00:00Australia will invest an additional US$3.2 billion in the AUKUS Defence Pack
00:07as it presses ahead with plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
00:11The plan calls for Australia to buy three nuclear-powered submarines from the United States
00:16before working with Britain to build a new fleet with production expected to begin in the 2040s.
00:26Concerns have grown over possible delivery gaps as critics argued that submarine production in both the US and Britain remains
00:33slower than planned.
00:34However, Defence Minister Richard Miles said the latest investment showed that the AUKUS programme remained on schedule and was already
00:42progressing.
00:43He said the funding would strengthen Australia's ability to build, operate, maintain and support its future nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
00:50The AUKUS programme could cost Australia up to US$250 billion over the next 30 years.
Comments