The Australia, United Kingdom, United States (AUKUS) Nuclear Submarine Agreement: Potential Implications

The AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Agreement seeks to enhance multinational deterrence against Chinese geopolitical assertiveness by giving Australia nuclear powered submarines. ▶ This agreement will pose considerable cost and technical challenges for the Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. ▶ Estimates of when Australia will be able to deploy nuclear submarines range from 2030-2040. ▶ The U.S. and its allies will have to make challenging decisions about where to build AUKUS in Australia. ▶ There is debate as to whether efforts to deter China in the Asia-Pacific should include non-Anglosphere countries in that region. ▶ Consideration should be given as to how China will respond to AUKUS and whether this response will include Beijing increasing security cooperation with North Korea and Russia