US, Australia and Britain agree nuclear-powered subs pactbr br Australia will buy as many as five US nuclear-powered submarines, then build a new model with US and British technology under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China.br br The announcement came Monday at an event at a San Diego naval base with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.