Australia Will Have No Submarines If It Quits AUKUS, Defence Official Warns
A senior Australian defence official warned that abandoning the AUKUS deal with the US and UK would leave Australia with no submarines at all. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pressed the defence department on what Australia would do if the promised Virginia-class and AUKUS-class submarines fail to arrive. The official declined to publicly consider any alternative plan.
Malcolm Turnbull asks defence department official what Australia would do if the promised Virginia-class and Aukus-class submarines don’t arrive Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia will be left with no submarines if it abandons the Aukus deal with the US and UK, a senior defence official has warned, declining to publicly countenance an alternative plan if Australia’s promised nuclear-powered fleet does not arrive under Australian command.“Defence has been directed to pursue Aukus and we are pursuing Aukus and that’s our plan. I would not venture into the space about ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan C’,” defence department deputy secretary, Hugh Jeffrey, told a Sovereignty and Security Forum in Canberra on Friday. Continue reading...