Long dreamed of by inventors, the first military use of a submarine occurred in the US Civil War, when a Confederate boat powered by hand cranked propellers sunk the USS Housatonic. Industrial advances at the end of the century led to diesel-electric propulsion and the submarine truly came into its own in the First World War, when German U-boats terrorised North Atlantic shipping and the Royal Navy.
The stealth function of submarines revolutionised naval warfare, a function that was only augmented by the arrival of nuclear-powered submarines in the early Cold War. Nuclear-armed submarines have long played a vital role in deterrence among the great powers. But the sheer variety of roles a submarine can play – without being detected – make it an essential asset for any navy.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquired two E-class submarines from the Royal Navy (RN) at the outset of the First World War – the AE1 and the AE2. Both were lost during the conflict, the first off the coast of Rabaul in 1914 and the second during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915. The RAN accepted a gift from the RN in the form of six J-class submarines. Some were damaged en route to Australia and plans for refits were abandoned after their arrival; they were sold for scrap in 1921.
It would be decades before Australia acquired any more submarines. Four Oberon boats were built in Britain and delivered in 1970, with two more to follow in 1977 and 1978. These boats provided long-range surveillance during the Cold War and supported US Navy operations in the Pacific. Though built overseas, maintenance of the Oberon class took place in Australia. But this required recourse to overseas suppliers and training, leading to the idea that Australia would be better served by developing its own industrial capacity to build and service submarines. Hence, the Collins class was born. A $5bn contract for six Collins-class submarines was signed in 1987, and after much effort and some delays, the HMAS Collins was commissioned 27 July 1996.
All six Collins class submarines remain in service. In 2021, it was announced that Australia would acquire nuclear-powered, conventionally armed submarines through the AUKUS partnership with the USA and the United Kingdom. The first of these boats is to be delivered in 2032.
Learn more:
Nuclear-Powered Submarines for Australia: Origin Stories
4th Royal Navy Squadron: Introduction of the Oberons
The importance of stealth in combatting a submarine threat
An effects-based anti-submarine Warfare strategy
A Critical Vulnerability: The Impact of the Submarine Threat on Australia’s Maritime Defence 1915-54