<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will today announce a new $12 billion investment on a defence hub near Perth to build submarines under the AUKUS agreement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The funding for the Henderson Defence Precinct, south of the WA capital, is about half the of what the facility will eventually need over the next decade to host and maintain nuclear-powered submarines.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today's announcement comes ahead of Albanese's trip to the UN General Assembly in New York, and an anticipated potential meeting with US President Donald Trump.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/charlie-kirk-shooter-allegedly-asked-friend-to-assist-in-the-plot/54b5f170-d86e-4684-b296-8815deeb08b4" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Alleged killer of Charlie Kirk attempted to get his friend involved in the plot</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The prime minister is expected use that trip to secure Trump's personal backing of the AUKUS pact, which is being reviewed by the Pentagon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The defence agreement signed by Australia, the US and Britain was announced in 2021 to contend with growing Chinese military might in the Asia-Pacific region.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It would deliver Australia at least eight submarines, including three to five second-hand US Virginia-class submarines. Britain and Australia would cooperate to build their own SSN-AUKUS submarines.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/aukus-submarine-facility-in-perth-to-get-12-billion-dollar-funding-boost/f332b74b-2dda-4cf2-b0b1-06ec3507fcb4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But in June, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Trump administration was launching a review into the AUKUS agreement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are concerns that the US won't provide Australia with its first Virginia-class submarine by the early 2030s as planned because American submarine building is behind schedule.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/police-investigate-shots-fired-at-western-sydney-home/b985af1c-e3c1-4736-8076-c63782b6e1a6" rel="" target="_blank" title="Bullets riddle Sydney home with women and teenager inside"><strong><span>Bullets riddle Sydney home with women and teenager inside</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government also hopes today's announcement will ease US concerns Australia is not spending enough on defence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US officials have been pushing Australia and other Western allies to lift their defence spending to take the load off the American military.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia currently spends about 2 per cent of GDP on its armed forces, but the US has urged a rise to 3.5 per cent. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian government confirmed in late July it had paid the Trump administration a second $800 million instalment on the AUKUS deal. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The first $800 million was paid in February.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The submarines are expected cost Australia up to $380 billion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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