Il Nuovo Postiglione - US submarine group to arrive in Australia this year: minister

Under the AUKUS agreement, the four US-commanded submarines will operate out of the west coast Australian port on a rotating basis from next year.

US Submarine Squadron 3 personnel will oversee the operation of the vessels, working with Australian and British personnel, Defence Minister Richard Marles said.

The rotating US force will train and lay the groundwork for Australia later operating its own nuclear-powered submarines, Marles said, adding the arrivals showed "AUKUS is on track and it is happening now".

US officials have said the base near Perth -- where the submarines in rotation will be located -- gives its navy closer proximity to the South China Sea, which is strategic in light of tensions between Beijing and Taiwan.

Marles's visit to London this week for talks on AUKUS was overshadowed by the shock resignation of his UK counterpart John Healey over Britain's funding of defence projects.

Healey pledged support for AUKUS after meeting with Marles on Thursday -- but had gone from the role before a scheduled tour of the Portsmouth navy base.

Under AUKUS, Australia's most expensive defence project, Canberra will buy three second-hand US submarines from 2032.

It also plans to build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine with Britain.

The deal has faced scrutiny over whether slow submarine production rates in the United States and Britain will leave Australia without the submarines it needs by 2040.

F.Criscuolo--INP