PERTH: The sale of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia under the AUKUS treaty faces new doubts as US President Donald Trump's tariffs take hold, and amid concern in Washington that providing the subs to Canberra may reduce deterrence to China. (AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States intended to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.)
Whether the United States can boost submarine production to meet US Navy targets is key to whether Australia can buy three Virginia-class submarines starting in 2032, Defence Minister Richard Marles said last month, after talks with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth.
