Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service

The Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service is the collective name of the submarine element of the Royal Australian Navy. The service currently forms the Navy's Submarine Force Element Group and consists of six "Collins" class submarines.

The Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service has been established four times, with the initial three attempts being foiled by combat losses and Australia's economic problems. The modern Submarine Service was established in 1964 and has formed an important element of the Australian military's capacity since that date. While the Submarine Service has not seen combat since World War I, Australian submarines have conducted extensive surveillance operations throughout South East Asia.

History

The Royal Australian Navy's submarine service has been established four times since 1914.Royal Australian Navy [http://www.navy.gov.au/history/subhistory.html A Brief History of the Royal Australian Navy's Submarine Service] Dead link|date=September 2008] Dead link|date=September 2008

1914 to 1945

Australia's first submarines were the British E class submarines "AE1" and "AE2". These submarines were built in Britain and arrived in Australia in 1914. Following the outbreak of World War I, both boats took part in the occupation of Rabaul in German New Guinea in September 1914. During this operation "AE1" disappeared on 14 September off Cape Gazelle, New Britain. It is probable that she was wrecked on a reef during a practice dive, [Arthur W. Jose (1941). [http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=10 "The Royal Australian Navy, 1914–1918"] . Page 97.] although as of 2008 she is yet to be found.

"AE2" remained in the South Pacific until December 1914, when she was ordered to the Mediterranean to support the British-led operations off the Galipoli peninsula in Turkey. "AE2" was the first British submarine to penetrate the Dardenelles, achieving this task on 25 April 1915. "AE2" operated in the Sea of Marmora for five days before being damaged by a Turkish gunboat and scuttled by her crew on 30 April. During this operation, "AE2" made four unsuccessful attacks on Turkish ships. These attacks are the only occasions an Australian submarine has fired in anger. [Jose (1941). Pages 240-248.]

The Australian submarine service was reformed in 1919, when the British government transferred five J Class submarines to Australia (HMAS "J1", "J2", "J3", "J4", "J5", and "J7"). These submarines arrived in Australia with their tender HMAS "Platypus" in April 1919 and were based at Osborne House, Geelong from early 1920. The boats were in poor mechanical condition, however, and spent most of their service in refit. Due to Australia's worsening economic situation, all five boats were decommissioned in 1922 and were scuttled later in the decade.Dead link|date=September 2008

The Australian submarine service was established a third time in 1927 when the British O Class submarines HMAS "Oxley" and HMAS "Otway" were commissioned. These submarines sailed from Portsmouth for Sydney on 8 February 1928, but did not arrive in Australia until 14 February 1929; numerous mechanical problems delayed their delivery voyage. [John Davison and Tom Allibone (2005). "Beneath Southern Seas: The Silent Service". University of Western Australia Press. Page 126.] [Stevens Pg 86] Due to Australia's poor economic situation, the O Class boats proved to be unaffordable and were placed in reserve in 1930, before transferring back to the Royal Navy in 1931. As a result, the Royal Australian Navy did not operate any submarines during World War II, though the obsolete Dutch submarine "K.IX" was commissioned as the HMAS "K9" for anti-submarine warfare training purposes between 22 June 1943 and 31 March 1944. [Submarines Association of Australia [http://submarinesaustralia.com/history/SM_the_pioneers.htm The Pioneers] ]

The Australian ports of Fremantle and Brisbane were important bases for Allied submarines during World War II. A total of 122 United States Navy, 31 Royal Navy and 11 Royal Netherlands Navy submarines conducted patrols from Australian bases between 1942 and 1945. Fremantle was the second largest Allied submarine base in the Pacific Theatre after Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. [Davison and Allibone (2005). Page 219.]

1945 to present

Following World War II the Royal Navy's 4th Submarine Flotilla was based in Sydney from 1949 until 1969. The role of this Flotilla, which varied in size between two and three boats, was to support the Royal Australian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy in anti-submarine warfare training, with the operating cost split between the two nations. In the early 1960s, the British Government advised the Australian Government that as it was reducing its conventional submarine force the Royal Navy would no longer be able to base submarines in Australia.

The impending withdrawal of the British submarine flotilla sparked the fourth attempt to establish an Australian submarine service. While the Department of Defence advised the government that three to six submarines should be purchased for training purposes, following the intervention of then-Senator John Gorton the Government instead approved the purchase of eight submarines to form a submarine strike force. Eight British "Oberon" class submarines were ordered in 1964, to be built in Scotland in two batches of four boats. Only six boats were delivered, however, as the order for the second batch of "Oberons" was reduced to two boats when it was placed in 1971. These final two boats were more capable than the previous four as they were fitted with advanced communications monitoring equipment. [Michael W.D. White (1992). "Australian Submarines: A History". AGPS Press, Canberra. Pages 191-200] The resources saved by cancelling the seventh and eighth "Oberons" were used to purchase an additional ten A-4 Skyhawk aircraft to improve HMAS "Melbourne"’s strike force. [Alastair Cooper (2001) '1955-1972: The Era of Forward Defence' in "The Royal Australian Navy. A History". David Stevens (ed), Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Page 194.]

The first Australian "Oberon" class submarine, HMAS "Oxley", was commissioned on 21 March 1967. She was followed by her sister ships; "Otway" (1968), "Ovens" (1969), "Onslow" (1969), "Orion" (1977) and "Otama" (1978). All of the Oberon class submarines were based at HMAS "Platypus", on Sydney Harbour. The "Oberon"s proved very successful and saw extensive service during the last decades of the Cold War. This service included conducting risky surveillance missions against India and Communist nations in South East Asia. [ [http://www.rslnsw.com.au/uploads/CatMouse.pdf 'Cat and Mouse'] in "Reveille", September/October 2006.] These missions were cancelled in 1992 when an Australian submarine, believed to be "Otama", became tangled in fishing nets and was forced to surface in the South China Sea. [ [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20369790-5001021,00.html "Undersea missions to surface"] . The Daily Telegraph, 7 September 2006.] As part of the Government's Two Ocean Navy policy submarines were homeported at HMAS "Stirling" in West Australia from 1987 and the headquarters of the Australian Submarine Squadron moved to HMAS "Stirling" in 1994.Dead link|date=September 2008 The "Oberon" class boats began were gradually decommissioned and replaced with new "Collins" class submarines during the 1990s. The final "Oberon" class boat, HMAS " Otama", was decommissioned on 15 December 2000. [Australian Submarines Association [http://submarinesaustralia.com/plank_images_oberon/planksob.htm The Oberon Era] ]

The six "Collins" class submarines were the first Australian-built submarines, and the most expensive ships to have been built in Australia. The "Collins" class submarines were built by the Australian Submarine Corporation at Adelaide, South Australia and entered service between 1996 and 2003 following extensive trials and modifications to the early boats in the class. The dedicated trials and submarine rescue ship HMAS "Protector" supported these trials between 1992 and 1998. Tests conducted on HMAS "Collins" after she was provisionally commissioned in 1996 revealed serious shortcomings in the submarine's performance, including excessive hull noise and an ineffective combat system. These problems were subsequently rectified and the "Collins" class submarines currently rank among the most effective conventional submarines in the world. [Tom Frame (2004). "No Pleasure Cruise. The Story of the Royal Australian Navy.". Allen & Unwin, Sydney. Pages 284-285.]

Like the "Oberon" class, the "Collins" class submarines have conducted surveillance patrols. These patrols have included collecting intelligence on East Timor ahead of the Australian-led intervention into the then-Indonesian province in 1999. [Paul Daley " [http://www.etan.org/et2000c/august/27-31/29terms.htm Terms of Engagement] ". The Age 29 August 2000.] While the Collins class submarines' performance has improved over time, their maximum diving depth was permanently reduced following the near-loss of HMAS "Dechaineux" when a pipe burst during a practice dive in February 2003. [" [http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Navy-forced-to-reduce-subs-diving-depth/2005/07/23/1121539174654.html Navy forced to reduce subs' diving depth] ". The Age 23 July 2005.]

In 1998 the Royal Australian Navy became only the second Navy in the world to permit women to serve onboard submarines. The first female submariners began their training at the Submarine Training and Systems Centre in June 1998. [Australian Parliamentry Library E-Brief [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/fad/women_armed.htm Women in the armed forces: the role of women in the Australian Defence Force] ]

The Submarine Service today

The Royal Australian Navy Submarine Force Element Group and all six of the "Collins" Class submarines are located at HMAS "Stirling" at Rockingham, Western Australia. The majority of the Navy's submarine support facilities are also located at HMAS "Stirling". These include the Submarine Escape Training Facility and the civilian-manned Australian Submarine Rescue Vehicle Remora. [ [http://www.navy.gov.au/Submarine_Rescue_Vehicle Submarine Rescue Vehicle] ]

Under current Royal Australian Navy doctrine, the Submarine Service has the following responsibilities: [Seapower Centre - Australia. [http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:Navy_Contribution_to_Australian_Maritime_Operations Navy Contribution to Australian Maritime Operations] ]
*intelligence collection and surveillance;
*maritime strike and interdiction;
*barrier operations;
*advanced force operations;
*layered defence;
*interdiction of shipping;
*containment by distraction; and
*support to operations on land

In early 2007, it was reported that Submarine Service was experiencing severe shortfalls in personnel and had only 70% of its authorised strength of 500 sailors. These shortfalls were reported to have reduced the service's operational readiness and forced HMAS "Collins" to be temporarily withdrawn from service. [cite news |first=Patrick |last=Walters |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Higher pay for sailors in subs |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21478658-31477,00.html |work=The Australian |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2007-03-31]

Future submarines

The "Collins" class submarines will begin to reach the end of their useful life from 2026. [Submarine Institute of Australia. [http://www.submarineinstitute.com/?doc=42 Australia’s Future Underwater Warfare Capability – Project SM 2020] ] In order to meet the in-service date of 2026, advanced design work on the next generation of Australian submarines will begin by 2014-15. At this very early stage, it appears probable that the submarines will be Australian-built conventional submarines equipped with air independent propulsion and advanced combat and communications systems. [Patrick Walters (2006). "Cutting Edge: The Collins experance". Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Canberra. Pages 10-11.]

In December 2007 the Australian Government authorised the Navy to begin planning for the "Collins" class' replacement. The Navy will research options for the submarines and will report back to the government in 2011. The contract for the new boats is planned to be signed in 2014 or 2015 with the first new submarine entering service in 2025. It is expected that the submarines will be built by ASC in Adelaide. [cite news |first=Cameron |last=Stewart |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Navy's new lethal subs |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22971955-601,00.html |work= |publisher=The Australian |date=2007-12-26 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ]

Traditions

Australian sailors who qualify as submariners are awarded a badge depicting two dolphins and a crown. This badge (known as a sailor's 'dolphins') was introducted in 1964 or 1965 and was adopted by the Royal Navy Submarine Service in 1972. [cite web |url=http://www.navy.gov.au/general/subbadge.htm |title=Australian Submarine Dolphins |accessdate=2007-12-27 |format=Royal Australian Navy website |work= Dead link|date=September 2008] Dead link|date=September 2008

ee also

* Royal Navy Submarine Service
* Submarines in the United States Navy

Notes

References

* Royal Australian Navy [http://www.navy.gov.au/history/subhistory.html A Brief History of the Royal Australian Navy's Submarine Service] Dead link|date=September 2008
* Royal Australian Navy [http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:The_Trade The Trade]
* Seapower Centre - Australia. [http://www.navy.gov.au/Publication:Navy_Contribution_to_Australian_Maritime_Operations Navy Contribution to Australian Maritime Operations]
* [http://submarinesaustralia.com/index.htm Submarines Association of Australia website]
* [http://www.submarineinstitute.com/?doc=11&pwid=19522c84fc83697436b4247fb3af4a57 Submarine Institute of Australia website]
* Paul Daley " [http://www.etan.org/et2000c/august/27-31/29terms.htm Terms of Engagement] ". The Age 29 August 2000.
* [http://www.rslnsw.com.au/uploads/CatMouse.pdf 'Cat and Mouse'] in "Reveille", September/October 2006.
* [http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20369790-5001021,00.html "Undersea missions to surface"] . The Daily Telegraph, 7 September 2006.
* Australian Parliamentry Library E-Brief [http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/fad/women_armed.htm Women in the armed forces: the role of women in the Australian Defence Force]
* John Davison and Tom Allibone (2005). "Beneath Southern Seas: The Silent Service". University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 1-920694-62-5
* Tom Frame (2004). "No Pleasure Cruise. The Story of the Royal Australian Navy." Allen & Unwin, Sydney. ISBN 1-74114-233-4
* CDR David M. Hendricks, USN [http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/cno/n87/usw/issue_4/submarine_royalaustralian.html The Submarine Force of the Royal Australian Navy]
* Arthur W. Jose (1941). [http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=10 "The Royal Australian Navy, 1914–1918"] .
* David Stevens (ed) (2001). "The Royal Australian Navy. A History". Oxford University Press, Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-555542-2
* Patrick Walters (2006). [http://www.aspi.org.au/publications/publication_details.aspx?ContentID=86&pubtype=6 "Cutting Edge: The Collins experance"] . Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Canberra.
* Michael W.D. White (1992). "Australian Submarines: A History". AGPS Press, Canberra. ISBN 0-644-24397-X