Australia will get one of the most advanced and stealthy nuclear submarines in the world under the AUKUS partnership, as per the assurance given by a United States submarine commander who is visiting the country.

Beneath the waters off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators aboard a U.S. Navy Virginia-class submarine are adjusting to a new environment. The quiet hum of advanced sonar systems is accompanied by the chatter of dolphins as the submarine navigates unfamiliar territory.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull has trashed the AUKUS partnership as a "bad deal" for Australia, amid concerns over the alliance's future.