British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing for Australia to favor British nuclear submarines over American counterparts, according to recent briefings. The plan would align Australia more closely with Britain on the strategic submarine element of the security pact known as AUKUS, with officials signaling a clear preference for British design options.
Current reporting indicates Sunak will travel to the United States on March 13 for talks in Washington with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and U.S. President Joe Biden. The intent of the discussions appears to be to secure a public commitment from Australia on its submarine acquisition path under AUKUS, including the class and origin of the submarines they intend to purchase.
Observers expect the meeting to result in Australia confirming its preferred propulsion and platform family as part of the bargain within the alliance. While the exact decision remains unofficial, officials familiar with the matter note that the Australian side is weighing options between Britain’s Astute-class design and the American Virginia-class program, with suppliers and industrial partners eager to see a clearSignal emerging from Canberra.
According to a government source, Sunak has conveyed confidence to his colleagues after more than a year and a half of negotiations, suggesting that the outline of a deal is taking shape in Britain’s favour. An anonymous minister described the private briefing as reflecting a positive turn in the discussions, mentioning a sense of momentum among ministers as the options converge toward a preferred path.
Earlier reports indicated that the United States would lead a subset of the deal under the AUKUS framework, with Australia considering the purchase of Virginia-class submarines in a potential tranche of up to five vessels. These plans have been the subject of ongoing cabinet-level deliberations, with timing and sequencing of deliveries likely to influence broader regional security commitments. Attribution: Reuters (rounded summary of United States–led discussions within AUKUS)