The Importance of Partnership in the Indo-Pacific

Australia was looking to put itself in a position to have 12 diesel powered conventional submarines. But the rapid militarization of China meant they'd be largely obsolete before they even got wet. And with some delays we were experiencing with that project, we considered that we needed a plan B - nuclear submarine technology. To do this needed a partnership and the partnership required obviously the United States as the custodians of the technology. It brought the UK further into the Indo-Pacific which was a state objective, a virus in his government.