By Kirsty Needham
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia’s AUKUS submarine fleet base and its vicinity are being quietly connected to three powerful new undersea internet cables planned by Alphabet’s Google and SUBCO, documents viewed by Reuters show.
The HMAS Stirling naval base on Australia’s west coast will house four U.S.-commanded Virginia submarines from 2027, placing the U.S. Navy on the Indian Ocean’s rim as Washington and Canberra step up surveillance of Chinese submarine activity.
The superfast cables planned by Google and local company SUBCO, which between them would span the Indian Ocean to Africa and Asia, and connect Australia’s east and west coasts, land at or near HMAS Stirling, placing the base at the centre of a rapidly expanding network as Australia’s military seeks to bolster its digital resilience.
SUBCO said a new high-capacity cable connecting Australia’s east and west coasts will include a branch to HMAS Stirling, while public materials for the project only mention a Perth city landing, 60 km (37.28 miles) north.
Australia’s AUKUS Base to Connect to Subsea Cables as US Allies Boost AI Pipes
