Australia must recruit hundreds more to crew Aukus submarines, retired admiral warns

Australia’s planned nuclear-powered submarines are much larger than its Collins-class boats. They need far more sailors and officers, including people trained in nuclear operations. This matters because the navy must staff the new fleet while continuing to operate existing submarines during the transition.

A Virginia-class submarine can require up to 134 crew. That is almost three times the Collins-class requirement. About 850 submariners are currently qualified for Collins-class vessels, while the navy has 230 people somewhere in the US nuclear-submarine training pipeline.

The navy expects 400 Australian personnel trained and ready by 2030. Retired admiral Peter Briggs says that will not be enough for the long-term need. He believes Australia must triple its submarine arm and eventually build a workforce of about 3,000 people, across many different trades.

The Virginia class is a US nuclear-powered submarine design that Australia plans to acquire under the AUKUS agreement. Nuclear propulsion allows these boats to operate without refuelling, giving them effectively unlimited range until supplies such as food and toilet paper run out.

Australia’s Collins-class submarines are diesel-electric vessels and are becoming obsolete. The new Virginia boats are much bigger and can require up to 134 crew, compared with far fewer personnel on Collins-class submarines. The article also describes Virginia boats as carrying conventional weapons, including torpedoes and payload tubes.

Australia plans to buy between three and five Virginia-class submarines. They are intended to bridge the change from the Collins fleet to the future SSN-AUKUS design, which Australia and the United Kingdom are developing. This creates a period when different submarine types must be operated together.

The staffing challenge combines larger crews with a larger overall submarine force. Each Virginia-class boat may need up to 134 people, nearly three times the number required for Collins-class submarines. Australia therefore needs many more qualified sailors and officers, not simply replacements for current crews.

About 850 submariners are qualified to operate Collins-class vessels. The navy reports 230 personnel at various stages of the US nuclear-powered submarine training pipeline. Of those, about 145 have completed US Naval nuclear power training and are gaining experience aboard US Navy nuclear submarines.

The navy expects 400 Australian officers and sailors trained and ready by 2030. Retired admiral Peter Briggs argues that the long-term requirement is much larger. He says Australia is heading toward a submarine arm of about 3,000 people, including nuclear-trained personnel and support trades.

Safe operation requires both nuclear expertise and ordinary submarine skills. Australian personnel must learn nuclear power through the US Naval training system, then build practical experience aboard US Navy nuclear-powered submarines. Training must prepare people for the demanding conditions and procedures of an SSN.

The navy says about 145 of its 230 people in the pipeline have completed US nuclear power training. The wider workforce includes more than a dozen trades. These range from radio and sonar operators to cooks and electricians, showing that every submarine needs a broad team.

Training also covers procedures connected with nuclear operations. During USS Colorado’s maintenance period, Australian personnel will practise and test procedures across nuclear-related operational scenarios. The exercises will be simulated, and no radiological material will be transferred during that period.

Australia expects to operate Collins-class, Virginia-class and eventually SSN-AUKUS submarines during the changeover. Each type has different equipment, procedures and support needs. That matters because the navy must keep current boats functioning while preparing people and facilities for nuclear-powered vessels.

Retired admiral Peter Briggs says the Virginia boats will add complexity to training, logistics, maintenance and spare-parts arrangements. Crews and support teams would need to work across different submarine designs. The future SSN-AUKUS submarine will be an even bigger design developed by Australia and the United Kingdom.

The transition will therefore require more than recruiting crew. Australia is building experience and infrastructure through the Submarine Rotational Force-West program. From 2027, up to four US and one UK nuclear-powered submarine will rotate through HMAS Stirling, helping develop the skills and facilities needed for the future fleet.

AUKUS is the three-country defence arrangement behind Australia’s planned nuclear-powered submarine fleet. The article describes it as a $368bn trilateral defence deal. Its submarine plan gives Australia access to US Virginia-class boats while supporting a later Australian-UK submarine design.

Australia will acquire between three and five Virginia-class submarines from the United States. These boats will replace Australia’s five Collins-class vessels and bridge the transition to SSN-AUKUS. The United States is also helping train Australian personnel through its nuclear-submarine system.

Australia and the United Kingdom are developing the future SSN-AUKUS submarine together. The UK will also contribute to the rotational presence planned at HMAS Stirling. From 2027, up to four US and one UK nuclear-powered submarine will rotate through the base, helping Australia build skills and infrastructure for its own nuclear fleet.

Nuclear propulsion lets a submarine keep operating without returning for fuel. The article says nuclear submarines do not need to refuel, so their range is effectively infinite. Their practical endurance is instead limited by supplies, especially food and toilet paper, which can last several months.

USS Colorado captain Justin Reeves described the vessel’s limits in simple terms: endurance depends on food and toilet paper. The submarine travelled from Pearl Harbor to Perth in two weeks, carrying 160 men. Reeves called nuclear power a massive advantage.

Collins-class submarines use diesel-electric propulsion and are being replaced by nuclear-powered boats. Because the Virginia class does not need refuelling during a patrol, it can remain at sea much longer before supplies force a return. The article presents this extended endurance as a central benefit of nuclear propulsion.