WW-JanFeb 2022 issue.qxp_Pages-12-40-JanFeb WPD 06/01/2022 12:17 Page 16
AUSTRALIA
Ross Gillett
Copyright US Navy
Copyright RAN - ABIS Julianne Cropley
Crown Copyright/MoD
AUSTRALIA’S NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES
HMS Ambush. There will be no need to refuel throughout the life of the boats allowing significant savings to be achieved with this component of the industry ashore, both here and abroad.
Los Angeles-class attack submarine (rear), USS Albuquerque (SSN 706), and HMAS Rankin, off Western Australia on 4 March 2015.
Virginia-class attack submarine USS Mississippi (SSN-782).
16 Warship World January/February 2022
W
ithout any doubt the recent announcement by the Australian Government that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) would acquire nuclear-powered submarines was a most important national defence decision. Since this broader AUKUS statement was made, the Government has launched the 18-month long process to determine which of two submarine designs, the British Astute Class, or the American Virginia Class of nuclearpowered boats, would be the most suitable for operations in the Indo-Pacific regions. But before that major declaration can be made the possibility that the RAN could lease one or two older nuclear boats needs to be decided. Australia would need to acquire these older generation boats either as alongside training vessels based at Fleet Base West, and/or for short training cruises in Australia’s southwestern waters to ensure the correct levels of training are undertaken in time for the delivery of the first new-construction nuclear powered boat, scheduled for the late 2030s. The Royal Navy (RN) still operates a few of their earlier generation Trafalgar Class, which are being progressively replaced by the more capable Astute Class, with seven of the latter planned for commissioning by 2026. Alternatively, the United States Navy (USN) continues to operate many of its older Los Angeles-class nuclear submarines, as their new fleet of Virginia-class boats continue to enter service. At the time of writing 28 Los Angeles Class remain active, working alongside 19 Virginiaclass boats. Furthermore, two of the former are employed as moored training ships.The RAN has a long history of operating loan submarines. Between 1949 and 1969 the Royal Navy based varying numbers of its A and T-class boats in Australian waters. Three of the former, and seven of the latter, were in use across those years, operating mainly from Sydney Harbour. UK vs USA After examining the construction timelines for Britain’s Astute Class and America’s Virginia Class, it is readily apparent that the former takes a great deal longer to build compared with the Virginia Class. Positioning new RAN nuclear submarines into the Virginia-class construction lines would also be much faster, with the UK’s Scottish shipyard having just begun the building of four new Dreadnought-class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), as well as finalising the completion of the three remaining Astute-class boats. In addition, the RN only recently announced its plans to begin design work on the follow-on boats to the Astute Class. And like the RN, the USN has also started work on the first of its twelve new-generation Columbia-class SSBNs.
