UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — U.S. to send only used subs to Australia in revised defence deal

Q1. Under the revised 2026 AUKUS submarine pathway, in-service vessels of which class of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) are to be transferred from the United States Navy to Australia as the lead platform?

  • A. Virginia-class
  • B. Columbia-class
  • C. Los Angeles-class
  • D. Seawolf-class

Q2. Under the revised AUKUS announcement made at the Shangri-La Dialogue on 31 May 2026, how many in-service U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarines is the United States now committed to sell to Australia in the initial tranche?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. Eight

Q3. In the United States Navy hull classification used in the AUKUS context, the designation 'SSN' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A nuclear-powered, conventionally armed attack submarine
  • B. A nuclear-powered submarine armed with submarine-launched ballistic missiles
  • C. A diesel-electric attack submarine with air-independent propulsion
  • D. A nuclear-powered submarine armed primarily with guided cruise missiles

Q4. The 'Optimal Pathway' — the three-phase plan that first set out Australia's acquisition of Virginia-class SSNs and the eventual SSN-AUKUS class under the trilateral pact — was announced at the leaders' summit held in San Diego in which year?

  • A. 2021
  • B. 2022
  • C. 2023
  • D. 2025

Q5. Australia is set to be the first non-nuclear-weapon state to operate nuclear-powered submarines; under whose safeguards regime will the naval nuclear material associated with its AUKUS submarines be placed?

  • A. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  • B. Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
  • C. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
  • D. Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)