Visits by US
nuclear subs to Australia's main submarine base, HMAS Stirling,
Fleet Base West, Garden Island (see map above) Rockingham, Western Australia, are
beneficial to Australia. Some visits are not made public by the USN or
RAN. Here are some publicised visits since 2005:
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On August 22, 2024 Pearl Harbour home ported Virginia-class
submarine USS Hawaii (SSN-776) was reported at HMAS Stirling Western Australia https://www.dvidshub.net/news/479217/uss-hawaii-ssn-776-joins-uss-emory-s-land-39-first-ever-nuclear-powered-attack-submarine-maintenance-availability
for maintenance by submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)
The “Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) at HMAS Stirling in Western
Australia…marks a significant step forward in the Australia, United Kingdom,
United States (AUKUS) Pillar 1 program, which is paving the way for Australia
to acquire a sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine
capability.”
“During World War II, the US Navy routinely conducted maintenance on US, UK,
and Dutch submarines in Fremantle.” The STMP marks the first time Australian
personnel will directly participate in the maintenance of a nuclear-powered
submarine in Australia. https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/arrival-of-uss-hawaii-ssn-776-for-first-aukus-nuclear-powered-submarine-maintenance-activity-in-australia/
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RAN base HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, from March 1 - 16, 2023.
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The US Embassy, Canberra, Australia reported, April 24, 2022:
"The United States Navy submarine USS Springfield (SSN 761) has arrived [at HMAS Stirling aka Fleet Base West, at Rockingham, just south of Perth, Western Australia] for a scheduled port visit.
[Los Angeles class, SSN] Springfield is forward-deployed to the Pacific island of Guam and routinely operates in the Indo-Pacific, conducting maritime security operations and supporting national security interests."
[Since March 21, 2022, USS Springfield has been in Submarine Squadron 15 based at Naval Base Guam (Apra Harbour).]
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UK SSN, HMS Astute visited Fleet Base West, at HMAS Stirling on
October 29, 2021, with then Defence Minister Peter Dutton, taking the credit.
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5 days ago US Embassy, Canberra, reported:
"...The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) [also normally based at Guam] is visiting HMAS Stirling Naval Base near Rockingham as part of routine operations in the Indo-Pacific region...."
Pete Comment
As far as I'm aware this is the first US SSN port visit to Australia since the AUKUS submarine plan was announced in September, 2021.
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Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Texas (SSN 775) Visits HMAS Stirling
The US Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) reported January 30, 2020 http://www.dvidshub.net/news/360914/uss-texas-arrives-stirling-australia
USS Texas (SSN 775) "is visiting HMAS Stirling as part of their routine patrol in the Indo-Pacific to demonstrate U.S. Navy’s ongoing commitment to theater security cooperation and friendship with partner navies.
...Virginia-class submarines are built to dominate the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface-ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations forces support; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; irregular warfare and mine warfare missions. Their inherent stealth, endurance, mobility and firepower directly enable them to support five of the six maritime strategy core capabilities: sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security and deterrence."
For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 7, visit www.csp.navy.mil/csg7/
[Commander, Submarine Group 7 (COMSUBGRU Seven) based at Yokosuka, Japan, is responsible for submarines deployed to the Western Pacific, the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean [including Western Australia]].
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USS Houston is the 26th submarine in the Los Angeles class of SSNs. In December 2004, Houston changed homeport from San Diego, Calif., to Apra Harbor, Guam. In January 2012, her homeport again changed from Guam to Pearl Harbor.
