The New Predator of the South Pacific Waters: the SSN AUKUS
The Australian Perspective on the Submarine Procurement
Copyright (c) 2025 Szakacs Mirjam
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Abstract
The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia signed the trilateral cooperation agreement on the procurement of nuclear-powered submarines, known as AUKUS, in September 2021. Over the past three years, this initiative has significantly reshaped Australia’s security and defense policy thinking. As a result of a comprehensive strategic review, Australia is improving its defence capabilities and contributing to the discourse on rethinking the strategic dynamics of the Indo-Pacific and the growing role of the region. In this context, it is time to examine the two pillars of the AUKUS agreement, as well as the new factors of Australian strategic thinking through the lens of governmental narratives and critiques.