Australia to Buy Only 2nd-Hand Virginia-Class Submarines Under AUKUS

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on May 31, 2026. Ezra Acayan/Getty ImagesDefence Minister Richard Marles says Australia will save money and avoid complexity by only buying second-hand nuclear-powered submarines, a shift in the initial stopgap phase of the AUKUS plan.The federal government is now scheduled to buy three Virginia-class submarines already in service, instead of a mix of new and used U.S. vessels.