Australia shifts AUKUS submarine deal to three second-hand US Virginia-class subs
Consensus Summary
Australia has shifted its AUKUS submarine deal to purchase three second-hand Virginia-class submarines from the US, instead of the previously announced plan of two second-hand and one new submarine. Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the change on May 31, 2026, during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, citing cost savings and operational simplicity. The submarines, Block IV Virginia-class models, will arrive in Australia starting in 2032, with each subsequent submarine arriving every four years, and will have a lifespan of 30-33 years. The change follows ongoing discussions between Australia and the US, which began around 18 months ago, and aims to streamline training, maintenance, and supply chain management. Critics, including Labor MP Ed Husic, have questioned the deal, arguing that US production rates make delivery uncertain and that the government should reconsider the agreement. The US currently produces only 1.1 to 1.2 submarines per year, below the target of 2.33 needed for the AUKUS deal. The Australian-built SSN AUKUS submarines are still expected to come online in 2042, and Australia is extending the use of its aging Collins-class submarines for an additional 10 years. The total estimated cost of the AUKUS deal remains at least $370 billion, with the government emphasizing that the change will not fundamentally alter the overall cost but will provide significant savings.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Australia will now buy three second-hand Virginia-class submarines from the US under AUKUS, instead of two second-hand and one new.
- The first Virginia-class submarine is due to arrive in Australia in 2032, with subsequent submarines arriving every four years.
- The AUKUS submarines will be Block IV Virginia-class models, with a lifespan of 30-33 years, and will be transferred to Australia after about 5-6 years of service.
- Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the change on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, 2026.
- The US currently produces between 1.1 and 1.2 Virginia-class submarines per year, below the target of 2.33 needed for the AUKUS deal.
- The Australian-built SSN AUKUS submarines are due to come online in 2042.
- The total estimated cost of the AUKUS deal is at least $370 billion.
- Australia is extending the use of its 30-year-old Collins-class submarines for an additional 10 years.
- Talks between Australia and the US about changing the AUKUS submarine plan began around 18 months ago, with intense discussions starting early 2025.
- The US is attempting to double its Virginia-class submarine production rate to facilitate AUKUS.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Labor MP Ed Husic called for a rethink of the AUKUS deal and a backup plan, arguing the US production rates make delivery uncertain.
- Marcus Strom of Labor Against War accused Marles of accepting 'dodgy Pete Hegsethâs second-hand subs as âsignificant savingsâ' and claimed the US sees AUKUS as a way to gain forward operating bases against China.
- Arthur Rorris of the South Coast Labour Council said the proposed nuclear submarine base at Port Kembla would be ceded to the US Navy as a staging post for their 7th fleet.
- A public inquiry into AUKUS, led by former Labor minister Peter Garrett, was announced, backed by unions and non-profit groups.
- Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy dismissed Husicâs criticism as 'disingenuous' and said the US military had wanted Australia to accept a mix of new and used submarines to suit domestic manufacturing capability.
- The US Congress may need to reconsider AUKUS arrangements due to the change, as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 authorizes the transfer of up to two Virginia-class submarines and one additional submarine under the Arms Export Control Act.
- Defence Secretary Meghan Quinn stated in Senate estimates that Australia had always preferred three second-hand submarines, calling it a 'joint idea' with the US.
- Shadow Defence Minister James Paterson questioned why the Albanese government accepted the original deal if it preferred three second-hand submarines, calling it 'imposed'.
- Former Royal Australian Navy officer Jennifer Parker said the move simplifies operations and ensures high-tech submarines arrive sooner, and that the Block IV Virginia-class submarines are 'way better than any other attack submarine in the world right now'.
- Former South Australian senator Rex Patrick called the decision 'a coming of truth' and said there was no pathway to boost US submarine production to the required 2.3 ships per year.
- The Greens defence spokesperson, David Shoebridge, dismissed the governmentâs explanations as 'spin' and accused AUKUS of 'destroying the English language' due to the use of 'constrained optimal pathway' terminology.
- The government has argued that the submarines will arrive in the prime of their life, having been in the water for a few years to iron out early problems, and with decades of life ahead.
- Former submariner Rex Patrick claimed Australia has spent $2.8 billion boosting US submarine building capacity, with no way to claw that money back.
- Jennifer Parker said the US may still choose to sell Virginia-class submarines to Australia even if it doesnât meet its own shipbuilding goals, as Western navies focus on underwater unmanned drone capacity.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian says Australiaâs preference for three second-hand submarines was not publicly disclosed until recently, but the ABC and Guardian both report Defence Secretary Meghan Quinn stating it was Australiaâs preference all along.
- The Guardian reports that the US Congress may need to reconsider AUKUS arrangements due to the change, while the ABC does not mention this specific congressional issue.
- The Guardian states that the US is attempting to double the rate of production of Virginia-class submarines to boost its own capacity, while the ABC notes that the US is struggling to lift production rates to the target of 2.33 per year.
- The Guardian reports that Laborâs Ed Husic said the US production rates make it unlikely Australia will get the promised deal, while Defence Minister Richard Marles insists the timeline is achievable.
- The Guardian and ABC both report that the submarines will be transferred to Australia after about 5-6 years of service, but the ABC states they will be roughly six years old, while the Guardian says they will have completed about five years of service.
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