Washington's regional ambitions centre stage in Australian submarine tender

Washington's strategic ambitions in Asia are looming large over Australia's multi-billion dollar tender for new submarines, giving Japan a possible edge over competitors from Germany and France, defence and industry sources said.

Although the United States had little presence at a conference last week in Adelaide convened to discuss the project, the enthusiasm U.S. commanders have shown for Canberra buying Japanese submarines was one of the hottest topics behind the scenes.

Such a purchase would bind the U.S., Japanese and Australian navies more tightly together in the face of China's rapid military modernisation and growing assertiveness in Asian waters.

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