German media: Australia builds nuclear submarine shipyard, first funding of 3.9 billion Australian dollars
Australia announced that it will build a submarine shipyard in Osborne according to the "AUKUS" security agreement signed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and has allocated the first funds for construction.
Australia announced on Sunday, February 15, a funding of 3.9 billion Australian dollars (about 2.8 billion US dollars) for the construction of a new shipyard for building nuclear submarines in Osborne, near the southern city of Adelaide. This is part of the "AUKUS" security agreement signed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Prime Minister Albanese of Australia stated in a statement that the investment in the Osborne submarine shipyard is crucial for Australia to deliver conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. The 3.9 billion Australian dollar funding is the "down payment" for constructing this shipyard.
According to official projections, the long-term investment in this facility is expected to reach up to 30 billion Australian dollars.
Australia's Ambitions
On September 15, 2021, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia signed an agreement to establish a military diplomatic security partnership, known as AUKUS - derived from the initial letters of the three member countries' English names: Australia (Australia), UK (United Kingdom), and US (United States). The alliance aims to address changes in the Indo-Pacific region by sharing technology and enhancing defense capabilities, such as nuclear submarine technology. The outside world believes that the core of this agreement is to respond to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Under this agreement, the United Kingdom and the United States will provide nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra starting from the next decade. From 2027 onwards, the US "Virginia" class nuclear submarines will be deployed in Australia; around 2030, Australia will be able to purchase several "Virginia" class submarines.
This defense agreement will also facilitate the joint construction of a new nuclear-powered submarine by the United Kingdom and Australia. In addition, Australia will gain access to the technology needed to build submarines in the future.
Creating Thousands of Jobs
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that the facility in Osborne will be central to achieving this goal. He said that the ongoing transformation at Osborne shows that Australia is proceeding with its plans to have the ability to independently build nuclear-powered submarines in the coming decades.
Prime Minister Albanese said that the submarine construction plant in Osborne will create nearly 10,000 jobs in design and construction, and provide up to 1,000 apprenticeships annually.
In September this year, Australia announced an 8 billion dollar investment plan, aiming to transform a shipyard in Perth into a maintenance center for the future nuclear-powered submarine fleet within 10 years.
Sources: DW, AFP, Reuters
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857271840226368/
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