Australian Navy Officers Begin Assignments on British Nuclear Submarines as US Faces Production Challenges
Three Australian Navy officers, newly graduated from the UK’s Royal Navy nuclear reactor course, have been swiftly deployed to serve on British Astute-class attack submarines. This marks a significant step forward in Australia’s journey toward developing its own nuclear-powered submarine capabilities under the AUKUS agreement.
Admiral William Houston, who oversees the US Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, acknowledged the difficulties ahead in meeting the ambitious production goals to supply Australia with between three and five Virginia-class nuclear submarines. “It’s going to be challenging, but we’re committed to making it happen,” he said, emphasizing that the US is on track, with plans to hire 40,000 workers and invest over $10 billion in the submarine industrial base by 2032.
Speaking at HMAS Stirling near Perth, alongside Australian Submarine Agency Director-General Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead and Royal Navy Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell, Admiral Houston assured that the US is fully dedicated to delivering the submarines to Australia. He highlighted that this transfer is conditional on Australia’s readiness to maintain them and adhere to safety and stewardship standards.
The gathering of submarine chiefs coincided with a milestone: the Virginia-class submarine USS Hawaii underwent maintenance at HMAS Stirling, marking the first time such work has been performed outside US territory. Over 30 Australian Navy personnel have been embedded with their US counterparts since January on the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land, contributing to this maintenance effort.
Vice Admiral Mead described the development as “unprecedented” and a crucial step toward ensuring that by 2027, HMAS Stirling will be prepared to host a rotational presence of up to four US and one UK nuclear-powered submarines, in addition to Australia’s future fleet.
Despite these advancements, the US submarine production rate has dropped to just over one per year since 2022, far below the 2.33 per year needed to replace the vessels promised to Australia. Admiral Houston confirmed that achieving this production rate is a top priority, requiring a concerted effort across all levels of the US government. He noted the broad bipartisan support for the submarine build, stressing that AUKUS is a strategic imperative that strengthens all three nations involved.
Vice Admiral Mead also outlined plans to ramp up Australian submariner training in the US, aiming to have around 100 personnel, including 50 in the nuclear program, by 2025. However, he acknowledged the challenge of recruiting more Navy personnel and submariners to meet the growing demands.
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Connell revealed that Australian personnel are now fully integrated into the design team for Australia’s future SSN-AUKUS submarines, which are expected to be delivered in the early 2040s. This collaboration signifies a deepening partnership among the AUKUS allies as they work towards a shared strategic goal.
