I am sure the late Harold Holt would be heartened by all this, given his view of Australia as an Asian power and subject to Asian threats, and his opposition to Harold Wilson's retreat from East of Suez abandoning the UK's duties to is Asian and Oceanian (mainly Commonwealth) allies.
'While this is happening, Australia and Britain will begin work on a new class of submarine – to be called SSN-AUKUS – which will be the next class of submarine for both countries. It will be a British design but have
American technology including its nuclear reactor, weapons system and vertical launch system.' (SMH article linked by Rattman - post #1278)
'SSN-AUKUS will incorporate US technology such as propulsion plant systems and components, a common vertical launch system and weapons. The AUKUS partners will also develop a joint combat system as an expansion of the US-Australia combat system.' (AUKUS fact sheet linked by Going Boeing)
'On Monday 13 March, as part of the AUKUS trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK and the US, it was announced that Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd will provide the reactors for Australia’s first nuclear powered submarines.' (RR press release)
Slightly confused by this as there seems to be an assumption in some circles that the powerplant will be (at least based on) the RR PWR3 developed for the
Dreadnought Class SSBNs. Design of the PWR3 is reported to have input from the GE SG9 powering the
Viriginias, so is this what's meant by 'American Technology' or will there be a more substatial US component?
I'll be interested in how co-operative the development of (M & S)UUVs to be used by the subs will be.
