The AUKUS “independent” inquiry opened last week with a familiar list of concerns from long-time critics of the program. Witnesses pointed to risks ranging from the industrial base to the prospect that reactor fuel disposed of in 2060 could be recovered for use in nuclear weapons 10,000 years in the future.While every major defence acquisition carries risk, and AUKUS is more complicated than most, one issue raised during the hearings warrants far more attention than the rest: the role of Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarines and what their acquisition means for the nation’s strategy towards China.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles