Australia and UK to Sign 50-Year Defence Treaty Under AUKUS Alliance

‘There will be over 21,000 people working on the conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine programme,’ said the UK government.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles (L) walks with Britain's Defence Secretary John Healey, before the start of the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN) meeting in Sydney, Australia on July 25, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

Australia and the UK is set to sign a new 50-year treaty to shore up defence ties during an official visit to Sydney.

The treaty between the two nations will sit within the greater AUKUS defence alliance between Australia, the UK and the United States.