A US ally in the Pacific just took an important step toward adding nuclear-powered submarines to its fleet

• Australia will assist the US in the maintenance of a nuclear-powered submarine for the first time ever.
• The move will help pave the way for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines as part of the AUKUS alliance.
• The subs are key to AUKUS' goal of deterring Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

In a first, Australia is working alongside the US on nuclear-powered submarine maintenance.

It's an important step towards Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, a pillar of its partnership with the UK and US to strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific and deter Chinese aggression, a growing challenge.

US Indo-Pacific Command first announced the arrival of the submarine USS Hawaii in Western Australia for a maintenance period late last month, noting the significance of the arrival of the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the region.

INDOPACOM shared that "over the coming weeks, submarine tender USS Emory S. Land will execute several maintenance activities aboard Hawaii. This is the first time Australians have participated in a US submarine maintenance period in Australia."

The Australian Navy called the work "the most practical demonstration of progress to implement the AUKUS Pathway to date," as Australian personnel conduct hands-on learning and participate in maintenance on the Hawaii.

AUKUS is the trilateral partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US, which focuses on freedom and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

One of the partnership's goals is to equip Australia with its own nuclear-powered submarines, which it will eventually purchase from the US. The first steps, though, have been to help acquaint the Australian Navy with maintaining and operating the vessels. The US and UK have been helping with this process.

The joint maintenance being done in Australia includes the replacement of an antenna on the Hawaii's sail, an inspection of the underwater towed array and torpedo tube muzzles, and full rigging and preparations.

"This is an important moment for the Royal Australian Navy," said Rear Adm. Matthew Buckley, the Australian Submarine Agency's Head of Submarine Capability. "For the first time, we have Australians who were trained and certified aboard Emory S. Land using their skills on a US SSN in Australian waters."

The AUKUS partnership is not just limited to submarines; the defense pact also includes developments related to electronic warfare, missiles and missile defenses, cyber and space warfare, and artificial intelligence. The US, UK, and Australia achieved a milestone in the latter's development just last month when they employed AI to target enemies in a real-time, simulated battle environment for the first time.

AUKUS is widely seen as a way for the US and its allies to strengthen the security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region and curb concerning Chinese activities through deterrence.

The US and other partners have repeatedly accused China of increasingly aggressive behavior around Taiwan, as well as maritime territory and airspace in the South China Sea, among other regional waterways.

The US has made continuous efforts to strengthen its connections in the region through joint military exercises, security assistance, and other projects.

For instance, the US and Japan have plans to develop counter-hypersonic missile defenses. US military leadership has also said that the US could send vessels to escort Philippine ships in the contested waters of the South China Sea.

China has called AUKUS "extremely irresponsible," warning that the alliance risks damaging regional peace and prompting an arms race.