Australia marked another important step on its path to acquire conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) through the AUKUS agreement at a graduation ceremony held last week at the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) in Charleston, South Carolina.
At the ceremony, a group of eight sailors became the first Royal Australian Navy (RAN) enlisted cohort to graduate from the U.S Navy’s naval nuclear power training pipeline. The sailors, alongside five additional RAN officers, began the rigorous NPTU curriculum in October 2024.
The RAN graduates, who trained alongside U.S. Navy personnel, completed the NPTU program that encompasses critical subjects, including mathematics, nuclear physics, reactor principles, and nuclear reactor technology.
The NPTU trains officers, enlisted sailors and civilians for shipboard nuclear power plant operation and maintenance of surface ships and submarines in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear fleet.
As part of the trilateral AUKUS agreement, Australian personnel are embedded in UK and US bases, training facilities, and shipyards in order to build the skills, experience, capacity and capability required for Australia’s sovereign Virginia class SSNs.
“The Nuclear Power Training Unit is rightly considered among the world’s most rigorous naval propulsion training programs” said RADM Thomas Phillips, Head Nuclear
Submarine Capability, Australian Submarine Agency. “This pioneering cohort of sailors and officers have achieved a rare feat that will be so crucial for Australia’s security and prosperity”.
“I remain impressed with the quality of Australian submariners who come through the naval nuclear propulsion training pipeline,” said Capt. Robert Rose, Commander, NPTU Charleston. “Six officers previously completed prototype training, each performing exceptionally well. I fully expect these recent graduates, especially our first enlisted personnel, will excel in the fleet.”
“The opportunity for our U.S. Navy students to train alongside their Australian counterparts is beneficial to both our countries’ Sailors,” said Master Chief Ed Jackson, Engineering Department Master Chief for Naval Reactors. “These Royal Australian Navy sailors will now transition to our submarines to continue their training and qualifications in operating naval nuclear propulsion plants.”
To find out more about ADF submariner jobs, as well as student entry-level pathways visit the Australian Defence Force jobs page at: https://www.defence.gov.au/jobs-careers/adf-jobs.(Opens in a new tab/window)