Aukus: US, UK and Australia to develop underwater drone technology

Days before arriving in Singapore for the Shangri-la Dialogue, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed this criticism, saying they had to go ahead with the Aukus submarine project as there was no “plan B”.

On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the plan to rotate US and UK nuclear-powered submarines through Australia was “still on track”, with the first US Navy personnel due to arrive later this year.

Marles said that the HMAS Stirling navy base in Western Australia would be ready to host the rotational submarine force by the end of 2027, and that “work is at a pace” to establish a construction yard in South Australia that would build the Aukus submarines.