More than 100 Australian personnel are already carrying out or overseeing maintenance on USS Colorado at the base. “Across HMAS Stirling today, Australians are working alongside partners from the United States and United Kingdom to maintain USS Colorado and build the skills needed to support Australia’s future submarine capability,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.
The rotations, under Submarine Rotational Force-West, will help Australia develop the skills to own, operate, maintain and regulate its own fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s, the government said. It expects the submarine program to support more than 20,000 jobs across Australia over 30 years.
The new funding will support at least 275 apprentices and trainees in Western Australia and South Australia, with more places expected through South Australia’s expanded degree apprenticeship program. The government will extend the Shipbuilding Employment Pathways program from South Australia to Western Australia and continue the Defence Industry Pathways Program in South Australia.
In South Australia, the new Tradie2Trainer program will help experienced tradespeople become instructors in welding, fabrication, and mechanical and electrical work. A separate two-year program will give up to 100 people early in their careers hands-on experience in quality control, project scheduling and logistics across both states.
The training strategy is aimed at people entering the workforce, changing careers or bringing existing trade skills into the defense industry, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said. “These initiatives will help Australian workers build in-demand skills while giving Australian industry first access to the talent needed to support submarine construction, sustainment and SRF-West into the future,” he said.
Australia is also investing A$8 billion in upgrades at Stirling, where work on Diamantina Pier will add secure berths and improve shore power. The government is building emergency management facilities at the base and says construction across the projects supports an average of 475 workers on site each day.
The new Submarine Training Centre is on track for completion in early 2027 and will house Virginia-class training systems and simulators for future Australian crews. The government says it will be the first facility outside the United States to use that training capability and the only one to house the full suite under one roof.
