The Navy recently named the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) as the Naval Supervising Authority (NSA) and Lead Maintenance Activity (LMA) for a new Western Australian-based submarine force.
In this role, the Pearl Harbor yard will support the Navy establishing Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-W), the main part of phase one of the AUKUS pillar one plan. Vice Adm. Bill Galinis, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, named PHNSY & IMF to this role on July 26.
The Australian, the U.K. and U.S government unveiled the Optimal Pathway for the AUKUS agreement in March to help Australia develop domestically-produced nuclear-powered attack submarines (Defense Daily, March 13).
The pathway laid out the phases of the plan, with Phase One increasing U.S. Virginia-class attack submarine SSN port visits to Australia to help Australia improve its knowledge of SSNs leading to the establishment of SRF-W.
SRF-W will be established no sooner than 2027 and start with the rotational presence of up to four VIrginia-class submarines and one British Astute-class attack submarine at the Australian HMAS Stirling naval base.
Later in the plan, during Phase Two, the U.S. will sell Australia up to three Virginia-class submarines with options for two more. Ultimately, Phase Three will have a combined U.K.-Australia SSN-AUKUS attack submarine design produced in both countries, with initial Australian delivery planned in the early 2040s.
Now NAVSEA said the Phase One extended rotations will last three to five years, so the Virginia-class SSNs will need voyage repair and intermediate-level maintenance, which usually lasts for weeks but without dry docking.
As the NSA/LMA, the Pearl Harbor shipyard will help support training Australian military and civilian personnel to perform this level of maintenance.
“There is no doubt that Pearl Harbor is the right shipyard to serve as the NSA/LMA for SRF-W. “Having completed numerous maintenance availabilities, they know the Virginia-class. When you add in the exceptional skill of the Pearl Harbor workforce, it is the right decision,” Galinis said in a statement.
PHNSY & IMF Commanding Officer Capt. Richard Jones said despite the responsibility, “significant effort will be required, but we understand our efforts will sharpen the tip of the Royal Australian Navy’s spear and set their submarine force on the path to sovereign readiness to operate and maintain their own conventionally armed nuclear-powered attack submarines.”
Rear Adm. Scott Brown, Naval Sea Systems Command’s Deputy Commander, Industrial Operations, said some of the next steps will involve Australian and U.K. nationals visiting PHNSY & IMF and embedding in the maintenance organization to learn the skills they need to perform this level of SSN maintenance.
“PHNSY & IMF will be charged with leading a trilateral effort to develop the capability to repair and maintain SSNs in Australia. We are committed to ensuring that Australia has all the local knowledge, training, and skills needed to maintain SSNs in accordance with our standards,” Brown said.
As part of this effort, Jones said PHNSY & IMF will hire new personnel across multiple ships in the shipyard to support the AUKUS effort “so we don’t overburden our systems or impact any planned maintenance availabilities.”
Relatedly, the first Virginia-class submarine docked in Australia after the AUKUS Optimal Pathway was announced.
The USS North Carolina (SSN-777) docked at HMAS Stirling on Aug. 4 after participation in the Talisman Sabre 2023 exercise in the region.
“These port visits are an essential step for Australia to build the necessary operational capabilities and skills to steward and operate its own fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines,” Abe Denmark, Senior Advisor for AUKUS to the Secretary of Defense, said in a statement.
The U.S. embassy in Australia noted Royal Australian Navy submariners will visit the boat to see its operations and technology.
“Through increased U.K. and U.S. port visits and the Submarine Rotational Force –West initiative, Australia will progressively develop the skills, knowledge and expertise to operate, maintain and steward nuclear-powered submarines,” Australian Submarine Agency Director General, Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead, said in the embassy statement.