Australia will begin training on HMS Anson soon. Source: Defence Imagery, Flickr.
Australian officials were present at the commissioning of HMS Anson in the UK where they announced that members of the RAN would begin training onboard the submarine.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted Australian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Richard Marles among other dignitaries at the event where they revealed members of the Royal Australian Navy would train on the Astute-Class submarine.
They will be carrying out exercises alongside Royal Navy crews as part of the AUKUS partnership alliance between the UK, US, and Australia.
Under the deal, Australia will receive eight nuclear-powered submarines from the US and UK.
“Australia is eager to learn from our counterparts, and who better to learn from than our friends in the United Kingdom,” said Mr Marles.
“Our countries are working hand in glove on training and building the skills required for our future submarines, is an important part of bolstering our Defence Force.
“Today‘s announcement of Australian submariners training aboard HMS Anson says everything about our future plans of building the AUKUS partnership.
While at the commissioning, Mr Marles commented that many Australians including engineers and mechanics are helping to build the new submarines at the Govan shipyard.
HMS Anson cost $2.2 billion to build and is the world’s most advanced hunter-killer submarine according to the Royal Navy. It’s the fifth submarine to join the fleet, alongside HMS Astute, Ambush, Artful and Audacious.
Onboard it will be armed with 38 Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk Block V cruise missiles with HMS Anson able to destroy enemy ships and targets up to 1600km away.
“Given the world we live in, there is no more important tool in the United Kingdom’s arsenal: silent, unseen, and a key instrument of our global, modern, ready Royal Navy,” said Admiral Sir Ben Key.
“HMS Anson is the cutting edge in submarine design and construction… ensuring operational advantage in the underwater battlespace, the last great stealth domain.
The submarine is named after 18th Century Admiral George Anson.
It will spend a few more weeks in Barrow to undergo several final checks before it heads to HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane.
