AUKUS submarines

The first transfer of naval nuclear propulsion, and of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, to a non-nuclear-weapons state. Australia has committed not to develop weapons and accepted enhanced IAEA safeguards, but the precedent is new and is contested on non-proliferation grounds. Under the agreements Australia must dispose of all spent HEU fuel domestically with no return provision, a sovereign liability of more than three tonnes of weapons-usable U-235 in spent fuel, in a country with no reprocessing and no repository. The plan was revised in May 2026 to supply three boats from the existing US fleet rather than building one new, and the first are expected to be based in Australia from 2027.