白宫
华盛顿特区
2023年3月13日
 
简报：澳大利亚–英国–美国三方核动力潜艇伙伴关系
 
2023年3月13日，澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯（Anthony Albanese）、英国首相里希·苏纳克（Rishi Sunak）和美国总统约瑟夫·R·拜登（Joseph R. Biden, Jr.）共同宣布一项安排，根据这项安排，澳大利亚将通过澳大利亚–英国–美国之间的强化安全伙伴关系（AUKUS）获得装备常规武器的核动力潜艇（SSN）能力。
 
2021年9月15日，我们三个国家开始了为期18个月的磋商，以确定澳大利亚获得这种能力的最佳途径，同时设定最高的核不扩散标准。今天宣布的计划将兑现这一承诺。此外，该计划将提升所有三个国家的潜艇工业基础和水下能力，增强威慑力并促进印太地区（Indo-Pacific）的稳定。
 
澳大利亚未来的SSN——我们称之为“SSN-AUKUS”——将是一个最先进的平台，旨在利用我们三国最好的潜艇技术。SSN-AUKUS将基于英国的下一代SSN设计，同时结合美国尖端潜艇技术，由澳大利亚和英国共同建造和部署。
 
AUKUS展示了我们对自由开放的印太地区和尊重法治、主权、人权以及不受胁迫和平解决争端的国际体系的共同承诺。由AUKUS合作伙伴运营的能力强大的、装备常规武器的核动力潜艇将提供可靠的水下能力，为印太地区和世界各地的稳定、和平与繁荣做出贡献。
 
建立管理和保持澳大利亚水下能力的分阶段方法
 
我们三国简述了一种雄心勃勃的方法，该方法将尽早为澳大利亚提供装备常规武器的核动力潜艇的能力，同时确保澳大利亚有能力安全操作、维护和监管该技术，并为核不扩散制定最高标准。我们的分阶段方法包括以下要素，我们三国共同承诺支持所有这些要素：
 
 
 
 
 
这一方法的实施将符合三方合作伙伴各自的国际义务和国内法律，并将基于未来有关共享敏感信息、设备和技术的法律和授权安排。
 
对海军核推进技术的负责任管理
 
我们三国都意识到这项努力的艰巨性，并致力于维护英国和美国海军核推进计划无与伦比的安全记录的原则。60多年来，英国和美国运营了500多个海军核反应堆，由这些反应堆提供动力的总航行里程了超过了1.5亿英里——相当于往返月球300多次——没有发生事故或对人类健康或环境质量造成不利影响。澳大利亚亦将致力于维护这些标准，安全地管理海军核推进技术。
 
作为核管理承诺的一部分，澳大利亚承诺在本国管理其核动力潜艇计划产生的所有放射性废物，包括乏核燃料。英国和美国将协助澳大利亚发展这种能力，并利用澳大利亚数十年来在国内安全可靠地管理放射性废物的经验。澳大利亚将根据其核不扩散及其他国际义务和承诺管理这些材料。
 
加强核不扩散制度
 
当AUKUS领导人于2021年9月宣布这一项目时，他们承诺履行各自国家的核不扩散义务，制定最高的不扩散标准，在保护机密和受控信息的同时加强不扩散机制。
 
我们各国已为实现这些目标做出了明确的承诺，其中包括：
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
过去一年中，我们各国定期与IAEA进行磋商，以支持IAEA维护全球核保障机制完整性的使命。IAEA总干事已向IAEA成员国做出报告，认为AUKUS合作伙伴“致力于确保达到最高的不扩散和保障标准”，并指出“对这三个国家迄今为止所表现出的参与和透明度感到满意”。国际社会可以相信，我们各国将继续与国际原子能机构进行透明的合作，以加强核不扩散机制并确立最强有力的不扩散先例。
 
提升基础设施和工业能力
 
AUKUS潜艇合作将为三个国家的基础设施和工业能力带来显著惠益。
 
 
 
 
日趋一体化的潜艇部队
 
将成熟、先进的美国技术融入SSN-AUKUS中将优化三个国家SSN平台的能力、共性和互操作性。三国共享复杂的潜艇技术象征着我们在潜艇领域更广泛的整合。例如：
 
 
 
 
 
结束语
 
今天宣布的最佳路径将增强AUKUS伙伴国家为维护印太地区安全和稳定所作贡献的能力，它将产生以下成果：
 
 
 
 
 
在实施这一计划的过程中，我们致力于与本地区内外的合作伙伴进行公开和透明的沟通接触。今天宣布的举措将加强威慑力，并在未来几十年内维护印太地区及其他地区的稳定。

MARCH 13, 2023
On March 13, 2023, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States announced an arrangement for Australia to acquire a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) capability through the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) enhanced security partnership.
On September 15, 2021, our three nations embarked on an 18-month consultation period to identify the optimal pathway for Australia to acquire this capability, while setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard. The plan announced today will deliver on that commitment. Further, this plan will lift all three nations’ submarine industrial bases and undersea capabilities, enhancing deterrence and promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia’s future SSN – which we are calling “SSN-AUKUS” – will be a state-of-the-art platform designed to leverage the best of submarine technology from all three nations. SSN-AUKUS will be based upon the United Kingdom’s next-generation SSN design while incorporating cutting edge U.S. submarine technologies, and will be built and deployed by both Australia and the United Kingdom.
AUKUS demonstrates our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and an international system that respects the rule of law, sovereignty, human rights, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion. AUKUS partners operating highly capable conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines will provide an assured undersea capability that contributes to stability, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.
A Phased Approach to Build Stewardship and Sustain Australia’s Undersea Capability
Our nations have outlined an ambitious approach that will provide Australia with a conventionally-armed, nuclear powered submarine capability at the earliest possible date while ensuring Australia’s capacity to safely operate, maintain and regulate this technology, and setting the highest standards for nuclear non-proliferation. Our phased approach includes the following elements, each underwritten by the mutual commitments of each nation:
The implementation of this approach will be consistent with the trilateral partners’ respective international obligations and domestic law and underpinned by future legal and enabling arrangements for sharing sensitive information, equipment and technology.
Responsible Stewardship of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Technology
All three nations appreciate the enormity of this endeavor and are committed to the principles that have upheld the United Kingdom and United States naval nuclear propulsion programs’ unmatched safety records. For over 60 years, the United Kingdom and United States have operated more than 500 naval nuclear reactors that have collectively travelled more than 150 million miles – the equivalent of over 300 trips to the moon and back – without incident or adverse effect on human health or the quality of the environment. Australia is committed to upholding these same standards to safely steward naval nuclear propulsion technology.
As part of this commitment to nuclear stewardship, Australia has committed to managing all radioactive waste generated through its nuclear-powered submarine program, including spent nuclear fuel, in Australia. The United Kingdom and the United States will assist Australia in developing this capability, leveraging Australia’s decades of safely and securely managing radioactive waste domestically. Australia will manage these materials in accordance with its nuclear non-proliferation and other international obligations and commitments.
Strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime
When the AUKUS leaders announced this initiative in September 2021, they committed to meeting our countries’ respective nuclear non-proliferation obligations, setting the highest non-proliferation standard, and strengthening the non-proliferation regime while protecting classified and controlled information.
Our nations have made clear commitments to meet these objectives, including that:
Our nations have consulted regularly with the IAEA over the past year, in support of the IAEA’s mandate to uphold the integrity of the global nuclear safeguards regime. The Director General of the IAEA has reported to IAEA Member States that he believes the AUKUS partners “are committed to ensuring the highest non-proliferation and safeguards standards are met,” and noted his “satisfaction with the engagement and transparency shown by the three countries thus far.” The international community can be confident that our nations will continue to work transparently with the IAEA towards an approach that will strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime and set the strongest non-proliferation precedent.
Upgrading Infrastructure and Industrial Capacity
AUKUS submarine cooperation will result in significant benefits to infrastructure and industrial capacity in all three nations.
Increasingly Integrated Submarine Forces
Incorporating proven, advanced U.S. technologies into SSN-AUKUS will optimize the capability, commonality and interoperability of all three nations’ SSN platforms. Trilaterally sharing sophisticated submarine technology is emblematic of the broader integration of our submarine enterprises. For example:
Conclusion
The optimal pathway announced today will enhance the capabilities of AUKUS partners to contribute to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. It will:
We are committed to open and transparent engagement with partners within and beyond the region as we implement this plan. The initiatives announced today will strengthen deterrence and bolster stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond for decades to come.
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