A rare glimpse at the most stealthy vessel in the sea

Among the US crew, there is growing anticipation about the looming increased presence of Australians aboard their submarines

Submarine Squadron 15 Captain Neil Steinhagen on the bridge of USS Minnesota off WA. Picture: Colin Murty/Pool/via NewsWire

Jeffrey Cornielle, commanding officer of the USS Minnesota, sees the overarching mission of his and the US Navy’s other Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines as giving any enemies “pause for thought” before they try to disrupt the world order.

“If someone wakes up and says ‘is today the day?’, we make sure they say ‘maybe not’,” Commander Cornielle tells The Australian and other media from the officers main briefing room aboard the USS Minnesota.

The US Navy on Sunday hosted a delegation of Australian media on board the Minnesota, with reporters clambering from a tender vessel on to the submarine as she sat steadfast in otherwise choppy waters off the Western Australian coast.

Those waters will increasingly be called home by the Minnesota and other nuclear submarines in the coming years under the terms of the AUKUS deal between Australia, the US and the UK.

The first US-flagged Virginia-class submarines will be based at HMAS Stirling naval base, off Rockingham in Perth’s south, from 2027, while the second-hand Virginia-class submarines Australia will buy from the US under AUKUS will also later be stationed here as part of Submarine Rotational Force West, or “Surfwest” as it has become known.

Master Chief Missile Technician Kevin Lewis on the stern of the USS Minnesota Virginia-class fast attack submarine. Picture: Colin Murty/Pool/via NewsWire

Visits such as those by the Minnesota have become increasingly common since the AUKUS deal was announced. The increased co-operation is aimed at ensuring the Australian Navy is properly prepared for when it takes charge of its own nuclear-powered submarines, and checking that Australia’s facilities are up to standard for hosting those US boats for the longer term.

The Minnesota arrived at Perth just as a flotilla of Chinese warships, suspected to also include a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine, was rounding WA’s southwest. Both the Minnesota and an Australian Collins-class submarine were spotted heading out to sea just as the Chinese flotilla neared, although all those on board the Minnesota were – unsurprisingly – unwilling to comment on what if anything the boat did in relation to the Chinese visit.

Commander Cornielle, however, said he had absolutely no doubt there was nothing out there with the capabilities of the Virginia-class.

“This is the most advanced warship in the world,” he said.

“The Virginia is the most capable and most stealthy submarine in the world, you cannot compare it.”

The essentially unlimited endurance and range of the Virginia (the only constraint is the amount of food on board) and its unmatched speed (exactly how fast it can travel is a closely guarded secret) mean it can and is called to almost anywhere in the world’s oceans at short notice and for a vast array of missions.

“Everything can change on a dime,” Commander Cornielle said.

Among the US crew, there is growing anticipation about the looming increased presence of Australians aboard their submarines.

Australian Navy submariners will increasingly become fixtures on US submarines as part of their training for AUKUS.

USS Minnesota off the WA Coast. Picture: Colin Murty/Pool/via NewsWire

Adam Shackleton, now the chief information systems technician on board the Minnesota, used to be based at one of the US Navy’s submarine schools where dozens of Australian officers and sailors are now earning their nuclear credentials.

He said he had heard a lot of “fantastic” things about the Australian cohort.

“We’re excited, it’s going to bring a lot of energy to the fleet,” he said.

Also visiting the Minnesota on Sunday was Captain Neil Steinhagen, commander of Submarine Squadron 15 based at Guam.

The Minnesota late last year became the first Virginia-class to join the older Los Angeles-class submarines based at Guam.

Captain Steinhagen said the US Navy was determined to ensure Australia was ready to take charge of its own nuclear-powered submarines,

He said the US Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines had chalked up more 274 million kilometres without any incident, a safety track record that meant the boats were allowed in more than 150 countries around the world.

That access and that reputation, he said, could be at risk if any nation were to have a problem with a nuclear submarine.

“We want to make sure that people are properly trained,” he said.

As of last month, 115 Australian sailors and officers were either enrolled in, or had completed, submarine training programs across US schools in South Carolina and Connecticut. More than 130 trainees from Australian government-owned ship and submarine builder ASC are at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii learning how to maintain nuclear-powered submarines.