No 'plan B' for submarines if AUKUS fails, says defence minister
Defence Minister Richard Marles emphasized the importance of sticking to the AUKUS plan for Australia's nuclear submarine capability. He dismissed calls for a 'plan B', stating that deviating from the current strategy would mean giving up on acquiring new submarines. Concerns persist about the potential for Australia to be left without submarines as the government navigates the complexities of the AUKUS deal.
- ▪Richard Marles stated that AUKUS is an 'enormous task' and Australia must stick to the plan.
- ▪He warned that having a 'plan B' would signify giving up on acquiring new submarines.
- ▪AUKUS is Australia's largest-ever defence project, costing up to $368 billion over three decades.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
No 'plan B' for submarines if AUKUS fails, says Defence Minister Richard MarlesBy foreign affairs reporter Stephen DziedzicTopic:Defence IndustryWed 27 May 2026 at 4:57pmWed 27 May 2026 at 4:57pmWed 27 May 2026 at 4:57pmConcerns are growing about the AUKUS deal to deliver Australian nuclear submarine capability. (US Navy)In short:Defence Minister Richard Marles has told the Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference in Perth that AUKUS was an "enormous task", but Australia had to "stick to the plan".He said "chopping and changing" again would mean effectively giving up on the plan to develop a new fleet of long-range submarines.That would leave Australia in an "unthinkable" position, he said.abc.net.au/news/no-plan-b-for-submarines-if-aukus-fails-says-defence-minister/106728832Link…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).