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The Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter has contributed useful details that may support the possibility of an Astute being
part-time based in Australia in years to come - some details below. This may be more possible after 2027 when all seven Astutes should have been commissioned.
SNAFU article Rumour Astute(s) to be based in Australia! carries a Daily Mail report along the lines that the UK Chief of Defence, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, may discuss, at a naval conference in Sydney week beginning July 25, 2022, basing Astute(s) in Australia.
Below this Rumour, Anonymous commented:
“I don't know what naval conference is on in
Sydney next week?”
Where this is going is that the Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter (APDR) subsequently
reports, July 25, 2022:
“The 24th annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense
(CHODs) Conference will be held in Sydney from 25 to 27 July 2022…Thirty
countries have been invited, with participants representing the Indo-Pacific,
Europe, North American and South American regions and other counterparts…”
Pete Comment
This Conference provides the setting for UK Admiral Radakin to privately confer with his Australian opposite number General Angus Campbell, the RAN and “SSN” Taskforce on part-time Astute availability at Fleet Base West, Australia.
Note, this would be a private room discussion and not openly discussed at the main meeting of the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense.
The results of an Astute discussion are unlikely to come out this year, but when the Taskforce reports in March 2023.
Pete
ReplyDeleteThis ABC interview with Admiral Radikin seems to mostly confirm the news. He does not talk about permanently stationing Astutes in Australia but does talk about regular deployments to Perth and frequent visits with chances for Australian sub crews to gain experience aboard. He refers to this benefitting “both navies” which perhaps relates to aran recruiting difficulties.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-30/british-defence-chief-tony-radakin-russia-china-aukus/101282744
One possible explanation of all this (UK and US training) is that the RAN does intend to go ahead with building the RN design and crew training, but is sending some engineering officers to the USN for nuclear training so that Australian sub bases can support and maintain both USN and RN submarines. That would make sense if the long term plan was for the RAN to build a UK design, with both RAN and USN SSNs based in Perth. In this regard it should be noted that BAE also have a yard at Henderson in Perth.