The US Navy submarine tender USS Emory S. Land arrived in HMAS Stirling on 16 August marking the seventh port visit in Australia since the ship left its homeport of Guam, 17 May. The ship’s mixed crew of US Navy and RAN personnel will conduct a Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) over the next several weeks as Australian technicians perform maintenance on a US Navy nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine (SSN) scheduled to arrive for a port visit.
The STMP marks a significant step toward Australia becoming sovereign-ready to operate, maintain, and support a fleet of conventionally armed SSNs, which is a central requirement in executing Pillar 1 of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US.
Captain Brent Spillner, Commanding Officer of the Emory S. Land said that, “Our knowledge exchange with the RAN Fleet Support Unit (FSU) since January has been exceptionally productive. Within weeks they were working shoulder-to-shoulder with US technicians on real submarine repairs, and for the last six weeks we’ve had a team of US Sailors embedded in the FSU West workshops at HMAS Stirling. We’re learning as much from them as they are from us, and we have Australian sailors and officers in the key management positions for the STMP. Both of our navies are benefiting tremendously from the interoperability we’ve been developing during this deployment, and are now better able to support each other’s fleets around the world. This STMP marks the first time that Australian workers will perform maintenance on an American SSN in Australian waters, but it’s really just the next step in a long partnership. This is an important milestone and learning opportunity as we work together to establish Submarine Rotational Force – West, where both US and UK submarines will regularly transit through HMAS Stirling, with maintenance and logistics assisted by Australian personnel, as they develop their own Intermediate-Level Maintenance capability for the eventual Australian SSNs.”
More than 30 RAN sailors will execute the majority of planned maintenance work under the supervision of US personnel, which will include the replacement of a mast in the submarine’s sail and a key hydraulic valve, along with the simulated removal of a large pump weighing more than 1.5 tonne from within the boat.
Since the start of the Emory S. Land’s deployment, 176 US sailors have also participated in 18 community relations events, investing 731 hours into the communities of Darwin, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. While in port at HMAS Stirling, US sailors are planning up to ten community relations events throughout the region, as well as having the ability to tour Western Australia.
Guam is home to the US Navy’s only submarine tenders, Emory S. Land and USS Frank Cable, as well as Los Angeles class fast-attack submarines. The submarine tenders provide maintenance, hotel services and logistical support to submarines and surface ships in the US 7th Fleet area of operation. The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the US Navy’s forward-deployed submarine force and are capable of meeting global operational requirements.
Source: USN & RAN
