US nuclear submarine to undergo first maintenance in Australia as part of AUKUS initiative

On Friday, a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine will undergo maintenance in Australia for the first time, marking a significant milestone for AUKUS partners in their efforts to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, according to defense ministers from Australia, Britain, and the United States.

Australian personnel trained with the United States and Britain over the past year ahead of the submarine maintenance at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, involving personnel from the three nations, News.Az reports citing foreign media.

"Our navies are committed to reinforcing the same guiding principles within Australia that have allowed the United States and United Kingdom to safely operate nuclear-powered ships for nearly 70 years," the ministers said in a joint statement.

The partners in the AUKUS pact were committed to setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard for acquisition of a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability for Australia, they added.

The statement cited U.S. defense secretary Lloyd Austin, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Britain's defense secretary, John Healey.

A U.S. Virginia-class submarine, Hawaii, and a U.S. service ship with equipment and maintenance crew have arrived at HMAS Sterling for the maintenance, generally done in U.S. submarine ports.

The Australian base will host a rotational presence of one British Astute-class and up to four U.S. Virginia-class submarines from 2027.

News.Az