AUKUS partners Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom have revised the nuclear-powered attack submarine acquisition pathway, confirming at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on 30 May 2026 that Canberra will receive only in-service Virginia-class boats from the US fleet. The move replaces the earlier mix of new-build and in-service submarines and is framed as a streamlined arrangement intended to simplify supply-chain, operational and maintenance planning while maximising cost efficiencies over the next 15 years.
The overall SSN roadmap remains unchanged in scope: Australia is still slated to acquire at least three Virginia-class SSNs before transitioning to the jointly developed SSN-AUKUS class with the UK. Australian government estimates put the long-term submarine pillar of AUKUS at up to US$235 billion over 30 years, underscoring the scale of the industrial and fiscal commitment.
Pillar 2 of AUKUS continues to prioritise advanced undersea capabilities, including uncrewed underwater vehicles, alongside work on AI, cyber, quantum and hypersonic systems, positioning undersea autonomy as a parallel vector to crewed SSN force development.