AUKUS rocks the boat (Comment)
The UK and the US have agreed to exchange sensitive and classified nuclear propulsion information with Australia. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
From the surprise announcement of AUKUS to Brazil’s steady development of a nuclear-powered submarine, 2021 saw a year of rapid developments as SSNs continue to be some of the most sought-after assets for navies globally. What does 2022 have in store?
On 9 December, the Pakistan Navy held a ceremony to mark the first steel cutting for its domestically built Hangor-class diesel-electric submarine programme. Progress on the class has after a year full of developments in the undersea domain.
The most notable news came from Australia’s decision to ditch its deal with France for conventional submarines and instead build nuclear-powered boats with the help of the UK and the US. The debut of AUKUS shocked the world, angering France due to the loss of a hugely valuable contract for Naval Group and prompting vocal criticism from China.
Since the AUKUS
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