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AUKUS: Nuclear-powered submarinesAUKUS: Nuclear-powered submarines
About the author
Ryan Neelam
Ryan Neelam was Director of the Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program at the Lowy Institute. He led the flagship annual Lowy Institute Poll, was project director for the Global Diplomacy Index, and wrote about climate diplomacy and multilateral policy.
In the third year of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the governments are proceeding with a plan for Australia to acquire at least three conventionally-armed Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s. The plan also includes the design and construction of new SSN–AUKUS class submarines for delivery to the Royal Australian Navy from the early 2040s.
In Australia, public debate about this endeavour has grown, highlighting questions around its strategic merits, future US political commitment to the deal, industrial and workforce capacity, and the high costs involved. Proponents argue the submarines would improve Australia’s ability to defend itself and contribute to deterring major power conflict in the region.
At a broad level, majority public support for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines has held relatively firm. In 2024, almost two-thirds of Australians (65%) remain either ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ in favour — similar to last year, though five points below 2022 (70%), shortly after the deal was announced. One-third (32%) of Australians are ‘somewhat against’ or ‘strongly against’ acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
While AUKUS continues to enjoy bipartisan political support in Australia, more Australians who lean towards the Liberal–National Coalition (81%) than those who lean towards the Labor Party (69%) are in favour of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines — a 12-point gap, narrowing from 21 points last year.
