In response to "Good Putin’s" December 31, 2023 comments:
Following likely nuclear weapon proliferation to South Korea (SK) and then Japan in the 2030s, Australia may see SSNs as future hypersonic nuclear missile armed SSGNs. The extreme amounts we are spending on AUKUS SSNs would then make "bang for the buck" sense. SSGNs are capable of quickly moving to threaten the Chinas and Russias of this world.
In contrast Australia's isolation makes diesel-electric powered VLS armed SSKs (called SSBs) deficient - be they SK KSS-3s, Swedish A26s or future Japanese VLS subs. Australia based SSKs or SSBs would have neither the range nor speed to be useful in Middle East or Taiwan Strait scenarios, against the Chinese or Russian mainlands, or against those countries’ nuclear subs.
I think an Australian submarine VLS capability would also amount to overkill in our "arc of instability". China could well exploit that instability by taking over the sick men of the arc (the Solomons or East Timor). But hostile lodgements in these islands could be handled by RAAF aircraft with loyal Ghost Bats or the land or torpedo tube launch of our new Tomahawks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomahawk_(missile)#Australia
If AUKUS SSNs don't eventuate then the US should have no excuse in blocking Australia from acquiring French Barracuda SSNs armed with MdCN land attack missiles or future French hypersonic missiles.