Australia plans a new military base for nuclear submarines on its east coast. “The establishment of a second submarine base on our east coast will enhance our strategic deterrent capability,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday.
He mentioned three possible locations for the base: Brisbane in the state of Queensland, Newcastle in New South Wales or the Port Kembla, also in New South Wales. However, Morrison said that the western naval base near Perth will be preserved and will continue to be of strategic importance.
The new base should also regularly welcome nuclear submarines from the United States and the United Kingdom, the Australian Prime Minister continued. Last year, the US, UK and Australia announced another new “security alliance”. According to security experts named Aukus, referring to the English abbreviations of the participating countries, the alliance is clearly targeted against China’s military threat in the Pacific.
The government in Canberra previously announced that it would increase defence spending to almost 2.1 percent of GDP this year and invest about 578 billion Australian dollars in the military over the next ten years. But, according to Morrison, Russia’s attack on Ukraine is a sign that autocrats are trying to create a new world order.
