Australia to purchase up to 5 submarines from U.S. as part of defense pact, report says

An Australian submarine.
(Image credit: Yuri Ramsey/Australian Defence Force via Getty Images)

Australia is expected to buy up to five submarines from the United States as part of a new defense agreement, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The Australian Navy is expected to purchase the Virginia-class nuclear submarines sometime in the 2030s, four sources from the U.S. military told Reuters. Australia will reportedly first purchase three submarines, with the option to buy two more at a later time. The officials also said that the United States would begin deploying some submarines in Western Australia around 2027.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.