Australia must recruit hundreds more to crew Aukus submarines, retired admiral warns
News Source
โขWed, 28 Oct 2026 12:46:36 GMT
๐ฐ What Happened
Australia will struggle to find and train enough sailors to crew its new nuclear-powered submarines, a retired admiral has warned. Peter Briggs says more people must join the navy's submarine program.
His warning came as the US submarine USS Colorado arrived at HMAS Stirling, south of Perth. It will spend a month on routine maintenance and help Australians build expertise.
๐ The Backstory
Under the Aukus deal, worth $368bn, Australia will buy three to five Virginia-class submarines from the United States. They will replace the five ageing Collins-class diesel boats.
The new submarines are much bigger. Each needs up to 134 crew, almost three times the Collins class.
The navy says 230 people are already in the US training pipeline.
๐ฏ Why It Matters
Submarines only work if people can run them. Crew numbers decide whether Australia gets real value from the huge Aukus bill.
Australia will struggle to find and train enough sailors to crew its new nuclear-powered submarines, a retired admiral has warned. Peter Briggs says more people must join the navy's submarine program.
His warning came as the US submarine USS Colorado arrived at HMAS Stirling, south of Perth. It will spend a month on routine maintenance and help Australians build expertise.
Under the Aukus deal, worth $368bn, Australia will buy three to five Virginia-class submarines from the United States. They will replace the five ageing Collins-class diesel boats.
The new submarines are much bigger. Each needs up to 134 crew, almost three times the Collins class.
The navy says 230 people are already in the US training pipeline.
Submarines only work if people can run them. Crew numbers decide whether Australia gets real value from the huge Aukus bill.