This 115-meter-long Virginia-class submarine, armed with missiles and torpedoes, will sail to the new Australian base by the end of 2027, officials announced on Tuesday.
This deployment is an “important milestone” in establishing a joint United States–Australia–United Kingdom deterrence capability in the Pacific, the three allies said in a joint statement.
The Aukus pact, viewed as a response to China’s rising military presence in the region, aims to provide the Australian navy with a stealthy fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and to deepen military cooperation among the three partners.
The Submarine Rotational Force-West will be headquartered at HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia. The base will eventually host up to five attack submarines (four from the United States and one from the United Kingdom) to help Australia prepare for the operation and maintenance of its future nuclear submarines.
The establishment of the submarine rotational force marks the first “real milestone” of the Aukus agreement, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told the News24 channel.
Under Aukus, agreed in 2021, Australia is expected to receive at least three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the United States over 15 years.
