Australia must recruit hundreds more to crew Aukus submarines, retired admiral warns
Summary
Australia needs to recruit and train more sailors for the nuclear-powered submarines planned under the AUKUS deal, retired admiral Peter Briggs said. The Royal Australian Navy says 230 personnel are in its U.S. submarine training pipeline and expects 400 to be ready by 2030.Key Facts
- AUKUS is a $368 billion defence deal involving Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Australia plans to acquire three to five U.S. Virginia-class submarines to replace its five Collins-class vessels.
- A Virginia-class submarine can require up to 134 crew, nearly three times the number needed for a Collins-class vessel.
- The Navy says about 145 of the 230 personnel in the training pipeline have completed U.S. nuclear-power training.
- Briggs said Australia should triple the size of its submarine force and may need about 3,000 personnel.
- The Virginia-class submarines are intended to bridge the transition to the larger SSN-AUKUS design being developed by Australia and the UK.
- The USS Colorado is at HMAS Stirling for routine maintenance and training; officials say no radiological material will be transferred and nuclear-related exercises will be simulated.
- From 2027, up to four U.S. and one UK nuclear-powered submarines are expected to rotate through HMAS Stirling under Submarine Rotational Force-West.
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