Australia Submarine Capabilities

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) currently operates six diesel-electric Collins-class submarines, which are based at Fleet Base West, HMAS Stirling, south of Perth in Western Australia.¹ The Department of Defence plans to build at least eight nuclear submarines by 2040 as well as a new submarine base on the east coast.²

As part of the AUKUS agreement made in 2021, Australia expects to follow an Optimal Pathway to enhance its nuclear-powered attack submarine capabilities (SSNs). This involves expanding industrial capacities to produce SSNs, along with the increased undersea presence in the Indo-Pacific region.³ Australia plans to collaborate with the United Kingdom and United States to reach these goals.

Total Submarines in Fleet: 6

• Ballistic missile submarine (SSBNs): 0
• Nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs): 0
• Diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs): 6
• Air-independent propulsion (AIP) enabled: 0/6

Submarines

In 1982, the Australian government approved a plan to replace its aging Oberon-class submarines. The Australian government emphasized domestic construction for the project — including the use of local contractors — in order to facilitate significant technology transfer. In 1987 the Australian government chose the Australian Submarine Corporation Pty Limited (ASC), a company founded by Swedish shipyard Kockums and Australian partners, to build the six Collins-class submarines. As a result of this domestic construction, Australia gained the industrial capacity to build, service, and modernize submarines indigenously.⁴

The current fleet of Collins-class vessels are based on the Kockums Type 471 design. The oldest submarine in the Australian fleet, the HMAS Collins, was constructed in 1990 and commissioned in 1996. The remaining five Collins-class submarines were commissioned over the following seven years.⁵

In September 2021, Australia signed a trilateral agreement with the United Kingdom and United States to establish AUKUS. This security agreement focuses on providing a nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarine force for Australia by the 2040s.⁶ After announcing this agreement, the three states entered a consultation to determine the optimal path to reach their goals, which was announced in March 2023.⁷

The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) was established in July 2023 to help enact the SSN program via AUKUS.⁸

In a 2009 Defence White Paper, the Australian government announced its intent to replace the fleet of Collins submarines with twelve 4000-ton long-range Attack-class submarines by 2030. ⁹ In 2016, the Australian government selected the French company Naval Group to build the Attack-class submarines and in February 2019 finalized the $50 billion contract. In 2009, 2013, and 2016 White Papers, the Department of Defence stated that Australia had no incentive to develop nuclear-capable submarines as the “nuclear and conventional military capabilities of the United States can offer effective deterrence.”¹⁰

Australian policy makers became upset by cost overruns, delays, and exclusion of Australian shipyards from the Attack-class building program. In September 2021, the Australian government abruptly canceled its contract with Naval Group and announced a joint partnership with the United States and United Kingdom (known as AUKUS) to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines in Australia.¹¹ In early 2023, the members of the AUKUS agreement announced a several-step process to build Australia’s domestic submarine program over the next decades. Pending Congressional approval, the U.S. will sell 3-5 Virginia Class nuclear submarines to RAN beginning in the 2030s.¹² To support the additional submarines, RAN will construct a naval base on the east coast in either Newcastle, Port Kembla, or Brisbane. In addition, more than $993 million was earmarked by the Australian government to prepare a naval base in Western Australia for nuclear submarines.¹³

Ship Biographies

Collins-Class (Type 417)

Australia possesses six Collins-class diesel-electric attack submarines. These submarines are 77.8 meters long with a 7.8-meter-wide beam and can travel up to 20 knots when submerged. They can remain submerged for about 70 days without surfacing and are armed with six 533mm torpedo tubes. They also carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles and can substitute mines for their torpedo arsenals.¹⁴

Virginia-Class

These submarines are 114.8 meters long (140.5 meters with VPM, or Virginia Payload Module) with a 10.36-meter beam and can travel 25+ knots. Since they are nuclear submarines, they can remain submerged for up to three months at a time.¹⁵ They can carry Tomahawk missiles and Mk 48 ADCAP torpedoes.¹⁶

Imports

In May 2016 the Australian government ordered twelve submarines from France; the submarines would have been built locally by ASC to replace the existing Collins-class submarines employed by RAN.¹⁷ The nuclear submarines planned under the AUKUS deal will be built by ASC in Adelaide with technical assistance from the United States and United Kingdom.¹⁸

In 2021, Australia broke a contract with France which would have provided a dozen diesel-powered submarines. Australia provided 555 million euros as compensation to France for ending the deal.¹⁹

Instead of importing submarines from France, Australia has turned to the AUKUS alliance for imports. Nuclear reactors will be produced in the U.K. before getting imported and added onto submarine vessels produced in Adelaide, South Australia.²⁰ Australia is expected to import 3-5 Virginia-class submarines from the U.S. by the 2030s.²¹

Exports

Although in the 1990s the Australian Submarine Corporation expressed interest in exporting submarines to Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore, Australia is not currently a submarine exporter.²²