USS Hawaii (SSN 776) Sets Sail from HMAS Stirling After Extensive Submarine Overhaul

HMAS STIRLING, Western Australia, Australia (Sept. 10, 2024) — The Virginia-class attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776) departed HMAS Stirling today. This departure marks the conclusion of a historic submarine maintenance period in Western Australia. As part of the AUKUS (Australia, United Kingdom, United States) alliance’s Pillar 1 effort, Royal Australian Navy personnel collaborated with their U.S. Navy counterparts on the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) to carry out essential repairs on the USS Hawaii.

“This is the first time since World War II that the U.S. has conducted submarine maintenance in Australian waters, and certainly the first instance in history of a joint American-Australian team performing maintenance on a nuclear-powered attack submarine,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, U.S. Navy AUKUS Integration and Acquisition program manager. He emphasized the significance of the event, noting that the maintenance period provided vital experience for the Australian partners. This aligns with the goals of establishing a sovereign SSN force in Australia.

The Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) took a significant step toward the AUKUS Pillar 1 objective: delivering a sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine capability to Australia. During the STMP, crews from Emory S. Land and Hawaii performed routine and emergent maintenance. They also conducted various training exercises, including diving operations to inspect the torpedo tube muzzle doors and the towed array system. Royal Navy sailors observed these events to integrate learning opportunities for future UK SSN port visits to Western Australia.

Additionally, the maintenance period featured nuclear stewardship exercises and firefighting drills. These allowed Australian policymakers to observe U.S. Navy protocols for safely handling simulated low-level radiological materials. This was aimed at enhancing their understanding of radiological stewardship.

“Successfully completing the STMP signifies a major step forward for the Royal Australian Navy’s capability to maintain and sustain SSNs,” said Rear Adm. Matt Buckley, Head of Nuclear Submarine Capability within the Australian Submarine Agency. For the first time, Australian personnel carried out maintenance on a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine in their own waters. He highlighted that as SSN visits to HMAS Stirling become more frequent, the amount of work conducted by Australians will increase, building sovereign capabilities.

Rear Adm. Chris Shepherd, the UK’s Defence Nuclear Organisation AUKUS Director, underscored the importance of each SSN visit to HMAS Stirling. “Each visit has goals and objectives aimed at demonstrating growing capabilities and stewardship. The STMP showcased the synergy among the trilateral partners and sets the stage for future port visits,” he noted.

AUKUS is a strategic partnership promoting a safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific, enhancing national security, and uplifting the industrial bases of the three nations. AUKUS Pillar 1 assists Australia in acquiring a sovereign conventionally-armed SSN capability by the early 2030s. The AUKUS I&A Program Office is responsible for executing this trilateral partnership while adhering to the highest nuclear stewardship and non-proliferation standards.