The defence ministers from Australia, Britain, and the United States announced that a U.S. nuclear-powered sub will undergo maintenance for the first-time in Australia on Friday. This is a crucial step taken by AUKUS partner countries to deter aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific.

Australian personnel have trained with personnel from the United States, Britain and Australia over the last year in preparation for the maintenance of submarines at HMAS Stirling (Western Australia), which involves personnel from all three nations.

The ministers made a joint announcement that "our navies" are committed to reinforcing in Australia the same principles that have allowed the United States of America and the United Kingdom to operate nuclear-powered vessels safely for almost 70 years.

The partners in the AUKUS pact were committed to setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard for acquisition of a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability for Australia, they added.

The statement quoted U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, and Britain's Defence Secretary, John Healey.

HMAS Sterling is now home to a U.S. Virginia class submarine from Hawaii and a U.S. Service Ship with maintenance crew and equipment. This maintenance is usually done at U.S. Submarine ports.

From 2027, the Australian base will be home to a rotating presence of up to four Virginia-class U.S. submarines and one British Astute class submarine.

That will build Australia's experience in operating a fleet of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines from next decade.

In an effort to allay concerns about the storage of nuclear waste in Australia, a country that lacks a nuclear industry, the defence department stated that no radiological materials would be transported ashore for maintenance.

The AUKUS partners have reduced the defence export controls for Australia, Britain, and the United States. This has removed a barrier to the maintenance work.

Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack subs from the United States and develop a new nuclear-powered, conventionally-armed submarine class with Britain and the United States over the next 20 years.

Michael McCaul, a U.S. legislator, said that the rotation of U.S. submarines in Australia improves deterrence throughout the Indo-Pacific region, where China has been putting pressure on the Philippines in the South China Sea dispute.

McCaul, the chair of U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee spoke during a trip to Sydney.

The ministers said that the maintenance of U.S. subs in Australia helps to "better prevent aggression in the area and maintain the rules-based order", in a statement released on Friday. (Reporting and editing by Clarence Fernandez in Sydney, Kirsty Neham from Sydney)

(source: Reuters)