“The idea of Australian crew working with either British or American crews to get experience on British or American vessels in the shorter term is what we are seeking to do,” Marles said in an interview with the LondonTimes.
“Having the opportunity for Australian submariners to gain experience on the submarines of either the United States or the United Kingdom is going to be absolutely fundamental.”
Marles ismaking his first visit to the UK since Labor’s May election victory.
Defence contractor BAE Systems is currently constructing a fleet of nuclear-powered Astute-class submarines for the UK navy at its shipbuilding yards at Barrow-in-Furness,as well as a fleet of Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile submarines.
The US Congress is also considering a bill that would allow Australian submariners to join their American counterparts for training and operations on the US Navy’s nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines.
Under the legislation,at least two Australian submarine officers would be selected each year to train with the US Navy and study at the navy’s Nuclear Propulsion School.
Marles is expected to stress that the UK training announcement does not indicate Australia is leaning one way or the other as it decides whether to acquire nuclear submarines from the US or UK.