Australian Defence Minister Says May Consider Leasing Nuclear Subs While Fleet Being Built

Australian Defence Minister Says May Consider Leasing Nuclear Subs While Fleet Being Built
Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg speaks to Minister for Defence Peter Dutton during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 22, 2021. Sam Mooy/Getty Images
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The federal government is prepared to lease nuclear submarines from the United States while its own fleet is being built, Defence Minister Peter Dutton says.

Last week, Australia entered into a regional security pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, known as AUKUS, which includes building U.S. nuclear submarines but these will not be ready until the late 2030s.