(San Diego) First a large order of American submarines by Canberra, then the launch of a new state-of-the-art submarine combining the United States, United Kingdom and Australia: Joe Biden unveiled a spectacular military program on Monday in the Pacific, strongly criticized by China.
The US President, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are meeting at a naval base in San Diego to formalize this project, which enraged France when it was announced eighteen years ago. month.
“Our project strengthens for decades the industrial capacity of our three nations to produce and deploy nuclear-powered submarines, it expands our submarine presence in the Indo-Pacific and contributes to global security and stability” , they assured in a joint press release.
The program will take place in three phases, the White House said in a press release, and in compliance with the principle of nuclear non-proliferation, assures the American executive.
First of all, a phase of familiarization of Australia – which has no nuclear-powered submarines, nor nuclear technology, whether military or civilian – with these machines, through the training of sailors, engineers, technicians on American and British crews, as well as in shipyards and specialist schools in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The objective is to deploy, from 2027 and on a principle of rotation, four American “Virginia” class submarines and one British “Astute” class submarine on the Australian base in Perth (West).
In a second step, and subject to the green light from the US Congress, Australia will purchase three US “Virginia” class nuclear-powered submarines, with an option on two additional submersible vessels.
The submarines must be delivered from 2030.
Finally – this is the third and most ambitious stage of the program – the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom will join forces for a new generation of attack submarines, called SSN-AUKUS.
These submarines, nuclear-powered and conventionally armed, will involve a gigantic industrial effort in the three countries.
The announcements made on Thursday do not give a precise figure or breakdown of the costs, in particular with regard to the sum that Australia will have to shell out.
It must have a new shipyard in Adelaide, in the South. The United Kingdom has already announced increases to its defense budget, as has the United States.
Washington must decide whether “additional investments” are required to support this accelerated development, according to the statement from the US executive.
The new ships, British designed and incorporating advanced American technology, will be built and deployed by the UK and Australia.
They will be delivered from the late 2030s and early 2040s, said a senior White House official, who did not wish to be identified.
The goal, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday, is not “to go to war” but “to deter all conflict”.
This new military partnership, very close and very ambitious, does not, however, only make people happy.
The conclusion of the AUKUS alliance, with the corollary of Canberra’s cancellation of the contract for the acquisition of 12 French submarines, had given rise in 2021 to a diplomatic crisis with France, which had cried “treason”.
The case has since settled down, by dint of intense diplomatic maneuvers, including a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to the United States in early December. Joe Biden called his French counterpart on March 7, and the two men, according to the White House, notably discussed their “cooperation” in the Indian Ocean and in Asia.
The indignation of France has mainly given way to criticism of China, engaged with the United States in a fierce economic and strategic rivalry.
“We call on the United States, Britain and Australia to abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum games” and “do more things to encourage regional peace and stability,” he said. said Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s Foreign Ministry, ahead of Monday’s announcements.
