In a monumental move to fortify the AUKUS alliance, the United States has pledged a staggering £1.2 billion to transform a shipyard in Western Australia into a pivotal maintenance hub for its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
The colossal investment will fund a massive upgrade of the ASC shipyard located at HMAS Stirling naval base near Perth. This strategic initiative is designed to ensure the US Navy's Virginia-class submarines can receive sustained maintenance and support during their rotational deployments to the region.
A Strategic Hub for Indo-Pacific Power
This decision effectively designates the Australian facility as a dedicated maintenance centre for the US military, a first-of-its-kind arrangement that underscores the deepening defence integration between the two nations. The move is a direct implementation of the AUKUS security pact, aimed at countering Chinese military expansion in the Indo-Pacific.
US Defence Secretary, in a significant announcement, stated the investment would ensure the dry dock facilities are operational by the late 2020s. This timeline is critical for supporting the sustained presence of US submarines in the area.
Local Jobs and Global Security
The project is expected to be a major economic boon for the region, creating thousands of local jobs in manufacturing, engineering, and skilled trades. This not only strengthens Australia's defence industrial base but also seamlessly blends its workforce with that of the US and UK under the AUKUS framework.
The announcement signals a firm commitment from the US to share the burden of maintaining and supporting its forward-deployed assets, moving beyond a mere rotational presence to establishing a permanent, strategic footprint with dedicated allied support infrastructure.
This development represents the most concrete step yet in operationalising the AUKUS agreement, moving from high-level policy to tangible, on-the-ground military infrastructure that will shape regional security for decades to come.
