Australia Proposes Multi-Billion Dollar Defense Budget for Nearing Nuclear Submarine Capability Acquisition

The Australian government has recently proposed a multibillion-dollar defense budget for the fiscal year 2023, allocating AU$ 4.5 billion (US$3.5 billion) over the next decade for procuring nuclear submarine capability.

This has been one of the most important discussions recently held in the nation's capital, where thousands are already protesting the procurement of nuclear submarines.

Why Is Australia Considering Purchasing Nuclear Submarines?

Nikkei Asia tells us that the move is part of a three-way security agreement between the U.S., the U.K., and Australia called AUKUS.

With the agreement, the Australian government intends to purchase three Virginia-class submarines from the U.S. by the early 2030s and has the option to purchase two more if necessary.

It also plans to increase its state-of-the-art equipment, including nuclear submarines and long-range missiles, to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The government intends to boost its defense capabilities as part of the Defense Strategic Review by introducing long-range missiles with a range of roughly 500 kilometers.

The public, on the other hand, is concerned about where the extra defense spending will come from. The government intends to spend 0.15% of Australia's GDP to acquire nuclear submarines.

Australian officials have also lately commented on how the country should respond to China's expanding influence in the region, which has heightened political tensions between China and the United States.

According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Alex Bristow, "Effective deterrence is expensive but necessary because China is destabilizing our region with its rapid, non-transparent military buildup and coercive conduct."

New Defense Purchase Faces Opposition

Reuters reports that thousands of people rallied against a potential nuclear-powered submarine station at Port Kembla, the Defense Department's choice site for a new east-coast submarine port, despite the government's desire to acquire nuclear submarines.

The protest is part of a series of protests against the AUKUS military treaty signed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

The defense minister, Richard Marles, has attempted to alleviate concerns regarding acquiring nuclear submarines and the government's defense budget.

In parliament, he stated that "almost 99 percent of our trade by volume passes by sea." While the Australian government claims that AUKUS will create 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years, it will also strengthen Australia's reliance on nuclear submarine technology developed in the United States.

Australia is the world's fourth-largest importer of arms, purchasing over 70% of its weapons from the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Nikkei Asia tells us that since the country lacks nuclear power plants and nuclear engineers, it will have to rely on professionals from other countries to cover capacity gaps, particularly early on. The government intends to address this issue by teaching Australians in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.