Inside WA’s first AUKUS rotation submarine – just don’t ask about the nukes

A US nuclear-powered submarine with 160 crew, including seven Australians, has docked south of Perth for maintenance ahead of becoming the first vessel to begin regular AUKUS rotations next year.

The USS Colorado arrived on Tuesday at HMAS Stirling all the way from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, as Australian workers, including 15 WA businesses, prepare to carry out maintenance on the Virginia-class submarine.

It’s the fourth maintenance period involving US or UK nuclear-powered submarines at HMAS Stirling in the last two years, with WA set to host regular visits from late 2027 under the AUKUS pact.

Speaking at the base on Wednesday, Commander Fleet Base West Commodore Paul Johnson said almost 60 Australian workers would assist with maintenance, including 35 who had trained alongside the US Navy in Pearl Harbor.

The work and training includes ship repairs, scaffolding, welding and testing, as well as “simulated radiological scenarios”.

“There is no actual radiological work going on as part of the submarine maintenance period, but we’re continuing to build the skills toward that in late 2027 and into 2028,” Rear Admiral Chris Cavanaugh, Commander Submarine Forces Pacific Fleet, told reporters.

UK consul-general for WA, Maria Rennie, described AUKUS as “one of the most important partnerships in our generation”.

“In the five years since the partnership was first announced, the world has only become more complex, more contested, and more technologically competitive,” she said.

“AUKUS is fundamental to our collective security and our collective deterrence in that more contested world.”

During a media tour of the submarine on Wednesday, commanding officer, Captain Justin Reeves, described the vessel as “conventionally armed”, carrying torpedoes and other weapons, rather than being nuclear-armed.

Shortly after a question about whether there would be nuclear weapons aboard the submarine in the future, US Navy spokesman Commander Rick Moore reiterated the military’s longstanding policy of neither confirming nor denying whether its vessels were carrying nuclear weapons.

While the USS Colorado is one of the US Navy’s most advanced submarines, the living conditions seem challenging, with Commodore Dan Sutherland telling the tour: “[The submarines] are built for combat, not comfort.”

All 160 submariners aboard are men, despite women being eligible to serve on the vessel. Reeves said about a quarter have families, while many of the other crew are single.

The sleeping quarters are cramped, with bunks stacked on top of each other and little room to move. A sign near the entrance read:

“Don’t be stinky. Take a shower. Change your socks. Wash your sheets.”

The crew also “hot racks”, meaning they share beds on different shifts, with one sleeping while another is on duty before swapping over.

Reeves said the submarine’s time at sea was “limited by food”, with enough supplies to last a couple of months.

The crew gets three meals a day prepared on board, which Reeves described as “outstanding”, agreeing submariners were likely among the best fed in the armed forces.

The crew received an unexpected welcome to WA, with Reeves saying dolphins put on a show near Gage Roads as the submarine approached shore.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.

Carla Hildebrandt is a journalist with WAtoday. She previously worked on ABC’s Four Corners and as a court reporter at The Daily Telegraph in Sydney. For secure contact: carlahildebrandt@proton.me.Connect via email.