Once Australia was planning to acquire two used Virginia-class nuclear powered submarines from the US, plus one new-built boat fresh from the production line.
Now the US and Australia have confirmed that the prospect of acquiring a brand new boat has fallen by the wayside, and the nation will now be acquiring three used Virginias.
That will save some money, plus provide Australia with three SSNs of the same configuration, simplifying fleet sustainment.
Here’s the original plan, as outlined by an Australian government document from 2023:
“Starting in the early 2030s, the United States will sell Australia three Virginia-Class submarines. The first two will be used but refurbished Block 4 boats with 23 years of remaining life and the third will be a brand new stretched Block 6 boat fitted with the 84-foot-long payload module permitting the carriage of greatly increased weapons loads. There is also the potential to transfer an additional two Virginias if the new-design AUKUS submarines are delayed.”
Here’s the original announcement of the Optimal Pathway for Australia acquiring nuclear submarines which isn’t too specific as to just what Virginias the country would acquire from the US.
“Starting in the 2030s and pending Congressional approval, the United States intends to sell Australia three Virginia-class submarines with the potential to sell up to two more if needed. This step will systematically grow Australia’s sovereign SSN capability and support capacity.”
And here’s the joint statement from Defence Minister Richard Marles, US Secretary of State for War Pete Hegseth and UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, after attending the annual Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore on Saturday.
“The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS), simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies. This approach would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants.”
Marles went into more detail in a subsequent media doorstop.
He said this had been a live conversation from the beginning of the announcement of the optimal pathway and it did bear some explanation.
What was planned, he said, was for the Royal Australian Navy to operate two used and one new Virginia-class SSNs, which, with the in-service Collins-class submarines and the new SSN-AUKUS boats, would have the Navy operating four submarine classes.
“That gets pretty complicated in terms of how you're operating a fleet of submarines. What we will have here is a much simpler pathway,” he said.
“It will mean that the Virginia-class submarines that we are acquiring will all be of the same type of. And I cannot overstate the significance of that, both in terms of the submariners who are operating them, but also the people who are working on them to sustain those submarines.
“Chasing simplicity is at the heart of why we have pursued this.”
Doing it this way may also be a bit cheaper.
“So firstly, we are paying an amount to the US in terms of its industrial base. That is to create the space for the Virginia-class submarines to be transferred to Australia. But then there is the purchase price in respect of each of the submarines and this will be more cost effective in relation to that and it'll be significant,” he said.
Virginia-class Block 4 production comprises 10 boats, with the last two not yet in service. That began with USS Vermont, commissioned in 2020, with the most recent USS Idaho commissioned in April 2026.