dumping France, thereby pi–ing off the whole EU, was a gesture of fealty to the United States, and it is not just about getting nuclear-powered submarines. After all, the French subs are nuclear-powered and were having diesel engines installed for the Australian contract. France offered to keep them as nuclear-powered, but was met with silence from Australia because we were secretly negotiating with the US and UK at the time.

Source: Alan Kohler: What the nuclear submarines deal is really all about