Xavier Vavasseur for Naval News, on 21 Oct 2021, has written an interesting article entitled “World’s Newest Class of Nuclear Attack Submarine: Rare Access Inside Suffren”.
While the precise numbers of French sailors/submarines required are different the article gives an idea of the magnitude of crewing and providing simulators for a nuclear propelled attack submarine (SSN) capability.
I’d say that an SSN capability, to date only held by Great Powers, is all too expensive and difficult for Middle Power Australia.
Australia would need to build an SSN capability from scratch (ie. no SSN experience and no SSN infrastructure).
Within 18 short months what is effectively a Tri-Nation (US, UK and Australian) Taskforce purports to address all the multi-decade issues involved in Australia acquiring an SSN capability. But, within 7 months an anti-nuclear ALP-Greens coalition may win power in Canberra (if these polls continue). Such a Coalition would likely terminate the SSN aspiration.
Later this week I'll present some websites on AUKUS submarine issues - just put up by Australia's Defence Department.