News analysis

Australia’s ambitious nuclear submarine plan faces potentially insurmountable hurdles

(From left) Australian PM Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and British PM Rishi Sunak at a press conference in San Diego, California, on Tuesday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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SYDNEY - The ambitious A$368 billion (S$330 billion) deal unveiled by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday to secure a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines comes laden with risk, according to its critics.

Questions are already being raised as to whether Australia will ever actually acquire the submarines, and if they will make the nation safer.

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