Aukus alliance: New era of naval power and global strategy

The French administration referred to the plans to cooperate with Australia regarding Canberra's acquisition of 12-16 new submarines as a "50-year marriage." These submarines were intended to replace the 12 conventional Collins-class submarines.

With a budget of about 42 billion dollars, this project envisioned the delivery of new vessels to the Australian navy by the French Naval Group, involving Australian industry and based on the French Suffren/Barracuda class.

Submarines of this type—nuclear-powered and equipped with long-range cruise missiles MdCN—are intended to be the strike pillar of the French submarine fleet. The Netherlands also chose them (as the Orka type) in the variant with conventional propulsion.

Australia also ordered them as the Shortfin Barracuda type. However, in September 2021, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison unexpectedly announced the cancellation of the contract with France and the establishment of the global AUKUS agreement.

The agreement's goal, formed by Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, was to deliver new submarines to Australia, involving American, British, and Australian industries.

In addition to inciting angry reactions from France, this decision also cost Canberra 555 million euros in compensation, which Australia decided to pay to the would-be strategic partner. In return, its navy is expected to receive the final AUKUS-type units alongside transitional American Virginia-class nuclear submarines by the end of the 2030s. What is known about them?

SSN-AUKUS (also known as SSN-A) are new-generation nuclear-powered attack submarines. Their design is expected to incorporate innovations in the currently produced American Virginia-class submarines.

The primary mission of the SSN-A units is countering enemy submarines. However, thanks to cruise missiles, they will also be capable of attacking land targets. The displacement of the new units is estimated at a minimum of 9,000 tons, and the hull length is 364 feet. The submarines are expected to reach depths of up to 3,000 feet. A notable feature is their high corrosion resistance, which allows for up to 25 years of service without significant risk.

A key advantage is the propulsion system with a service life estimated at 42 years (virtually without the need for fuel replacement), enabling rapid underwater movement over distances of thousands of nautical miles, a feat unattainable for conventionally powered units. The Australian navy gains new operational capabilities, challenging the Chinese fleet far from their home ports.

The British navy is also expected to acquire SSN-A-type units, replacing the current Astute-class submarines.

The AUKUS agreement, which initially involved collaborating on submarines, later expanded to include new-generation PrSM ballistic missiles (initially meant to complement and later replace MGM-140 ATACMS) and stealthy drones.

It’s worth noting that while AUKUS introduces a new quality to all relations, it confirms a long-existing state of affairs. Australia, along with New Zealand (which limited cooperation with the USA in the 1980s), is a member of the Pacific equivalent of NATO—the ANZUS defense alliance.

The establishment of AUKUS is often seen as confirmation of the American "pivot to the Pacific," driven by China's aspirations, making the Pacific a key arena in the global influence struggle for the USA.

This isn’t entirely accurate, as Washington. However, it considered Europe the primary area of potential conflict with the Soviets during the Cold War and never turned away from the Pacific or abandoned it.

In American perception, the Pacific islands were the scene of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The historic rivalry between the USA and USSR, "cold" in nature for Europe, often turned into a "hot" war over the Pacific, with significant involvement—as seen in Korea or Vietnam—from the United States and its allies (Australia and New Zealand sent contingents to Vietnam as part of ANZUS support).

The shift of global rivalry's focal point to the Pacific is evident in the changes occurring in the US armed forces. The Pentagon is strengthening American bases in the Pacific, such as on Guam, and building early warning stations protected by anti-ballistic and anti-aircraft "umbrellas."

The Navy is also evolving from its previous role of supporting inland operations to a force capable of conducting large naval operations. The USA is expanding its fleet of modern Navajo-class rescue ships, which can assist large, damaged vessels at sea. Fast Cody-class hospital catamarans are being developed, and large America-class amphibious ships are being tested as light aircraft carriers.

The USA is also establishing floating logistics bases for the fleet, using modified Alaska-class tanker hulls to build large (764 feet long, 80,000 tons displacement) floating bases. Lewis B. Puller-class units are designed to transport large quantities of fuel, ammunition, and all necessary supplies for fleet operations far from home ports. They are also equipped with a flight deck and adapted to support heavy helicopters.

An important change, confirming political declarations, is the direction of modernization in the Marine Corps. By the early 21st century, the Marines, who bore the brunt of battles on Pacific islands against the Japanese during World War II, had lost their unique role.

During the War on Terror, Marine units conducted operations in deserts and mountains, becoming similar in equipment and combat style to mechanized infantry. The formation's return to its sea roots happened relatively recently, with proposals from Robert Gates, the Secretary of Defense under George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

The Marines began shifting away from the previous practice of operating based on a few large amphibious ships and toward a more significant number of smaller units. Moreover, the Corps' combat rules changed, aiming to engage the enemy not—as before—after landing on an attacked shore but much earlier during the approach.

Because of these changes, the American Marine Corps's ongoing rearmament process includes modern equipment aligned with these new assumptions.

Additional HIMARS launchers enhance rocket capabilities at the expense of tube artillery. Old AAV7 amphibious vehicles are replaced by modern ACVs, and heavy M1A1 Abrams tanks—less useful on beaches and Pacific islands—have been completely phased out of the Corps. Poland benefited from this by acquiring M1A1 FEP tanks, which became available after the decommissioning of Marine armor units.