Beginning in the early 2030s, pending approval from Congress, the United States will sell Australia three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) with the possibility of selling an additional two if needed, President Biden formally announced Monday. The deal with the United Kingdom and Australia — under the auspices of the trilateral security pact AUKUS — not only serves to enhance defense in the increasingly contentious Asia-Pacific region but also to boost trilateral industrial cooperation with investments that will support thousands of high-skilled jobs in the U.S.
