Australia, the United Kingdom., and the U.S. signed an agreement last week allowing all three countries to share submarine naval nuclear propulsion information and equipment, according to the U.S. State Department.
The agreement was signed Aug. 5 in Washington. The State Department said in a statement that the agreement will allow the U.K. and U.S. to transfer nuclear material and equipment to Australia “required for the safe and secure construction, operation and sustainment of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership.”
“This agreement is an important step towards Australia’s acquisition of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy,” Richard Marles, Australia’s defense minister and deputy prime minister, told an Australian publication.
In March 2023, the leaders of AUKUS announced a plan to support Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarine capabilities at the earliest possible date. This new agreement, named the “Agreement Among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion,” would enable the U.S. and U.K. to continue to share information with Australia to fulfill the AUKUS plan and equip the Australian navy.
“Since the announcement of this endeavor, the AUKUS partners have been resolute that this initiative will be undertaken in a way that sets the highest non-proliferation standard, while protecting classified and controlled information, material, and equipment,” the statement said. “To this end, the Agreement re-affirms, and is consistent with, AUKUS partners’ respective existing international non-proliferation obligations.”