AUKUS countries sign agreement to share nuclear propulsion information

Asia-Pacific, News, US November 24, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. and U.K. will assist Australia to procure a fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines

The UK and the US have signed an agreement with Australia to share naval nuclear propulsion information for the first time.

The AUKUS trio signed the pact known as the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement (ENNPIA). It allows U.S. and U.K. to provide Australia with sensitive and classified information on the propulsion systems of nuclear submarines.

As part of the partnership, Washington and London will assist Canberra in procuring a fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.

President Joe Biden signed a memorandum on Friday that approved the arrangement. “The Agreement will permit cooperation, which will further improve our mutual defense posture and support our interests under the North Atlantic Treaty; the Australia, New Zealand, and United States Security Treaty; and the enhanced trilateral security partnership among the three Parties known as ‘AUKUS’,” Biden said in the memo.

The Australian Department of Defence said a new agreement only allows for sharing naval nuclear propulsion information and not the transfer of equipment.

Australian Minister of Defence Peter Dutton described the agreement as an “important step in Australia’s pursuit of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines”.

The accord will support Australia in completing the 18 months of intensive and comprehensive examination of the requirements underpinning the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines.

The announcement of the AUKUS pact on September 15 came with the cancellation of Australia’s previous plans to buy 12 diesel-electric submarines from France’s Naval Group.

The AUKUS collaboration will encourage deeper security and integration of defense-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains. They would also focus on collaboration on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities. It seeks to better protect and defend the shared interests of the three countries in the Indo-Pacific region.