An Australian Collins-class submarine, HMAS Waller, simulated sinking the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during multinational naval exercises in the early 2000s, according to American military analyst Caleb Larson.
Writing for 19FortyFive, Larson said the Waller took part in US-led war games near the Hawaiian Islands and in waters north of Australia. The submarine had initially been assigned to a US Navy carrier strike group, but was also given the task of playing an enemy submarine during the drills.
Acting as the adversary, the Waller broke through the carrier group's protective submarine screen and closed in for a covert, close-range look at the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). Under the controlled conditions of the exercise, the Australian boat evaded forces from the United States, Japan, Canada, Chile, South Korea and the United Kingdom, and produced photographic evidence that it had come within torpedo range of the carrier, Larson wrote.
He said the incident was one of several occasions in the early 2000s when Collins-class submarines carried out simulated 'defeats' of US Navy vessels, including mock torpedo attacks on an aircraft carrier as well as on nuclear-powered attack submarines.
Collins-Class Submarines
The Royal Australian Navy's diesel-electric Collins-class submarines entered service in the late 1990s, replacing the older Oberon-class boats, which had lagged behind their counterparts in the Royal Navy and the US Navy. Larson said the Collins-class went on to earn respect internationally for its performance in multinational exercises, with its reputation peaking in the early 2000s during drills alongside the world's most powerful navy, the US Navy.
AUKUS and the French Deal
Larson noted that Australia announced a trilateral defence partnership with the United Kingdom and the United States in 2021, known as AUKUS. The pact marked only the second time the US has shared the closely guarded nuclear propulsion technology that powers American submarines.
The analyst said the decision angered France, Australia's previous defence partner. In 2016, Canberra had signed a deal with French firm Naval Group to build a fleet of 12 diesel-electric submarines based on a modified version of France's Barracuda-class boats. Larson said the offers from Britain and the United States ultimately proved too attractive for Australia to turn down.
According to rumours cited by Larson, Naval Group learned its agreement with Australia had collapsed only hours before AUKUS was publicly announced.
What Happens to the Collins Fleet
Larson said AUKUS does not spell an immediate end for the Collins-class. Before Australia can put nuclear-powered submarines into service, it needs to expand its defence industrial base to maintain them, and its sailors must master the safety procedures, technology and operational skills required to run nuclear boats.
He said the Collins-class submarines could remain in service with the Royal Australian Navy into the late 2030s under a comprehensive life-extension programme. By that point, Larson said, the ageing submarines will likely not carry out any further strikes, real or simulated.
Indonesia's Long-Range Submarines
Separately, Indonesia has begun building a new generation of Scorpène Evolved submarines capable of staying submerged for up to 80 days without surfacing. The project is being carried out by state shipbuilder PT PAL in partnership with France's Naval Group.
Construction of the two submarines, valued at around $2 billion, began at a shipyard in Surabaya, with work on the first hull starting this month and the keel of the second vessel due to be laid in 2027. The first Scorpène Evolved submarine is expected to be delivered to the Indonesian Navy in 2032, with the second following a year later.
