Arabic version: أستراليا تواجه تحدي تجنيد أطقم الغواصات

According to The Guardian, Australia faces a major task in recruiting and training personnel for nuclear-powered submarines planned under the $368bn Aukus agreement. Retired admiral Peter Briggs said the navy needs a more intensive recruitment plan as it prepares to move from its five diesel-electric Collins-class vessels to larger Virginia-class submarines from the United States.

The USS Colorado, a Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine, arrived at HMAS Stirling south of Perth on Tuesday for a month of routine maintenance and to help build Australian expertise. Australia is to acquire between three and five Virginia-class submarines, which require up to 134 crew members, nearly three times the number needed for the Collins class. The Virginia boats are intended to bridge the transition to the larger SSN-AUKUS design being developed by Australia and the UK.

The Royal Australian Navy said 230 personnel were in various stages of the US nuclear-powered submarine training pipeline. About 145 had completed US Naval nuclear power training and were gaining experience on US Navy nuclear-powered submarines. The navy expects 400 officers and sailors to be trained and ready to serve by 2030, while about 850 submariners are qualified to operate Collins-class vessels.

Briggs said Australia would have to triple the size of its submarine arm and develop nuclear skills, estimating it was heading towards a force of 3,000. He said personnel was only one of the program’s major issues, pointing to the added complexity of operating two submarine types, including training, logistics, maintenance and spare-parts arrangements. Recruitment also requires people across more than a dozen trades, including radio and sonar operators, cooks and electricians.

After its Perth maintenance period, the USS Colorado is due to return to the city’s waters in late 2027 under the Submarine Rotational Force-West program. From 2027, up to four US and one UK nuclear-powered submarines are expected to rotate through HMAS Stirling. Officials said no radiological material would be transferred during the maintenance period and nuclear-related exercises would be simulated.