Australia Needs 3,000 Submariners to Crew Nuclear Fleet, Retired Admiral Says

Australia needs to build its submarine arm toward 3,000 personnel to operate the nuclear-powered vessels planned under the Aukus deal, retired admiral Peter Briggs said. About 850 submariners are currently qualified to operate the existing Collins-class boats.

The warning came as the USS Colorado arrived at HMAS Stirling, south of Perth, on Tuesday for a month of maintenance. The Virginia-class boat will also be used to build Australian expertise in nuclear submarine operations.

Australia is acquiring between three and five Virginia-class submarines from the United States under the $368bn trilateral defence agreement. These boats replace five diesel-electric Collins-class vessels. The new submarines carry up to 134 crew, nearly triple the crew size of the Collins class.

"We have got to triple the size of the submarine arm and we've got to train them in nuclear skills," Briggs said. "You are heading toward needing a submarine arm of 3,000, that's the hill you have to climb."

The Royal Australian Navy reports 230 personnel at various stages of the nuclear training pipeline. A navy spokesperson said about 145 of those have finished US Naval nuclear power training and are gaining experience on US Navy submarines. The service expects 400 officers and sailors trained and ready by 2030.

Briggs said operating two different submarine types would add complexity to training, logistics, maintenance and spare parts. He also noted that crewing the boats requires more than a dozen trades, including radio and sonar operators, cooks and electricians. The Australian government did not answer questions about recruitment targets or workforce development.

The USS Colorado will stay in Perth for a month before returning to the city's waters in late 2027 under the Submarine Rotational Force-West program. Starting in 2027, up to four US and one UK nuclear-powered submarine will rotate through HMAS Stirling. Commodore Paul Johnson of HMAS Stirling said the maintenance period will be used to test procedures for nuclear-related operational scenarios. Officials said no radiological material will transfer during the visit and that exercises will be simulated.

The Colorado, built in 2018, arrived with 160 men aboard. Captain Justin Reeves said the US government does not confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons on specific platforms. He described the vessel as "built for combat, not for comfort," noting that crew sometimes share bunks in rotating shifts or sleep in torpedo rooms. Nuclear submarines do not refuel, so their range depends on supplies. "The limits of its endurance are really food and toilet paper, and that's several months' worth," Reeves said.