
Australia Says US Will Access New AUKUS Submarine Shipyard
Australia confirmed Sunday that the United States will be able to use a planned submarine maintenance hub in Western Australia, underscoring deepening defense ties under the AUKUS security pact.
Defense Minister Richard Marles said facilities at Henderson shipyard near Perth — slated for a A$12 billion ($8 billion) upgrade — will primarily serve Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarines but will also be open to US vessels.
“This is an AUKUS facility and so I would expect so,” Marles told ABC television. “It is being built in the context of AUKUS, and I would expect that in the future this would be …