Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said Australia remains on track to receive its first U.S. Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine in the early 2030s under the AUKUS partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom, Reuters reported on Oct. 28. His comments followed the Oct. 27 selection of the first U.S. submarine for planned rotations in Australia through 2027, a step toward preparing Canberra to operate its own nuclear-powered submarine fleet.