Facilitating Australia with Submarines

Only six countries in the world have nuclear submarines in their arsenal. This will soon increase to seven, when Australia gets its own set of nuclear submarines. The US and UK are slated to share their expertise with Australia on areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, Long Range Strike Systems, and nuclear technology. Only once in its history, The USA shared its nuclear technology expertise with another country, and that was a good 63 years ago. When it helped the UK go nuclear.

What is it that makes nuclear submarines so special? They rely on nuclear reactors for propulsion and life support. The nuclear reactor heats water to make steam that drives a turbine to turn the propeller. The reactor-generated steam also drives the turbine generators that provide the electricity required for the auxiliary systems.

Nuclear submarines require a lot of water to operate. Thankfully when you’re almost 1000 ft (300m) below the surface, you’re never going to be in short supply. They use this abundant supply of water to create steam which cools the onboard reactor. But before it’s used for this purpose, the water is purified through a desalination process. This comes with the added benefits of providing constant supply of drinking water and topping up the oxygen supply through hydrolysis.

The increased available energy on board as well as air and water purifying capabilities allow nuclear submarines to remain submerged for months at a time. This allows nuclear submarines to travel longer distances, perform extended periods of covert data and intelligence gathering as well as spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Nuclear submarines are also bigger and can carry more firepower, meaning: these ships can engage in a wider spectrum of missions. Currently it is still unclear as to what model submarine the Australian government will possess in its fleet. However, based on the US Navy’s latest design, experts speculate Australia could end up with some variant of a Virginia-class submarine. It is a 337-460 ft long beast that first saw use in 2004.

The General Dynamics Virginia-class submarine is powered by a single 210 megawatt pressurized water nuclear reactor and can travel at speed over 25 Knots. The enriched Uranium that powers the submarine is sealed inside the reactor and does not require any refueling during its 30-year lifespan. In ideal conditions Virginia-class submarines provide users with a unique blend of stealth and power.

They are quieter than other models of nuclear submarines. They can travel faster and for longer distances without detection. These submarines will be deployed far from land where they will gather information and remain ready should a naval skirmish occur above water. They are also speculated to be armed with the standard surface-to-air and cruise missiles allowing them to engage with threats beyond those at sea level.

Unlike the other six countries with nuclear submarines, it is said that Australia’s nuclear subs would not have nuclear armaments. This would make it the only country equipped with a nuclear submarine to not possess any nuclear armaments of any kind. In some ways, perhaps Australia’s decision to forgo equipping its nuclear submarines with nukes may serve as a precedent for any other state looking to bolster its naval forces without entering the nuclear arms race.

But in a world where nuclear technology is extremely sensitive, The United States and The United Kingdom sharing their technology with Australia will involve far-reaching defense cooperation between the three allies, and it could very well be a one-off. What remains to be seen is its cascading effects on fragile pacts around the globe.

There is bound to be some backlash in Australia as well with several activists and policy groups against the use of nuclear power in any form. In the past, Australia has strictly monitored the docking of US nuclear-powered vessels. However, neighboring New Zealand has already clarified that the Australian nuclear-powered fleet would not be welcome in New Zealand waters.