Originally Posted by
Bankstown Boy
So ... I know very little about submarines but what tartare said in #470 is similar to the thinking that I had when the pact was announced - otherwise, why include the UK? If it was going to be US Virginia class, with US tech, then it would likely have been a AUUS alliance. The Astute class makes most sense as that production line nears it's conclusion - hence AUKUS. Plus everyone knew the Virginia prod line is full for the next decade or two.
Because we approached the brits first, they needed the US permission due to the tech in the astute
That all said know a now retired submariner and he thinks it will be the astute, find we might get 6-7 (agincourt and aggamemon ) and the brits stay at 5 and start work on SSN(X) and we build the extras