Address by Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency to ANI’s 2024 Goldbrick Seminar.
I am delighted to be with you at this seminar that honours the intellectual giant Rear Admiral James Goldrick, who would applaud the Chief of Navy’s choice of topic today (3 October 2024) about the importance of maritime security for our economic prosperity and national security.
I am sure we all agree that we need to talk about maritime security – in forums such as these but, perhaps more importantly, with the wider community; so that Australians can understand why as a nation we are so laser-focussed on increasing the size of our Royal Australian Navy, including through the acquisition of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines.
Simple facts such as these:
- That Australia is the only nation that is also a continent, and has approximately 34,000 kms of coastline;
- Australia is a strong trading nation with 99% of our exports reliant on sea transport.
- That 90% of our internet connectivity is via undersea cables, and
- that those vital sea lanes and critical undersea infrastructure spell the economic well-being and prosperity we all enjoy.
As we know, Australia’s prosperity is increasingly dependent on our connections to the rest of the world, and that prosperity underpins our services we expect such as health, education, and of course, our national security.
The increased global connectedness boosts our economy through more efficient production of the goods we need and enjoy every day. We experienced through COVID how much of an impact disruption to these connections and supply chains have.
Therefore, it is important for us to all understand the critical role the Royal Australian Navy, and our future nuclear-powered submarines will have in protecting our quality of life, which we can too easily take for granted.
Strategy of Denial
The National Defence Strategy spells out clearly that the focus of the Australian Defence Force is a Strategy of Denial. Our first purpose is to deter. The National Defence Strategy outlined six priority areas and conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines was listed as the number one focus to complement the Strategy of Denial.
There is no greater capability of denial and deterrent than a nuclear-powered submarine, a machine that puts the greatest question mark in the mind of an adversary. A nuclear-powered submarine is unmatched with its stealth, and its ability to remain deep within the seas and oceans for months at a time, and moving with speed, enabling its command and crew to operate undetected, close to the homeland, or further afield, if required. They are also equipped to carry devastating conventional firepower, such as Tomahawk missiles, instilling both uncertainty and fear into a potential adversary.
AUKUS Progress
It is through the AUKUS partnership that Australia is acquiring the incredible capability that only nuclear-powered submarines can provide. And it is not just this supreme technology we are getting through AUKUS. We are also accelerating the training and education of our naval, civilian, and industry personnel. Further, we are strengthening all of our supply chains, and the resilience of them, for the building and maintenance of the submarines in all three nations.
Now let me be very clear – AUKUS is real and it is happening. We are now more than 18 months into delivering against the Optimal Pathway for this acquisition and making incredible progress. I credit the hard work of the dedicated and committed workforce at the Australian Submarine Agency, shoulder to shoulder with our AUKUS partners, the South Australian and Western Australian Governments, our industry, education and training partners, and a range of other stakeholders. A truly nation building national endeavour.
For a strong and tangible demonstration that AUKUS is progressing at pace, let me take you back one month to Diamantina Pier at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. For the first time, Australians were conducting maintenance work on a US nuclear-powered submarine at HMAS Stirling. This was a group of more than 30 RAN personnel who embedded on USS Emory S Land in February to train for this moment.
And it was an Australian Navy Officer who piloted USS Hawaii into HMAS Stirling, one of the six Australians to have completed US nuclear powered submarine training so far. Second in the class I might add.
This was a big step towards Australia being ready to host rotating US and UK submarines as part of Submarine Rotational Force – West, before becoming sovereign ready to own, operate and maintain our own fleet of nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s.
Admiral William Houston, the 4-Star Director of the US Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, travelled to HMAS Stirling for this and he was very clear that Australia was on track to host and support rotating US submarines from 2027.
AUKUS is expected to create about 20,000 highly skilled jobs across the nations I am often asked where the workforce will come from. Let me give a quick snapshot of some other training that is happening.
On 2 September Prime Minister Albanese announced at HMAS Stirling, as ‘Jobs for Subs’, that ASC would recruit an extra 200 young Australians across entry-level roles spanning fabrication and machining, engineering and project management, and supply chain and operations qualifications, which are all essential to our nuclear-powered submarine enterprise. More than 60 RAN personnel are currently in the US nuclear-powered submarine pipeline, rising to over 80 next year.
Three Australians completed UK nuclear reactor training in July this year, one of whom was top of the class. The next group will commence this group in November. Around 40 ASC workers are training at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and this is expected to grow to more than 150 by the middle of next year.
Tomorrow’s leaders, training today
It is rewarding to see this strong progress. It was even better to see Australian, US and UK naval staff working and learning together, in the company of industry partners. It reflected the strong and healthy partnerships that have grown and extended further over the last three years since AUKUS was born. As Admiral Houston observed: “other than uniform and accent, you could not tell whether it was US, Australian or UK personnel supporting this endeavour. That’s how integrated we are.”
It also further demonstrated, if it was needed, the commitment of our AUKUS partners to this ambitious program, and the confidence they have in Australia.
We are also continuing our work with the UK towards SSN-AUKUS. We have people embedded in their Submarine Delivery Agency. We are also progressing towards the development of the submarine shipyard at Osborne, which will transform that into one of the most complex and advanced technology and manufacturing locations in the world.
Challenges
So we are making great progress. We still have many more milestones to meet, and challenges to confront. What we have been tasked to do is complex and has never been done before. Each and every day we are breaking new ground.
Our nuclear-powered submarine program will succeed because of the strength of the AUKUS partnership. Because of the strength and wisdom of our people, who come to work every day with a sense of purpose; who do extraordinary things. That purpose is to develop a capability that will defend Australia, protect our people and safeguard our economic prosperity.
The AUKUS program reflects our nation’s unwavering commitment to maritime security, and the security of our region.
