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.
6 comments:
G'Day
I'm glad you like my photos, Both were taken at HMAS Stirling, also known as Fleet Base West, which is located in Rockingham, not Fremantle, Western Australia.
Rockingham is 40 kilometres south of Fremantle.
Fremantle's Inner Harbour is a nuclear free zone, but not the Gage Roads Anchorage or HMAS Stirling, which saw its first USN nuclear powered submarine in 1976.
Hi Ian Johnson
Thanks for your comments and corrections. I've changed the text accordingly.
Thanks also for taking those great shots of USS Houton and USS Ohio.
Regards
Pete
Australia's also making progress with its XLUUV program:
"Anduril announced that its advanced Extra-Large Autonomous
Undersea Vehicle (XL-AUV), the Ghost Shark, has arrived in the
United States for the first time."
Source:
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/08/ghost-shark-xl-auv-arrives-in-the-united-states/
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Meanwhile, China launches a new sub of its own:
"A Chinese shipyard in Wuhan has launched a submarine which is
likely to be the country's most advanced non-nuclear type. The new
boat is larger than existing ones and is the first in the country to
feature X-form rudders. There are indications that it may have a
vertical launch system (VLS)."
Source:
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/08/china-launches-its-most-sophisticated-submarine-to-date/
Hi gentleseas@gmail.com . Pls write an entry or conduct some coverage regarding KD Pendekar thank you
@Anonymous, 26/8/2924: KD Pendakar was a fast attack craft that sank on afternoon of 25th August 2024, approximately two nautical miles off the south coast of peninsula Malaysia (off Tanjung Penyusop). Malaysia’s MINDEF states that this was due to a severe leak in the vessel’s engine room, which is ‘believed to be caused by a collision with an underwater object’.
The vessel has been in service for 45 years, and has been downgraded to patrol duties (Exocet ASMs removed). https://www.malaysiandefence.com/bravo-zulu-kd-pendekar/
Hi Anonymous at 8/26/2024 6:17 PM
See my article "KD Pendekar Sinks. No Casualties" of August 26, 2024 at https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2024/08/kd-pendekar-sinks-no-casualties.html .
Also thanks for the info Shawn C. Could the "underwater object" have been a sub? I wonder.
Regards Pete
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