Australia must recruit more to crew Aukus submarines, retired admiral warns

Australia faces a steep challenge in recruiting and training enough naval personnel for its future fleet of nuclear‑powered submarines, a retired admiral warned, The Guardian reported. The warning came as the U.S. Virginia‑class submarine USS Colorado docked at HMAS Stirling south of Perth for a month of routine maintenance and to help build Australian expertise. Retired admiral Peter Briggs said the shortage of crew members is one of the "huge issues" confronting the program. He added that more people need to be enrolled in the navy’s submarine training pipeline to meet the demands of the $368 billion Aukus partnership. The arrival of the USS Colorado is intended to give Australian sailors hands‑on experience as the country prepares for the new vessels.

Why it matters

Insufficient crew could delay the deployment of the costly Aukus submarines, affecting Australia’s defence capabilities.

Key details

Location

Australia · Oceania

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

28 Oct 2026, 18:16 IST

Key names

Aukus, USS Colorado, Perth, Peter Briggs

Section

World

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianAustralia must recruit hundreds more to crew Aukus submarines, retired admiral warns 28 Oct, 18:16

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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