Search

Australia Will Only Buy Used Virginia SSNs For AUKUS; UUV Tech To Be Pillar II Signature Project

Australia Will Only Buy Used Virginia SSNs For AUKUS; UUV Tech To Be Pillar II Signature Project
The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN-792) is at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia in late October 2025 for a scheduled Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP), marking the first time Pearl Harbour Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility will lead and execute SSN maintenance in Australia. (Photo: Royal Australia Navy, ABIS Jaxsen Shinners)

The defense ministers of the three AUKUS partners last Saturday announced Australia will now exclusively buy used American Virginia-class attack submarines (SSNs) and that the first “signature project” of Pillar II will be joint development of Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) payloads and enabling systems. According to a joint statement released by the U.S. secretary of defense and the British and Australian defense ministers, they welcomed a proposed approach to “streamline Australia's acquisition of Virginia-class submarines” by acquiring three in-service boats…

Subscriber-only content. Please log in below.

Not a subscriber or registered user yet?

Please contact us at clientservices@accessintel.com or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.



Congress Updates

Army Plans To Initiate ISV-Heavy Competition Later This Year, Official Says

The Army is planning to initiate its competition to build the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV)-Heavy in the fourth quarter of this year, a senior acquisition official has said.  Jesse Tolleson, […]


Senate Authorization Bill Restricts Building Navy Warships Overseas With Limited Exception For Auxiliaries

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s (SASC) version of the FY 2027 defense policy bill looks to cut the ability for the Trump administration to buy foreign-made warships, but still allow […]


Army ‘Looking At Options’ For Supporting Munitions Boost Plans If Reconciliation Fails, Official Says

The Army is “looking at options” for how it would support planned boosts to munitions production if Congress doesn’t pass a reconciliation bill with the requested funding, a senior acquisition […]


Build Of At Least 45 MQ-9s By Start Of FY 2029 Required By SASC Bill

Down to an inventory of 135 MQ-9A Reapers due to the loss of two dozen aircraft in strikes on Iran, the Air Force would have to field at least 45 […]