By Kirsty Needham
PERTH () – Inside the command centre of the US Navy’s Virginia-class attack submarine, the USS Minnesota, stationed off the west coast of Australia near Perth, sonar technicians are fine-tuning their equipment to filter out the sounds of dolphins in unfamiliar waters as America prepares to substantially increase its submarine fleet presence here.
During a training mission from its homeport in Guam, USS Minnesota leads the way for four Virginia-class submarines that will be stationed at a Western Australian naval base starting in 2027 as part of the AUKUS agreement aimed at transferring nuclear submarine capabilities to Australia.
The crew employs video game controllers to question imagery displayed through a photonic mast, which substitutes for a traditional periscope. Living onboard may involve as many as 100 consecutive days without glimpsing daylight, along with sporadic contact with loved ones via e-mail to preserve secrecy.
The commanding officer, Jeffrey Corneille, states that the Virginia-class submarine is "the most technologically advanced battleship globally."
He explains that if someone wakes up and asks 'Is today the day?' we ensure they respond with 'Perhaps not,' highlighting its deterring effect.
Approximately 50 to 80 US Navy members are set to arrive by mid-year at the HMAS Stirling base in Western Australia. This facility is currently receiving an $8 billion AUD ($5 billion USD) makeover as part of preparations for the "Submarine Rotational Force West," according to statements from Australian authorities.
Within two years, these figures will balloon to include hundreds of US Navy personnel and support staff.
HMAS Stirling’s position, which is nearer to Asia and the Indian Ocean compared to the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters in Hawaii, holds significant strategic importance for the United States, according to Peter Dean, who serves as the director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre located at the University of Sydney.
He stated that protecting the Indian Ocean from China’s growing strength and influence is crucial.
The Virginia submarine programme has been excluded from the Pentagon’s budget reductions because the Trump administration is shifting its focus away from the Middle East and Europe towards the Indo-Pacific region, he stated.
Elbridge Colby, who holds one of the top positions at the Pentagon in the Trump administration, stated during a recent U.S. Senate confirmation hearing that attack submarines are “crucially important” for ensuring the defense of Taiwan remains feasible. He emphasized that the production rate should be increased initially to address American requirements and concurrently to uphold America’s commitment to provide submarines to Australia as part of the AUKUS agreement.
In November, the USS Minnesota shifted its home port from Hawaii to Guam, a U.S. Pacific territory nearer to Taiwan and close to the sole forward-deployed U.S. submarine base.
Australian authorities have pointed out that a Chinese naval fleet which sailed around Australia in February and March, conducting unusual live-fire exercises near the eastern seaboard that interfered with civilian air traffic, then moved past Western Australia coinciding with the arrival of the USS Minnesota at a port, and proceeded towards the Indian Ocean, underscores Beijing’s intention to increase its presence in the region surrounding Australia.
Through AUKUS, Australia's costliest defense initiative, the country plans to acquire two second-hand Virginia-class submarines in the coming decade and develop a new line of nuclear-powered vessels alongside the UK, aimed at replacing its outdated diesel-driven fleet.
According to US Navy officials, there are currently 115 Australians within the US nuclear navy training program or stationed with Virginia-class submarines, along with another 130 engaged in nuclear submarine maintenance training at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
(Kirsty Needham reported from Perth; edited by Giles Elgood)
