used Virginia-class variants, while the parallel drone effort moves closer to the center of the plan.
