Defence Minister Peter Dutton has revealed Australia will consider leasing or buying existing submarines from the United States or United Kingdom in the near future.

His comments come after Australia announced a new military alliance with the US and the UK, called AUKUS, which will allow the country to acquire nuclear-powered submarines to counter Chinese aggression in the Asia-Pacific.

"Already, I've met with a number of my counterparts here from the secretary down in terms of those that are making decisions and we will have further discussions with the Brits as well," Mr Dutton told Sky News Australia.

"The talk that you can just buy a nuclear power submarine off the shelf is of course not just accurate or correct and I think most people realise that.

"The US has also got a very significant program of development underway in their nuclear submarine program, as do the Brits and frankly as do the French and others."