Published on : Modified :
The submarine affair comes to its epilogue: the Australian government will pay Naval Group 555 million euros to seal the breach of what was called the “contract of the century”. A contract broken last September for the benefit of the United States and Great Britain, with which Australia is now engaged in the Aukus security alliance, without France with which the new Australian Prime Minister hopes despite everything to bury the ax of war.
For Australia, that Paris had accused of having stabbed him in the back, the time has come to pass the fine, or 555 million euros to settle the breach of a contract which should have brought in 50 billion. This is the amount announced this Saturday, June 11 by the new Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese who believes that ” it is a just and fair settlement “Reports our correspondent in Sydney, Grégory Plesse.
If he does not question the Aukus pact, or the choice to opt for nuclear-powered submarines, rather than the conventional ones that were to be delivered Naval Group, Anthony Albanese still wants to re-establish a cordial relationship with France, a partner he considers to be a major player in the Indo-Pacific. ” France is an important ally, with whom we fought in two world wars, and it is a very present ally in the Pacific, at a time when tensions are rising in this region. We need to work with our partners. »
► Read also : After the submarine crisis, France seeks its place in the Indo-Pacific
In total, Australian taxpayers will pay 2.2 billion euros for submarines they will never see the color of.
Le Aukus security pactbrings together the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia and it was established in order to face the growing influence of China, in the Indo-Pacific.
On September 15, 2021, former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that his country would acquire American nuclear-powered submarines. This is the decision that emerged from the new partnership concluded between the three countries. The United States and the United Kingdom then ready to help Australia acquire these devices, as provided for in this new pact.
Australia officially commits on November 22, 2021 to the Aukus defense alliance after placing a gigantic order for conventional submarines in 2016 from France with Naval Group, a French industrial group specializing in shipbuilding. defense. The group was to deliver 12 machines over 50 years with a total cost of the operation of around 50 billion Australian dollars (31 billion euros). This contract was also described as the “contract of the century”.
On April 5, a new level was reached since the three countries announced that they were going to develop set of hypersonic weaponsa technology also developed by Beijing, and especially Moscow.