Aussie sailors training on nuclear submarines

Australian submariners are being granted access to previously prohibited areas near the nuclear ­reactors of US and British submarines.

British nuclear submarine HMS Victorious in 2017. Picture: AFP

Australian submariners are being granted access to previously prohibited areas near the nuclear ­reactors of US and British sub­marines, as the nation’s Collins-class boats undertake missions in the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea.

In an interview with The Australian, Vice-Admiral Mark Hammond revealed that Australian sailors had begun nuclear submarine training on British and US boats, and were being given unprecedented access to “the secrets aft of the nuclear bulkhead” less than a year after the AUKUS deal was signed.

“Many of our sailors, our submariners, have enjoyed that experience, including in British submarines this year already,” the former submarine commander said. “We’re already doing it. We’re already on the learning path. We’ve got people studying at (the US) Nuclear Power School.

“When you look at where we were a year ago, pre-AUKUS, none of this was in play.”

His comments followed a British media report that Australian submariners would be given access to UK nuclear secrets for the first time. A Royal Navy source told The Times: “We protect UK technology very closely. This a first-time agreement where we can give Australians access to that. It’s a really big gift.”

The US has also in recent months introduced bipartisan legislation allowing Australian sailors to be trained in its nuclear navy. The new navy chief said while Australia pursued its nuclear submarine ambitions, the Collins-class boats remained “one of if not the most capable, conventional submarines on the planet”.

Amid concerns over the longevity of the Collins-class boats, which will undergo complete overhauls to extend their operational lives for another decade, Vice-Admiral Hammond said the subs would remain a lethal and stealthy capability into the 2040s.

“It … routinely operates in some of the most challenging and congested areas on the planet,” he said, confirming the boats had “absolutely” operated in the South China Sea this year.

“It has the exact same combat system and torpedo system that is deployed on the Virginia-class submarine. It is absolutely fit for purpose.”

His comments came after a report suggested a Collins-class boat had been “stranded” in Hawaii while awaiting repairs, raising questions about the reliability of the nation’s ageing submarine fleet ahead of the planned transition to nuclear boats.

Vice-Admiral Hammond conceded the submarine had experienced a fault that could not be fixed with the parts on board, but “could have gone to sea at any time. The submarine was never stranded. It was completely sea-worthy. It was a defect that normally we hope to be able to fix within the spare-part allowance on board the submarines and with the skills on board.

“Every now and then you get a curly one. And you phone a friend.

“In this case, that was exactly what happened. We flew some technicians over with some ­additional parts to support the fault-finding, fixed it, and she’s back out doing what she was sent over there to do.”

Vice-Admiral Hammond will visit Britain in mid-September for talks with UK ship and submarine builders, and will also stop in Sweden – the home of Collins-class designer Saab-Kockums.

He declined to speak about Defence’s submarine taskforce and strategic review process under way, or speculate on any new capabilities the navy could acquire, but he said he was pleased with the progress being made on the Hunter-class frigate program, which has suffered delays and engineering challenges.

“I think in terms of schedule, it’s coming left, back towards where we originally wanted it to be. And they are looking for more opportunities,” he said.