The United States may not deliver the three to five nuclear-propelled Virginia-class submarines promised under the AUKUS deal but instead seek to operate up to eight of its vessels out of Australian ports.
Under the alternative plan presented to Congress by the U.S. Congressional Research Service, Australia would instead spend billions of dollars on procuring other American-made defence technology.
The report criticises both countries for not undertaking “a rigorous comparative analysis … to examine whether Pillar One [nuclear submarines] would be a more cost-effective way to spend defense resources” than any alternatives.
The biggest impediment to the United States delivering on its promises is that it cannot build nuclear-propelled submarines fast enough….
