Aukus costs balloon with more cash and staff for submarine agency amid ongoing search for nuclear waste dump
Summary
Australia’s budget for its Aukus nuclear submarine program has increased by over $430 million for the next four years. The Australian Submarine Agency will receive more money and staff to manage these submarines, but Australia still lacks a site for safely storing nuclear waste from the subs.Key Facts
- The Australian Submarine Agency’s budget will rise from $385 million to $512 million next year.
- Staff numbers at the agency will grow by 37%, from about 883 to 1,209 people.
- The total funding for the agency over four years will increase from $1.7 billion to over $2.13 billion.
- The Aukus deal is a security agreement between Australia, the US, and the UK to deliver nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
- Australia has not yet found a permanent location to store nuclear waste from these submarines, which remains dangerous for thousands of years.
- The 2026-27 budget allocates nearly $12 million to help plan long-term nuclear waste management.
- The US plans to sell Australia three Virginia-class submarines, but US shipbuilding delays could affect this plan.
- The UK is designing a new class of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia, called the SSN Aukus.
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