USS Vermont Visits HMAS Stirling for Second Submarine Maintenance Period in Australia

Mallory Shelbourne – October 29, 2025 5:55 PM

A Virginia-class attack submarine is in port in Australia for the second maintenance period of a nuclear-powered boat on foreign soil.

USS Vermont (SSN-792) pulled into HMAS Stirling on Wednesday for the maintenance overhaul, the Australian Defense Department announced. The boat’s arrival kicks off a maintenance period meant to prepare to rotationally base U.S. and U.K. boats out of Western Australia starting in 2027 as part of the ongoing pursuit of AUKUS.

Vermont has thirteen people from the Royal Australian Navy operating as part of the crew after training in the United States, according to the release. This maintenance period follows the first one last year, when USS Hawaii (SSN-776)) came to Stirling with submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39).

“Unlike the previous maintenance period, this year’s work is being carried out without a tender ship – meaning Australian personnel are taking on even greater responsibility for executing complex maintenance activities on site,” reads the news release. “This will be a significant achievement and a reflection of the progress in upskilling the Australian workforce.”

As part of the ongoing preparation to host boats in Western Australia and eventually build and maintain its own indigenous submarine capability, Australia has sent RAN submariners, ASC shipyard workers and other Australian naval personnel to Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility for training.

“This year’s SMP involves a larger and more complex package of work that more closely reflects the type of maintenance that will be required when Submarine Rotational Force – West begins operations at HMAS Stirling in 2027,” reads the release.

Over the last two years, the U.S. has sent several Virginia-class attack boats to Perth for training in preparation to base submarines out of Stirling in 2027.

“Australia is firmly on track to commence Submarine Rotational Force – West in 2027 which will further accelerate Australia becoming sovereign ready to safely own, operate and maintain our first sovereign Virginia class submarine from the early 2030s,” Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead, the Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency, said in a statement.

Mallory Shelbourne

Mallory Shelbourne is a reporter for USNI News. She previously covered the Navy for Inside Defense and reported on politics for The Hill.
Follow @MalShelbourne