British nuclear-powered attack submarine arrives in Australia for training drill

The 97-meter-long (318-foot) HMS Anson, which has a crew of about 100 and is armed with both torpedoes and land-attack missiles, anchored at a naval base near the city of Perth, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

It is the first British nuclear-powered submarine to arrive at Australia's west coast since the US, UK, and Australia unveiled the full AUKUS pathway in San Diego, California, in 2023.

According to UK Deputy High Commissioner to Australia Brian Jones, the submarine will undergo maintenance and undertake joint exercises, providing an "invaluable opportunity" to help Canberra develop more experience with nuclear-powered submarines.

Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles, in a statement, described the visit as a "historic step in our nation’s readiness to operate and maintain conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarines."

The two countries are also expected to conduct AUKUS Pillar 2 tests while HMS Anson is within Australian waters.

Under the trilateral agreement inked in 2021, the Australian Navy will acquire eight nuclear-powered submarines over the next decade from the US and the UK. The first deliveries are expected to begin in 2032.

Last week, Australia announced that at least $21.2 billion will be spent building a construction yard to eventually build nuclear submarines for Canberra under the AUKUS agreement.