submarines

BBC

‘Time to get more aware’

Japan continues to work toward enhancing its long-range cruise missile capability, with contracts issued for a new standoff capability for its submarine fleet, as well as improved anti-ship missiles for its destroyers. Contracts have now been issued for the mass production of both those weapons, which come as the country bolsters its abilities to attack both land targets and enemy surface warships, to counter the growing threats from China and North Korea, in particular.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced the new contracts for the upgraded ship-launched Type 12 anti-ship missile and the unnamed torpedo-tube-launched cruise missile for submarines on Tuesday. Both contracts were awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

In a statement, Japan’s Ministry of Defense said the contracts were part of “strengthening […] standoff defense capabilities in order to intercept and eliminate invading forces against Japan at an early stage and at a long distance.” The ministry said it was “currently working to acquire domestically produced standoff missiles as soon as possible.”

The ministry today published its defense white paper, which further outlined its standoff defense capability, which is one of the core pillars of its modernization program.

According to the white paper, “Japan will acquire capabilities to deal with vessels and landing forces invading Japan, including its remote islands, from locations outside of threat zones.” As part of this, the paper calls for continued development of the upgraded Type 12, aiming to complete development of the ship-launched version of the missile by the end of Japan’s fiscal year 2026. Japanese fiscal years run from April 1 to March 31.

The defense white paper also specifies the “Buildup [of] submarine-type standoff defense capabilities that can be launched from submarines that can operate in a highly covert manner.”

Details about the submarine-launched missile remain strictly limited, but reports that Japan was considering introducing such a capability to its existing submarine fleet, or future submarines, emerged back in 2021, as we discussed at the time.

Back then, it was reported that the missile would have a range of over 620 miles and would be fielded from the latter half of the 2020s.

In terms of its mission, the submarine-launched missile will provide the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) with a new standoff capability to attack both targets on land and as well as enemy surface warships.

While the type of missile and even its name remain unknown, previous reports suggested it would be based on the Type 12. This is a subsonic anti-ship missile, the first version of which entered service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), and which has a range of around 124 miles.

The Type 12 ground-launched anti-ship missile:

The fact that the contract was issued to MHI, at the same time as a contract for an improved ship-launched version of the Type 12, suggests that the sub-launched weapon may be a Type 12 derivative, too.

There had been previous discussions about the JMSDF considering firing the sub-launched missile from either a vertical launch system (VLS) or torpedo tubes. Based on the requirement to get the missile into service as soon as possible, the tube-launched version makes sense, since the JMSDF does not currently have any submarine-based VLS in service.

An earlier report from the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said that the JMSDF would first arm its submarines with an anti-ship version of the missile, before introducing a version with a land-attack capability.

Currently, JMSDF submarines are armed with Harpoon anti-ship missiles that are launched from standard torpedo tubes. However, they have a much shorter range than the new weapon and don’t have a land-attack capability. The latest UGM-84L Harpoon Block II in JMSDF service can hit targets at a distance of around 80 miles.

With that in mind, a long-range cruise missile for its submarine fleet will be a big deal for the JMSDF and one that can rapidly add to the country’s broader strike capabilities.

Currently, the JMSDF operates a frontline fleet of 23 conventionally powered submarines, and with at least four more of the advanced Taigei class boats to be added in the future.

At this point, we don’t know the relationship between the sub-launched missile and the Type 12. However, work on an extended-range version of the Type 12 began back in the 2018 fiscal year. The redesigned missile has enlarged flying surfaces, a more efficient powerplant, and additional fuel.

In this way, the 124-mile range of the baseline Type 12 will be extended to 560 miles, and, later, up to 930 miles. Even the first version of these would roughly correspond to the requirements for the sub-launched missile.

Other changes in the improved Type 12 include a land-attack capability and radar cross-section reduction measures.

Taken together, all these developments also reflect Japan’s concerns about the threat it faces from a rapidly growing fleet of Chinese surface warships. People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) activity in the waters around Japan and in the South China Sea and the East China Sea has steadily increased.

The East China Sea is also the scene of a long-running dispute over ownership of an uninhabited island chain. Tensions here have also grown in recent years, including patrols by PLAN aircraft carriers. The area is referenced in the latest defense white paper:

“The existing order of world peace is being seriously challenged, and Japan finds itself in the most severe and complex security environment of the postwar era. China has been swiftly increasing its national defense expenditures, thereby extensively and rapidly enhancing its military capability in a qualitative and quantitative manner and intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, including around the Senkaku Islands, and the Pacific.”

When it comes to land-attack capabilities, this is also a very significant development for the JMSDF’s submarine fleet.

The sub-launched land-attack cruise missile would be suitable for striking critical ground targets, including the proliferating ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities in North Korea. Pyongyang has repeatedly launched ballistic missiles capable of reaching Japan into waters off that country. At the same time, a long-range cruise missile of this kind would be able to strike critical military and leadership infrastructure, as well as airbases and air-defense sites, during a conflict.

Compared to other means of delivering strikes on critical land targets at great distances, a sub-launched cruise missile is much more survivable. It would provide Japan with a counterstrike capability, even if many of its aircraft and surface combatants had already been knocked out by an enemy’s first strike.

The efficiency of such a weapon would be enhanced by the advanced nature of the JMSDF’s most recent submarines, including a propulsion system based on lithium-ion batteries in the newest examples. This ensures that the submarines are notably quiet and hard for an adversary to track.

Until this new capability is fielded, JMSDF will have an interim long-range missile capability, in the shape of the U.S.-supplied Tomahawk cruise missile. A first purchase of Tomahawk cruise missiles is something we reported on back in 2017.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense has described the Tomahawk plan as a crash program to supplement its efforts to locally develop new standoff missiles. Once fielded, the Tomahawks will enhance “standoff defense capabilities in order to intercept and eliminate invading forces against Japan at a rapid pace and at long range.” A total of 200 Tomahawk Block IV and 200 Tomahawk Block V  missiles are planned to be delivered between Japan’s fiscal years 2025 and 2027.

The Block IV Tomahawk can strike targets at a range of almost 1,000 miles, carrying a 1,000-pound unitary warhead. Meanwhile, the Block V Tomahawk is an improved version that can also be used to hit moving targets, including enemy warships.

The first Japanese warship destined to receive a Tomahawk capability recently sailed to the United States for the required modifications, as you read about here.

Ultimately, the JMSDF will field the Tomahawk on all eight of its currently fielded Aegis destroyers and its two Aegis System Equipped Vessels (ASEV), but there are no plans to put it on its submarines as of yet.

It should also be noted that Japan is acquiring air-launched cruise missiles for land-attack missions, too.

Clearly, expanding its standoff missile capabilities, for both land-attack and anti-ship missions, is a priority for Japan right now. The latest contracts ensure that its submarines and surface warships will be very much at the spearhead of this new-look, more offensive posture.

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Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two United States nuclear submarines to “appropriate regions” relative to Russia, as the US president grows frustrated over stalling peace talks aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On Friday, Trump exchanged heated words with Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow’s military leader and former president.

The day before, Trump had issued an ultimatum to Russia: If it does not agree to a ceasefire by next Friday, August 8, he will impose a package of economic sanctions.

The next day, Medvedev posted on social media, describing Trump’s threat as “a step towards war”. He wrote that Trump was “playing the ultimatum game with Russia”.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump responded: “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

What has Trump done?

On Friday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had ordered two US “Nuclear Submarines” to be repositioned to “appropriate regions”.

Trump cited what he regarded as threatening comments made by former Russian President  Medvedev, now deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council. He called Medvedev’s statements “highly provocative”, adding that his actions were a precaution.

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote.

In the run-up to his presidential campaign, Trump promised to end Russia’s war in Ukraine within 24 hours; however, several discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin have since not yielded any results.

What do we know about the submarines Trump says he will reposition?

Not much – and we do not know which submarines Trump is referring to. Trump did not say if he had ordered the repositioning of submarines with nuclear engines or submarines carrying nuclear missiles.

Trump did not reveal the location of the submarines, either, as mandated by US military protocol.

However, Trump’s statement is so far being viewed as a rhetorical threat, rather than a military one, as security analysts noted that the US already has nuclear-powered submarines that are deployed and capable of striking Russia as a deterrent.

What prompted Trump’s submarine move?

Mostly, his frustration over the lack of progress of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. But, in this case, the social media spat with Medvedev seems to have tipped him over into action.

Trump and the Russian military leader have been engaged in mud-slinging on social media platforms for some time.

Earlier, responding to Trump’s new deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Medvedev wrote in a post on X that Trump was playing an “ultimatum game” with Russia.

“Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev had said.

Earlier in the week, while announcing trade tariffs for India – along with an extra penalty for buying Russian oil – Trump stated that he did not care if India and Russia “take their dead economies down together”.

In a Telegram post on Thursday, Medvedev wrote that Trump should “revisit his favourite movies about the living dead and recall just how dangerous the mythical ‘Dead Hand’ can be”.

Russia’s “Dead Hand system” is a Cold War-era automatic nuclear retaliation mechanism designed to launch a counterstrike even if the Russian leadership is wiped out in a first strike.

Trump replied: “Tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

Speaking to reporters after his post about the nuclear submarines, Trump said on Friday: “We just have to be careful. And a threat was made and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful.

“A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we’re going to protect our people.”

Who has more nuclear power: Russia or the US?

Combined, the US and Russia account for nearly 87 percent of the world’s total nuclear arsenal. The geopolitical rivals control about 83 percent of the nuclear warheads actually deployed or ready for operational use.

Despite significant post-Cold War reductions, global nuclear arsenals remain at a “very high level”, according to a report by the Federation of American Scientists. As of January 2025, just nine countries are estimated to possess a total of approximately 12,241 nuclear warheads.

Today, according to the nonprofit Arms Control Association, the US deploys 1,419 and Russia deploys 1,549 strategic warheads on several hundred bombers and missiles.

The US conducted its first nuclear test explosion in July 1945; the following month, it dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Four years later, the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear test explosion.

As of 2025, the US Navy operates 71 submarines, all nuclear‑powered, making it the largest undersea force. This fleet includes 14 Ohio‑class ballistic missile subs (SSBNs), four Ohio‑class converted guided‑missile submarines (SSGNs) loaded with Tomahawk missiles for strikes or special operations, and about 53 fast‑attack submarines designed for intelligence gathering, anti‑submarine warfare and cruise‑missile support.

By comparison, the Russian Navy fields fewer than 30 nuclear‑powered submarines, including approximately 10 strategic SSBNs, a mix of modern Borei and older Delta IV classes, that carry Bulava missiles.

It also operates several strategic‑missile cruise boats and about six Akula‑class attack submarines equipped for anti‑ship and multi‑role missions. Russia is investing in modern fleet expansion through the Yasen‑M class.

Has Russia responded to Trump’s submarine manoeuvre?

No. Neither the Kremlin nor Medvedev has publicly responded to Trump’s order to move two nuclear submarines following their war of words.

Viktor Vodolatsky, a senior Russian lawmaker and deputy chairman of the State Duma’s committee on Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) affairs, however, stated that Russia possesses “significantly more nuclear submarines in the world’s oceans” than the US, claiming US subs have “long been under their control” and, therefore, no specific response is required.

Last month, the US President said he was “disappointed” with Putin.

“We’ll have a great conversation. I’ll say: ‘That’s good, I’ll think we’re close to getting it done,’ and then he’ll knock down a building in Kyiv,” he told the BBC in an interview.

On Friday, in an apparent reference to Trump’s comment, Putin said: “As for any disappointments on the part of anyone, all disappointments arise from inflated expectations. This is a well-known general rule.”

On a ceasefire with Kyiv, Putin said he wants a “lasting and stable peace” in Ukraine; however, he has not given any indication that Russia is willing to achieve it any quicker.

In 2017, during his first term as US president, Trump announced that he had sent two nuclear submarines to the Korean peninsula. Soon afterwards, he held a meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un.

Whether this latest move will lead to a new meeting with Putin is yet to be seen, however.

President Trump praised the Philippines’ president for an “unbelievable job” in a fight against illegal drugs that has left thousands dead and drawn condemnation from American lawmakers, according to a leaked transcript of their telephone conversation last month.

Trump’s discussion with Rodrigo Duterte is likely to reinforce the impression that Trump is sidelining human rights concerns in his foreign policy. Trump has met with several authoritarian leaders since taking office in January, offering few critiques of their records on democracy, the rule of law and protecting essential freedoms.

The transcript of the April 29 call was first posted by the Washington Post. It is marked confidential and is contained under a cover sheet from the Philippine Foreign Ministry. Neither the Philippine government nor the White House verified the transcript, but they didn’t dispute its contents.

It also shows the leaders discussing the North Korean threat, with each referring to North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong Un, as a “madman.” In an unusual disclosure of the movements of U.S. military assets, Trump revealed the U.S. had two nuclear submarines in the region. He said the United States didn’t want to use them.

Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump for his reported comments.

“Today’s reporting leaves me even more concerned by President Trump’s strange fascination with dictators, his support for the extrajudicial killings central to President Duterte’s ‘drug war,’ and his recklessness with sensitive information,” said Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Twelve Democratic senators, led by Edward J. Markey, wrote to Trump on Wednesday calling for him to denounce the “murderous” anti-drug campaign and delay any visit by Duterte to Washington until there are improvements in his human rights record.

The Philippines declined to comment on the transcript Wednesday. The Foreign Ministry noted that the unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently obtained government documents are not permitted under Philippine law. A White House official said he could not confirm or deny the accuracy of leaked documents, especially those purportedly from a foreign government.

At the time of the call, Trump raised hackles in Washington by inviting Duterte to the White House. Since Duterte took power in June, his anti-drug campaign has killed 7,000 to 9,000 suspected dealers and addicts, according to human rights groups. The State Department has voiced concern over extrajudicial killings, and U.S. lawmakers have pushed for restrictions on arms sales to Philippine police in response.

“I just want to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump said in the phone call, according to the transcript. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.”

Duterte responded that drugs are a “scourge” of his nation. Trump then added, “I think we had a previous president who did not understand that.”

President Obama had criticized Duterte’s drug fight, prompting the Philippine leader to refer to Obama as a “son of a whore.” The insult derailed a planned meeting between them. Strains also grew as Duterte sought warmer ties with China and threatened to end the U.S.-Philippine military alliance.

In the call, Duterte described Southeast Asian nations feeling “nervous” over North Korean rockets and warheads. He offered to call Chinese President Xi Jinping to urge Beijing to use its leverage with Pyongyang. Trump, who hosted Xi at Trump’s Florida resort in April, described Xi as a “good guy.”

John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, criticized the contents of the conversation.

“Trump’s celebration of Duterte’s record is nothing short of horrifying,” Sifton said. “It is an endorsement of the mass killing of the Philippines’ poorest and most vulnerable.”

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Aug. 1 (UPI) — Comments made by Russian Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday spurred President Donald Trump to reposition two U.S. nuclear submarines to deter any military threats.

Medvedev in a social media post suggested Trump should be wary of Russia’s automatic nuclear strike capabilities and suggested the president watch “The Walking Dead” television series, The New York Times reported.

Trump called Medvedev’s comments “highly provocative” and viewed them as a potential threat against the United States.

“I have ordered two nuclear submarines in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday.

“Words are very important and can often lead to unintended consequences,” Trump continued. “I hope that this will not be one of those instances.”

Medvedev formerly was Russia’s president from May 7, 2008, to May 7, 2012, and is the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council.

Trump told reporters, “We just have to be very careful,” as he was leaving the White House on Friday, ABC News reported.

“A threat was made by the former president of Russia,” he said, “and we’re going to protect our people.”

Trump and his administration did not say when and where the submarines are being deployed or their military capabilities.

A White House official told ABC News the president was engaging in “strategic ambiguity” in the matter.

Medvedev earlier this week criticized Trump for reducing to 10 days the president’s ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin to show progress toward ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,” Medvedev said in a social media post, as reported by The Guardian.

“He should remember two things,” Medvedev said. “Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran,” and “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step toward war” between the United States and Russia.

Medvedev cautioned Trump, “Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe [Biden] road!”

Trump has accused Putin of stalling efforts to reach a cease-fire with Ukraine.

The president said he could end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours while he was campaigning last year.

Putin on Friday said he wanted a “lasting and stable peace” in Ukraine, but did not respond to Trump’s ultimatum, according to The Guardian.

United States President Donald Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to travel closer to Russia, in his latest tit-for-tat with Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev.

On Friday, Trump posted on his platform Truth Social that the submarine movements came in response to the “highly provocative statements” Medvedev, a former Russian president, made this week.

A day earlier, Medvedev had warned that Trump should be mindful of “how dangerous the fabled ‘Dead Hand’ can be”, a reference to Russia’s Cold War-era nuclear weapons system.

“I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

In recent weeks, Trump has been enmeshed in an escalating war of words with Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council under current President Vladimir Putin.

Medvedev and Putin have a close relationship: When Medvedev served as president from 2008 to 2012, Putin was his prime minister. Afterwards, when Putin returned to the presidency, Medvedev served as his prime minister from 2012 to 2020.

But as Trump voices increasing frustration with Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, he has increasingly singled out Medvedev, a noted war hawk, as a target for his anger. Both men have hinted at their countries’ nuclear capabilities, and their public exchanges have grown increasingly tense.

A war of words

In a social media post earlier this week, Trump pivoted from a discussion of trade between India and Russia to an attack on Medvedev for his sabre-rattling remarks.

“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump wrote.

“Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let’s keep it that way, and tell Medvedev, the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President, to watch his words. He’s entering very dangerous territory!”

Medvedev, meanwhile, has appeared to relish how his words provoke the US president.

“If some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the high-and-mighty president of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right and will continue to proceed along its own path,” Medvedev responded in a post on Telegram.

Medvedev then proceeded to reference the zombie apocalypse series The Walking Dead, in an apparent nod to the devastation Russia has the power to cause.

“And as for the ‘dead economy’ of India and Russia and ‘entering dangerous territory’ — well, let Trump remember his favourite films about the ‘Walking Dead’.”

This week is not the first time Trump and Medvedev have taken their beef online. In late June, the two men likewise sparred and flexed their nuclear arsenals.

“Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran?” Trump wrote on June 23.

He then pointed to the recent US attack on Iran as an example of how the country might respond to other threats.

“If anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines,” Trump wrote. “They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built.”

He also took a jab at Medvedev’s position under Putin, suggesting that Medvedev’s threats were irresponsible.

“I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS’,” Trump quipped.

Frustrations over Ukraine war

The high-stakes back-and-forth comes as Trump becomes increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress towards peace in Ukraine.

Since February 2022, a slow-grinding war has unfolded in the country, as Ukraine attempts to repel a full-scale invasion from Russia.

Trump entered his second term as president pledging to be a global “peacemaker and unifier”, and his administration has openly advocated for the Republican leader to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

But his efforts to resolve the dispute between Ukraine and Russia have stalled.

Early in his second term, Trump himself faced criticism for appearing to undermine Ukraine’s cause, accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of being a “dictator” and appearing to offer Russia concessions, including annexed Ukrainian territory.

By contrast, Trump initially took a warm approach to Putin, telling Zelenskyy in a fiery Oval Office meeting, “Putin went through a hell of a lot with me.”

But in recent months, that relationship appears to have cooled, with Trump threatening Russia with sanctions as the war grinds on. On July 28, he announced that Russia would have “10 or 12 days” to stop its offensive, or else the economic penalties would take effect.

Then, on Thursday, as Russia shelled the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Trump slammed its continued military action.

“Russia — I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting,” he said.

But Medvedev has previously described Trump’s deadlines as “theatrical” and said that “Russia didn’t care” about the threats. He also warned that Trump’s aggressive foreign policy stance may backfire with his “America First” base.

“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia,” Medvedev wrote on the social media platform X earlier this week.

“He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”

July 25 (UPI) — Britain and Australia confirmed Friday that they would proceed with a $245 billion nuclear-powered submarine deal as part of a defense pact between the two countries and the United States — despite Washington rethinking its involvement.

Following a meeting, Australian Defense Secretary Richard Marles said he and British Defense Secretary John Healey would sign a 50-year cooperation treaty on Saturday to deliver an Australian fleet of submarines, powered by British nuclear reactors.

Marles hailed the deal, part of a trilateral security pact signed in 2021, as the most significant U.K.-Australian treaty signed in the 124-year history of modern Australia.

The AUKUS alliance, aimed at countering China’s military rise in the Asia-Pacific, called for Australia to be armed with eight nuclear submarines, three repurposed from the United States’ existing fleet and the remainder a new SSN-AUKUS submarine that Australia and Britain would build together.

However, concerns were raised that the first U.S. submarines wouldn’t be handed to Australia within the timeline of the early 2030s because U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reviewing the Biden administration-brokered AUKUS and the U.S. submarine pipeline was behind time.

Healey said they welcomed Hegseth’s review as a chance for the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to “renew their commitment,” which he said he fully expected to happen.

Marles said last month that he was “very confident” the United States would remain in AUKUS because of its strategic benefit to all three countries.

The pact came into force three days before Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States in January, triggering a review to ensure it is a fit with his “America First” policy.

In a meeting in Singapore in June, Hegseth told Marles that Australia should increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP.

Elbridge Colby, the U.S. defense official carrying out Hegseth’s review, has said AUKUS could compromise national security if the United States were to begin selling its Virginia-class submarines to Australia in the early 2030s, as per the original agreement.

Neither Healey nor Marles would say whether the two countries would go it alone with building the submarines if the United States opted to withdraw.

The Australia-U.K. treaty encompasses a comprehensive framework to develop the necessary infrastructure and workforce in Australia to build, operate and support the submarine program, with the deal providing a boost to British exports of more than $26 billion by 2050.

“Through the treaty, we are supporting high-skilled, well-paid jobs for tens of thousands of people in both the U.K. and Australia,” said Healey.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Euan Graham said the new treaty was not sending a message to the Trump administration but was “more of a reflection that AUKUS has always been a 3-way arrangement, and that the U.K.-Australia side of the triangle is vital to its success.”

He said the program would also produce economies of scale, allowing Britain’s Royal Navy to increase its nuclear fleet from seven to 12 submarines.