Quite rightly the Australian Government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison chose to join the new alliance AUKUS, selecting simultaneously to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, even if the announcement of the new alliance (AUKUS) would cause strong “earthquakes” in the relations between European Union, the United States and Australia.
The under surface vessel fleet of Australia
Australia has a small under surface vessel fleet in relation to the square kilometers Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) it has to control. Its coasts reach a size of 26,000 kilometers along with its islands. More specific, the EEZ of Australia starts from Indean Ocean, comprises the whole country-continent, intersects island countries such as Indonesia and New Guinea, and includes part of the shores of Antarctic continent.
The Australia has the right to be concerned about the expansionist China and feel that threatened by it, even if initially not belong to the sphere of Chinese claims. The Imperial Japan in the Second World War stopped in Indochina. If Imperial Japan had conquered Australia, the United States could not control the Pacific Ocean and it would be very likely that air-naval battles of Santa Cruz and Midway respectively had a different ending.
These concerns of Australia have led to increase its annual defense expenditures as percentage to its GDP (1.64% (2013) to 2.09% (2021)). Given the territorial size of Australia, Australia is under-equipped in arms terms, and therefore as threatened country increases its defense spending.
The conventional propulsion submarnines are not the appropriate under surface vessels to control the size of Australia`s EEZ. Australia’s naval territory requires nuclear-powered submarines that remain for very long periods and more than three months on patrols without straining crews and vessels.
The design selected for the conventional French propulsion submarines type Barracuda was a working design that was required a new design, incorporating different type technologies and weapons systems of American technology. There was no previous construction for this submarine. The weaknesses and backwardness in the budget and planning immediately appeared them.
The common enemy
In 2016 with the election of Donald Trump in Presidency of the American leadership, initiated officially the United States of America clash with China. When turning the superpower now moves in the field of the Indian-Pacific Ocean which is the challenger of world leadership, China, it was impossible for Australia with the so strategically useful position in this field to not be included in the geostrategic plans of United States of America.
On the other hand, France had to insist on the beginning to construct nuclear-powered submarines to Australia but did not do so in order not to disrupt relations between the European Union (mainly France, Germany) with China which is their biggest trading partner. The United States proposal for defense cooperation takes Australia out of its geographical isolation, it is substantial, enables Australians to fully control their EEZ in a constantly expanding sea area of China.
In essence, Australia has managed to acquire the US nuclear defense umbrella and at the same time acquire technology that will make it a nuclear power. The France could not provide defensive nuclear umbrella in Australia against China. The abilities of France focus in its prime sphere of influence which is the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa. The old French possessions in the Pacific Ocean are meant to be reminiscent of an imperial past that is virtually non-existent, and these estates are difficult to manage and cause financial bloodshed in France to protect them.
France could not offer Australia the potential that the United States could. US by defining China as their economic, political, military enemy respectively, make sure in this way the gathering of their political, social, economic and military forces in this direction thus managing to regenerate and maintain their global hegemony. Australia’s decision in geopolitical terms is the right one to join the AUKUS alliance.
France and consequently the European Union cannot join forces because they have not all set a common enemy. The geopolitical turn of Australia defying and recognizing together with the US and the UK as public enemy the China, will unite all social, political, economic and military forces as if they are prepared for war by giving them the opportunity to highlight the next 20 years.
