Australian Defence Minister has defended the federal government’s $368 billion (US$244 billion) deal to purchase up to five nuclear powered submarines, saying Australia’s diesel-electric submarines pale compared to U.S. nuclear-propulsion technologies and China’s existing fleet of more than 10 of nuclear submarines.
On March 13, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Australia would convert its six Collins-class diesel electric submarines to eight nuclear powered submarines in the course of the next 30 years under AUKUS, a trilateral security pact with the United States and the United Kingdom.
The move has long been in the making as Australia looks to replace its six Collins-class subsmarines that are set to reach the end of their service life in 2036….