BAE Systems says ready to support new U.S., UK, Australia defence partnership

British defense company BAE Systems, which makes nuclear submarines for the UK, said it was ready to support a new defense partnership between the United States, Australia, and Britain called AUKUS.

"As a company with a significant presence in all three markets we stand ready to support the AUKUS discussions as they progress," a spokeswoman for BAE Systems said in a statement on Thursday.

Under the new AUKUS deal, Australia will build eight nuclear-powered submarines.