"Historic treaty" worth £20bn signed between UK and Australia on HMS Prince of Wales op creating over 7k jobs
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A huge diplomatic agreement has been signed during the Royal Navy flagship’s deployment to Australia.
The new 50-year treaty as part of AUKUS - agreed between the UK and Australia - will support defence industrial roles between both nations. This comes as HMS Prince of Wales became the first British aircraft carrier to visit Darwin this century.
Defence secretary John Healey said: “AUKUS is one of Britain’s most important defence partnerships, strengthening global security while driving growth at home. This historic Treaty confirms our AUKUS commitment for the next half century. Through the Treaty, we are supporting high-skilled, well-paid jobs for tens of thousands of people in both the UK and Australia, delivering on our Plan for Change today and for the generations to come.
“There are people not yet born who will benefit from the jobs secured through this defence deal. Our deep defence relationship with Australia – from our work together to support Ukraine, share vital intelligence, and develop innovative technology – makes us secure at home and strong abroad.”
The agreement will support submarine programmes and maintain tens of thousands of jobs in both nations. It’s expected to increase industrial capacity - so construction projects can keep moving - and produce submarines to keep the UK safe. The deal is expected to be worth up to £20bn in exports over the next 25 years.
More than 7,000 jobs are set to be created in shipyards across the UK and the supply chain. There will be over 21,000 people working on the conventionally-armed nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine programme in Britain at its peak.
Foreign secretary David Lammy said: “The UK-Australia relationship is like no other, and in our increasingly volatile and dangerous world, our anchoring friendship has real impact in the protection of global peace and prosperity.
“Our new bilateral AUKUS treaty is an embodiment of that - safeguarding a free and open Indo Pacific whilst catalysing growth for both our countries. This is how our government delivers the Plan for Change – protecting our national security and stability whilst generating jobs for Brits.”
Both Labour MPs will travel to Australia and briefly join the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) on Operation Highmast. HMS Prince of Wales is currently undertaking Exercise Talisman Sabre, the largest military training operation Australia has ever hosted. Royal Navy, RAF, and Royal Marines personnel, joined over 35,000 troops from 19 nations for various military training drills.
They briefly joined forces with the US Carrier Strike Group, headed up by USS George Washington. Part of the travels by the ministers will see them at the annual “Australia-UK Ministerial” - AUKMIN - to discuss further trade and investment opportunities between both nations. Further visits to AUKUS businesses in Melbourne, and to see Royal Navy personnel in Darwin, are also planned.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, Conservative, said: “Aukus was a landmark achievement of the last Conservative government and it’s essential that Labour keeps up the momentum, including on industrial collaboration. We welcome further progress but this must deliver in practice, both in terms of jobs and strengthened mutual security, at a time of heightened threats.”