Hello, Australia. 11 nuclear subs don't cost $368 billion (blank cheque in nuclear and military terms) #AUKUS
"In December 2008, the (US) Navy signed a $14 billion contract with General Dynamics & Northrop Grumman to supply eight submarines. The contract required the delivery of one submarine in each of fiscal 2009 and 2010, & two submarines on each of fiscal 2011, 2012, and 2013.[36] This contract was designed to bring the Navy's Virginia-class fleet to 18 submarines." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia-class_submarine
#AUKUS
"The U.S. nuclear attack submarine inventory will experience a nearly decade-long dip due to the AUKUS partnership, according to a new Congressional Budget Office analysis of U.S. naval shipbuilding.
"Who in their right mind would spend $368 billion, with all the opportunity costs that brings for civil or even other military programs, to deliver 36 bombs to a fight? To put it in perspective, that’s less than the payload of a single B-52 bomber. Yet this is what the Australian public has been signed up to, and that’s in a “best-case” scenario for the war planners, where we actually get the boats. Viewed from this narrow military point of view, it is an obscene misallocation of national resources."
This is an excellent, clearly-argued piece from @davidshoebridge about the weird neo-colonial fantasy that is the #AUKUS nuclear submarines
What is on ASPI's mind...
on storing weapons-grade uranium from #AUKUS "In undertaking the site selection and design development, it’s important to consider that a future government may decide to adopt nuclear energy as part of a strategy to deal with climate change, or could change its position on nuclear weapons, as the Menzies government did in 1958 when it asked Britain to help #Australia acquire tactical nuclear weapons. " https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/where-will-australia-store-its-nuclear-waste/#Nuclear#NuclearWaste#AusPol #
Australia might be better off to cancel the nuclear submarine plan
How many nuclear-powered submarines for Australia? The Strategist, 12 Oct 2023|Peter Briggs "............................................................................................It takes three to four submarines to guarantee having one available for deployment. The ‘rule of three’ was validated by the Coles review, but that doesn’t include any spare capacity to cope with unexpected…
@NoelWauchope
All part of a plan to turn us into a dump for UK and US nuke waste, get us tangled up in the nuclear industry, becoming part of deterrence strategy now that the nuclear non proliferation treaty is all but dead, and to let the military industry have the reins of the country as we are impacted by a climate hellscape. #AUKUS#nuclear#LateStageHumanity
The trilateral AUKUS agreement over nuclear powered subs potentially takes on a bit of an additional dimension when you consider it in context of Trump having leaked those nuclear sub secrets to Anthony Pratt. Sure, they were already talking about a possible deal at the time, but how much of the final deal came down to “Sorry for the unintentional espionage by one of our billionaires, what can we do to make it up to you Uncle Sam?” https://abcnews.go.com/US/after-white-house-trump-allegedly-discussed-potentially-sensitive/story?id=10376045 #auspol#aukus
"Trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with foreign national after leaving White House: Sources
Trump allegedly discussed the information with an Australian billionaire.
Not convinced that ALP is anti-#nuclear power. Paying about 300 billion more than 11 nuclear subs would cost, & the first 3 subs are just taking away US subs from doing the same thing anyway. They aren't full speed ahead on renewables either or they could promise some of that 300 billion for them right now. #AUKUS is about getting the nuclear foot in the door, letting LNP do the dirty work & ALP presenting a clean image.
Bowen demolishes case for expensive nuclear power https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/bowen-demolishes-case-for-expensive-nuclear-power
"Deliberately grounded on a tiny reef in the #SouthChinaSea, part of an island chain claimed by the two Asian countries, the #BRPSierraMadre is now the unlikely base for a detachment of Filipino marines who stand guard over the atoll, scanning the turquoise waters for Chinese ships." #AyunginShoal#SecondThomasShoal#Philippines