"We're working at a pace to delivering the optimal pathway to Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine capability," Marles said in an interview. 

Marles said Australia is on track to receive Virginia-class submarines from the US from around 2030 under the AUKUS submarine partnership that also includes Britain.

Marles met US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in the Philippines, describing the alliance "as important today as it's ever been". 

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in August the defence pact remained "full steam ahead". 

Earlier, the Pentagon has assigned the USS Colorado as the first US nuclear-powered attack submarine to join a rotating force to be based in western Australia.

The 377-foot (115-metre) Virginia-Class submarine, armed with land-attack missiles and sophisticated torpedoes, will sail to the new Australian base in late 2027, officials said Tuesday.

The deployment is a "significant milestone" in building up a joint US-Australia-UK deterrence in the Pacific under their AUKUS defence pact, the allies said in a joint statement.

Australia does not permit foreign military bases on its soil, but hosts US Marines for exercises for six months of the year in the northern city of Darwin.

The rotating force of nuclear-powered submarines -- known as Submarine Rotational Force-West -- is to be hosted at a naval base in Western Australia, HMAS Stirling.

The base is projected to host up to five fast-attack submarines -- four from the United States and one from the UK -- on a rotational basis.

It will help Australia prepare for operating and maintaining its own nuclear-powered submarines while supporting its allies' deployments and maintenance, the three countries said.

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