UK & Australia Sign Defense Treaty in Face of Rising China

On March 21, the UK & Australia signed a new defense treaty. The pact will further boost both countries’ defense ties in the face of rising Chinese power in the Indo-Pacific region.

As such, Australia chose BAE Systems to help build new submarines. Also, Australia will invest £2.4 billion in Rolls-Royce’s nuclear reactor facilities. Rolls-Royce will build the reactors for the new submarines at its Raynesway plant in Derbyshire.

The UK and Australia defense treaty also includes provisions to make it easier for the respective forces to operate together in each other’s countries, such as the joint training of Ukrainian troops in the UK.

Other areas within the treaty included continuous cooperation on the AUKUS alliance and closer cooperation on undersea warfare, intelligence, and military exercises. Thus, the UK will contribute to Australia’s Combined Intelligence Centre, part of Australia’s Defense Intelligence Organization.

Defense Treaty: build on AUKUS Alliance

The agreement builds on the AUKUS partnership Australia signed in 2021 with the US and UK to overhaul its defence strategy and respond to China’s military build-up in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Under AUKUS, Australia will buy several US Virginia-class submarines in the next decade. Also, it will build a new AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine at Adelaide shipyards by 2040.

In addition, Australia also named BAE System, Britain’s biggest defense company, to build nuclear submarines in partnership with Australia-based naval firm ASC. BAE builds all of Britain’s nuclear submarines at its yard in Barrow, where it will also build the SSN-Aukus boats for the Royal Navy. 

In 2023, BAE secured a £3.95 billion contract from the UK government to help cover design and development of the AUKUS program. As a result, Its 13,500-strong workforce in Barrow will rise to 17,000

Nuclear power will allow Australian attack submarines to remain at sea for five months. Also, the submarine will operate more quietly than the country’s existing Collins class diesel-powered vessels, allowing them to better evade enemy detection.

However, Australia’s plan to develop nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact continues to be a particular sticking point in its ties with China, which have been thawing after some recent frosty years.

Containing China’s Growing Power

The UK & Australia defense treaty and AUKUS came amid China’s growing power in the Indo-Pacific Region.

China has embarked on an expansive arms race. The CCP is building or upgrading its nuclear arsenal from 500 to 1500 by 2030. It is also building more warships, submarines, and aircraft carriers.

Chinese long-term objectives include controlling and dominating Taiwan, South-East Asia, the South China Sea, the South Pacific, and the Indian Ocean, essentially the whole Indo-Pacific region.