AUKUS Submarines Will Cost up to $63 Billion Over Next 10 Years

Submarines with conventional armaments and nuclear-powered engines—and the associated infrastructure—will receive $53 billion to $63 billion (US$34 billion to US$41 billion) over the next decade, the Australian government says. The infrastructure is primarily a nuclear-powered submarine operating base in Western Australia. Australia’s long-range naval capability is a particular focus of the National Defence Strategy. Announcing the latest strategy last week, Defence Minister Richard Marles said it was about “projecting” as opposed to merely defending, the country. It also pivoted from a strategy of deterrence to one of denial. Deterrence relies on the threat of reprisal to discourage an opponent from pursuing a certain course of action; denial works by putting the opponent’s objective out of reach, regardless of whether they choose to pursue it. During a conflict, a denial strategy might involve destroying an opponent’s key military assets....