On Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joined US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to unveil the details of the AUKUS trilateral agreement.
Under the AUKUS pact, the UK, US and Australia will work together to meet shared threats and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific region. This effort will be spearheaded by the creation of a new fleet of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines known as SSN-AUKUS.
The construction of these submarines - which are set to be the largest, most advanced, and most powerful submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy - will create thousands of jobs in Barrow-in-Furness and Derby. UK-made Rolls-Royce reactors will also be used to power the new fleet.
The SSN-AUKUS submarines will become operational in the late 2030s.
Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid welcomed the announcement, saying: "AUKUS builds on over a century of co-operation between our three nations.
I welcome this move to uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific – providing security abroad and at home – whilst also supporting thousands of jobs in the United Kingdom.
This is another milestone reached by the Prime Minister, demonstrating his steadfast commitment to our security interests.”
