SAN DIEGO — President Joe Biden was in San Diego on Monday and was joined by the prime ministers of Australia and the United Kingdom to detail plans of a security partnership known as AUKUS.
This trip highlighted a critical military alliance with both nations.
"It is a three country agreement to provide Australia with nuclear powered submarines for the purpose of securing what we call the Indo-Pacific region," said Dak Hardwick, vice president of International Affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association.
Hardwick says the partnership is critical, saying,"It represents only the second time that any nuclear fuel technology is going to be shared with another country. We've already shared it with the United Kingdom, but now this is another opportunity to share it with Australia."
He says submarines are a vital for defense and the agreement will have a huge economic impact for all nation’s involved.
"It really is a great opportunity not only for San Diego, but also almost southern California, as well as the two countries that are involved to really develop their workforce and have a huge economic impact that will be filled that will be felt globally," he adds.
Hardwick says the key takeaway from the partnership is the alliance among the three countries.
"Geopolitically, it signals that the United States the United Kingdom and Australia are completely locking our arms in see very much the world the same way," said Hardwick.
Biden arrived at Naval Station North Island Monday during the noon hour before speaking at Naval Base Point Loma along with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. They discussed the Australia-United Kingdom-United States partnership known as AUKUS.
The president was expected to be greeted later in the day Monday at San Diego International Airport by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and other local elected officials.
The visit is Biden's first to the San Diego area since a 19-hour visit Oct. 3-4, when he spoke at MiraCosta College in Oceanside and a technology company in Carlsbad.
WATCH RELATED: President Biden's upcoming San Diego visit will highlight nuclear submarine deal