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AUKUS Quietly Moving Ahead With Arrival of British Sub in Australia

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AUKUS Quietly Moving Ahead With Arrival of British Sub in Australia

By integrating industrial bases and operational practices, Australia and the U.K. are signalling that their partnership is not a relic of history but central to their contemporary strategies.

HMS Anson in transit to HMAS Stirling, February 22, 2026.

This week, HMAS Stirling – Australia’s key submarine base on Garden Island near Perth – hosted the historic arrival of the HMS Anson, the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy’s Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, for an inaugural submarine maintenance period in Australian waters. 

This initial maintenance period is a component of the AUKUS agreement between Australia, the U.K., and the United States. The purpose of this initial visit is for Australian sailors, industry, and defense personnel to work side-by-side with their British and U.S. counterparts to familiarize Australia’s future submarine workforce with the demands of nuclear submarine operations and sustainment. 

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