In the tradition of Australia buying US weapon systems as an "insurance premium" on the US alliance "insurance policy".
Australia is paying France $Billions to buy the Attack-class conventional subs AND as an insurance premium on a partial strategic insurance policy.
France is demonstrating that insurance policy via France's response-to-China FONOP using the French SSN Emeraude (See article). Such FONOPs favour French Pacific regional (and SLOC) interests and also Australian interests.
Note also - Australia hosted the same French SSN (Emeraude) in early-mid November 2020 (at Australia's Fleet Base West) at an earlier stage in Emeraude's Pacific mission.
French SSN Emeraude (foreground) patrols the Pacific in 2020-2021. What looks like French Pacific based Floreal-class light frigate Prairial (?) is in the background. That surface vessel has been incorrectly/implicitly labeled support ship Seine in most news sites and even in some naval blogs.
(Photo courtesy French Navy).
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