London Sends Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine to Australia
An Australian broadcasting agency confirmed that HMS Anson — a 97-meter (318-foot) vessel armed with torpedoes and land-attack missiles and crewed by approximately 100 sailors — has anchored at a naval installation near Perth for a month-long stay.
The docking marks a landmark moment: it is the first time a British nuclear-powered submarine has called on Australia's west coast since Washington, London, and Canberra jointly unveiled the full AUKUS strategic roadmap in San Diego, California, in 2023.
UK Deputy High Commissioner to Australia Brian Jones said the submarine will carry out maintenance operations and participate in joint exercises during its stay, calling the visit an "invaluable opportunity" to deepen Australia's operational experience with nuclear-powered vessels.
Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles went further, framing the arrival in historic terms.
"A historic step in our nation's readiness to operate and maintain conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarines," Marles said in a formal statement.
The two allies are also expected to conduct AUKUS Pillar 2 capability tests while HMS Anson remains in Australian waters.
The visit arrives against a backdrop of accelerating investment in the trilateral program. Last week, Canberra announced it would commit at least $21.2 billion to constructing a dedicated shipyard to eventually build nuclear submarines domestically under the AUKUS framework.
Under the agreement — first signed in 2021 — the Royal Australian Navy is set to acquire eight nuclear-powered submarines from the US and UK over the coming decade, with the first deliveries anticipated no earlier than 2032.
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