Month: February 2025

Source: United States Navy

“Every time a nuclear-powered submarine ties up in HMAS Stirling, we take a meaningful step closer to establishing Submarine Rotational Force – West and a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine capability for Australia,” said Royal Australian Navy Rear Adm. Tom Phillips, the Australian Submarine Agency’s Head of Submarine Capability. “Each visit is unique with specific goals and objectives designed to ensure we are moving at pace to host the first rotational U.S. attack submarine in late 2027.”

This year, USS Minnesota (SSN 783) is conducting at-sea operations as part of the Submarine Command Course, a training program for naval officers preparing to take command of a submarine. At HMAS Stirling, the U.S. Navy will have the opportunity to share and compare procedures, such as weapons handling, with their Australian counterparts.

“U.S. Navy ships have been visiting Australia for long before I was even in the Navy. Our visit, today, is another step that continues progress towards establishing the Royal Australian Navy’s sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine force,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey “J.” Cornielle, commanding officer, USS Minnesota (SSN 783). “Those of us who serve aboard these highly capable warships understand the power they bring to the fight.”

Announced in March 2023, the AUKUS Pillar I Optimal Pathway lays out the plan for Australia to acquire a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet beginning in the 2030s. The Optimal Pathway involves three phases. Phase 1 establishes SRF-West in 2027, which will have up to four U.S. and one U.K. attack submarines conducting operations out of HMAS Stirling. This phase builds the infrastructure, expertise, sustainment and stewardship capability required for Australia to operate and maintain a sovereign fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

Phase 2 delivers in the early 2030s, when Australia receives its first of three Virginia-class attack submarines purchased from the U.S. Phase 3 delivers both the U.K.’s and Australia’s enduring attack submarine capability, SSN-AUKUS, which will be built in both countries and include technologies from the three partner nations. Australia plans to deliver the first domestically built SSN-AUKUS in the early 2040s.

“AUKUS is a foundational partnership that demonstrates the United States’ confidence in Australia and commitment to allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Siriana Nair, the U.S. Consul General in Perth. “These port visits not only advance AUKUS but provide a great opportunity for our sailors to interact with and support the local community, reinforcing the longstanding friendship between the United States and Australia.”    

Minnesota is the fourth U.S. submarine to execute an AUKUS-specific port visit to HMAS Stirling since the Optimal Pathway announcement. USS North Carolina (SSN 777) conducted the first visit in August 2023, USS Annapolis (SSN 760) visited in March 2024 and, most recently, USS Hawaii (SSN 776) visited HMAS Stirling in August through September 2024.

“Each port visit provides an opportunity for our personnel to gain hands-on experience in sustaining and supporting nuclear-powered submarines,” said Phillips. “For this visit, Australian personnel will continue to develop the skills necessary to support nuclear-powered submarines and allowed us to exercise our infrastructure improvements.”

“As the lead maintenance activity for SRF-West, we will ensure the U.S. submarines are maintained to our standards while also training our Australian counterparts in how to keep them fit to fight,” said Capt. Ryan McCrillis, PHNSY & IMF commanding officer. “Right now, we have more than 120 Australians training in Pearl Harbor, actively contributing to our national security mission as they hone their Virginia-class maintenance skills. Ensuring their success and reinforcing this crucial partnership is one of our top priorities.”

The next port visit to HMAS Stirling, slated for later this year, will be a three-week submarine maintenance period.

“We have fewer than 1,000 days before we want to establish SRF-W, which means every day matters to the program and every hour an SSN is at HMAS Stirling provides an opportunity to continue to support our Australian counterparts,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, the U.S. AUKUS Integration and Acquisition (I&A) director. “Port visits are working periods that provide Australians with the ability to learn and gain proficiency maintaining a nuclear-powered warship – something that doesn’t happen too often. This will move Australia closer to the goal of maintaining their own sovereign nuclear-powered submarine fleet.”

The AUKUS security agreement strengthens the allied nations’ lethality and warfighting capabilities, enhances readiness by adding capacity and resilience to the submarine industrial base, and supports a stable Indo-Pacific region by operating more high-end allied warships in the region to deter aggression and win in combat.

The AUKUS I&A Program Office is the U.S. Navy office responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to assist Australia in acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines at the earliest possible date while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest nonproliferation standard.

Source: United States Navy

The eight-month deployment, which lasted from June 15, 2024 to February 24, 2025, marked a series of groundbreaking achievements that underscore the capabilities of the LCS platform and its growing contributions to naval operations.

While assigned to TASK FORCE 45/Destroyer Squadron 40, operating primarily in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, St. Louis, embarked Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 50 Detachment 4, and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDET) 105 and 407, disrupted and confiscated over $100 million worth of illicit contraband in five different operations, significantly hampering the activities of transnational criminal organizations.

“From our first week in theater, the crew demonstrated its tactical acumen in locating and intercepting illicit traffickers. Most of these interdictions were conducted at night, requiring long days and late hours but the crew stayed immensely resilient. I am very proud of what the team accomplished,” said Cmdr. T.J. Orth, USS St. Louis’ Commanding Officer.

In August, St. Louis transited the Panama Canal and operated in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, making history as the first FRE-variant LCS to travel as far south as Valparaíso, Chile when she participated in the 65th iteration of UNITAS, the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise. Alongside naval forces from 44 countries, the ship showcased its capabilities in maritime interoperability, enhancing ties with partner nations and furthering regional stability.

After returning through the Panama Canal, St. Louis received new tasking to support U.S. Southern Command’s Joint Task Force-Bravo as that command responded to the deteriorating security situation in Haiti. St. Louis served as a fueling station and Search and Rescue force for 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment (AVN REGT) UH-60 Blackhawks conducting evacuations out of Haiti. To prepare, St. Louis and 1-228th AVN REGT conducted more than 50 deck landings. This successful integration expanded the ship’s operational versatility, paved the way for future joint missions, and underscored the potential for cross-branch collaboration in dynamic environments.

To wrap up USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment, St. Louis Sailors showed their flexibility and capacity to rapidly deploy in support of Joint Task Force Operation Southern Guard onboard U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Sailors supported the expansion of the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) in preparing the MOC to receive up to 2,000 illegal aliens, erecting 50 tents and setting up several hundred cots in several days. Operation Southern Guard is highlighting effective interagency collaboration, as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversees the operation.

“We saw a lot of ‘firsts’ on this ship’s first deployment and it was amazing to see what this ship and crew was capable of. Looking back, this deployment demonstrated the growing potential for Freedom class LCS and the support they can provide not just in the Caribbean, but in the entire Fourth Fleet AOR,” said Cmdr. Lee Shewmake, USS St. Louis’ executive officer. “There were many lessons learned that the crew took to heart and put in practice as deployment went on, and I believe that is what enabled our success over the past seven months.”

“St. Louis demonstrated the great potential of the LCS Freedom class, not only in executing its assigned missions but also in breaking new ground for the community. The professionalism and dedication of this crew have laid a strong foundation for the future of LCS operations,” said Master Chief Roderick Bolton, St. Louis’ Command Master Chief. “USS St. Louis returns home with its crew proud of their achievements and eager to share lessons learned from this historic deployment. As the U.S. Navy continues to evolve, St. Louis has proven itself a capable and innovative platform, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

USS St. Louis’ maiden deployment to Fourth Fleet was a resounding success, marked by numerous milestones and contributions to naval strategy. The ship’s accomplishments highlight the flexibility and utility of the Littoral Combat Ship platform in tackling modern challenges.