UK open to idea of other nations joining Aukus submarine pact, Foreign Secretary suggests

Lord Cameron says the UK is open to the idea of other nations joining part of the trilateral defence agreement known as Aukus.

The £4bn deal is between the UK, USA, and Australia and aims to create what is likely to be the largest, most advanced, and most powerful nuclear-powered and conventionally armed attack submarine ever operated by the Senior Service.

The Foreign Secretary said he does not believe there will be additional partners to the deal with the US and Australia which is focused on helping the latter acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

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But the former Prime Minister suggested a more open stance to the second part of the agreement, which focuses on developing advanced military capabilities and increasing interoperability between the three nations' armed forces.

Lord Cameron told peers: "Aukus has two pillars. There's the pillar one which is about the nuclear-powered submarines – that is Britain, Australia and America. And I don't think there will be additional partners in that.

"But there is pillar two which is looking at advanced military technology for the future, and there we are open to ideas of other countries, possibly Canada people have mentioned, or Japan, who might want to join into pillar two because that is going to be about defence equipment for the future."

The three-way arrangement will also see Australia acquire its first ever conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine through the Aukus – Australia-United Kingdom-United States – enhanced security partnership.

Called 'SSN-Aukus', the submarine will be built in the UK by BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, and will eventually replace the Royal Navy's current Astute class submarines, potentially doubling its fleet.