First sub modernisation in Australia marks milestone

The U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Centre (NUWC) Division Newport recently achieved a significant milestone with the first modernisation of a U.S. submarine in Australian waters, underscoring the growing collaboration between the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia under the AUKUS partnership.

Engineering agents Matthew George, Daniel Braman, and Dillon Savitzky, from NUWC Division Newport’s Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, played a key role in the three-week Submarine Tendered Maintenance Period (STMP) at HMAS Stirling in Perth, Australia.

This historic effort marked the first instance of a joint American-Australian team performing maintenance on a nuclear-powered attack submarine, specifically the Virginia-class USS Hawaii (SSN 776).

The STMP focused on modernising the submarine’s thinline towed array handling system, integrating Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel into the process. Rear Admiral Lincoln Reifsteck, U.S. Navy AUKUS Integration and Acquisition Programme Manager, described the event as a critical step in establishing Australia’s sovereign nuclear-powered submarine capability.

“The importance of this event cannot be overstated. These last few weeks provided essential maintenance and stewardship experience for our Australian partners,” Reifsteck said.

Savitzky highlighted the collaborative nature of the mission, “The main thing is that we integrated with a foreign military and trained them on how to do maintenance, repair, troubleshooting, and modernisation on our system. They’re in the process of building up their infrastructure and capability.”

The Australian personnel demonstrated eagerness and aptitude throughout the process, with George praising their commitment, “They certainly had a great thirst for knowledge, and they picked up everything pretty quickly.”

This operation is a cornerstone of AUKUS Pillar 1, aiming to deliver a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability to Australia by the early 2030s. It is also the first U.S. submarine maintenance conducted in Australian waters since the Second World War.

The NUWC Newport team, described by Nick Savage, head of the Handling Systems Engineering Branch, as a “high-performing team,” worked seamlessly together, both above and below water. Savitzky, a certified Navy diver, executed underwater maintenance while coordinating closely with George and Braman topside.

“It’s not just the diver in the water doing all the work. It works best when you have experienced people in both places,” Savitzky explained.

This achievement highlights the deepening AUKUS partnership and serves as a foundation for future collaboration between the U.S. and Australia, as both nations prepare for the delivery of nuclear-powered submarines and continue to enhance regional security.

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