Australia's Virginia-class submarines

Why Australia is buying US nuclear-powered submarines before its own design is ready, and what has been agreed so far.

Explainer · Updated 26 October 2026

The Virginia class is the US Navy's current attack submarine. Under AUKUS, the United States intends to sell some of these boats to Australia. They are the second phase of the Optimal Pathway, between the rotational presence at HMAS Stirling and the arrival of Australia's own SSN-AUKUS submarines.

This page explains how many boats are involved, when they are due, what the US Congress has approved, and how the plan has changed.

Why buy submarines from the US?

Australia's own nuclear-powered design, SSN-AUKUS, is not expected to be delivered from an Australian shipyard until the early 2040s [1]. Australia's current Collins-class fleet is due to retire [1][7].

The 2023 White House fact sheet said the Virginia-class sale "ensures Australia sustains its undersea capabilities until SSN-AUKUS is ready, given the planned retirement of Australia's current fleet of submarines" [1]. It also said the sale would help Australia grow its ability to own and operate nuclear-powered submarines and provide a sovereign capability "at the earliest possible date" [1].

The Prime Minister's media release put it more simply: delivering Virginia-class boats "from as early as the 2030s" is meant to ensure "there is no capability gap" [8].

How many, and when?

The plan announced on 13 March 2023 is that, beginning in the early 2030s and pending approval from the US Congress, the United States intends to sell Australia three Virginia-class submarines, with the potential to sell up to two more if needed [1][2].

The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) says the sale was authorised by the US Congress in December 2023, and that Australia retains the option to seek approval for up to two more [3].

What the US Congress approved

On 15 December 2023, the US Congress passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). According to the ASA, the Act:

authorises the transfer of three Virginia-class submarines to Australia, at that time described as two in-service submarines and one off the production line, with the option of up to two more;
sets a maximum of 45 days for US decisions on defence exports not covered by the national exemption from US export licensing;
adds Australia and the UK to Title III of the US Defense Production Act [4].

The 2026 change: three in-service boats

On 30 May 2026, AUKUS defence ministers met in Singapore. Their joint statement welcomed a proposed approach to streamline the purchase, which "would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants" [5]. VCS is short for Virginia-class submarine.

The ministers said the approach was meant to simplify supply chain management and operational and maintenance requirements, and to maximise cost efficiencies [5]. In practice, the statement describes all three boats as coming from the US Navy's existing fleet rather than one being newly built.

Paying into US shipbuilding

Selling submarines to Australia means the US Navy has to keep enough boats for its own needs. The 2023 fact sheet said Australia had committed to a proportionate financial investment in the US submarine industrial base to speed up delivery of Virginia-class submarines [1].

The ASA says this contribution is US$3 billion, to support increased production and maintenance capacity in the US submarine industrial base [6]. On 20 October 2026, ground was broken on a Propulsor Center of Excellence being set up by the Bird-Johnson Propeller Company in Pascagoula, Mississippi, supported by combined Australian and US investment [6].

Getting ready to operate them

Owning nuclear-powered submarines needs trained crews, maintainers and regulators. Several steps are under way:

Training in the US. The 2023 fact sheet said the US accepted its first Royal Australian Navy personnel into nuclear propulsion training in 2022, and that Australian submariners already trained aboard US and UK submarines [1].
Training numbers. The ASA says more than 290 Australian personnel are in the US training pipeline, about 150 of them at sea [6].
Postings to Virginia-class boats. A parliamentary committee reported that Royal Australian Navy officers were posted to US Virginia-class submarines after graduating from their training [7].
Maintenance at HMAS Stirling. The ASA says Australia is expected to provide about 1,800 days of cumulative maintenance in partnership with the US Navy, from the start of SRF-West until the first Virginia-class submarine is transferred in the early 2030s [6].

Our HMAS Stirling and SRF-West explainer covers the base where this work happens.

Conventionally armed

Like SSN-AUKUS, the Virginia-class boats Australia acquires will be conventionally armed and nuclear-powered. Australia has committed that it does not and will not seek nuclear weapons [1]. The fuel arrives in sealed, welded power units that are not meant to need refuelling during the submarine's life [1]. See our non-proliferation explainer for detail.

How the Virginia class fits the bigger plan

The Virginia-class boats are a bridge, not the end point. The long-term fleet is SSN-AUKUS, to be built in Adelaide and operated by both Australia and the UK [1]. Running Virginia-class boats first gives Australian crews and maintainers experience with naval nuclear propulsion before Australian-built boats arrive [1]. Read our SSN-AUKUS explainer for the next phase, and our budget explainer for what it all costs.

Key terms

VCS. Virginia-class submarine, the abbreviation used in the May 2026 ministerial statement [5].
In-service. A submarine already operating with the US Navy, as opposed to a newly built boat [4][5].
Industrial base. The shipyards and suppliers that build and maintain submarines. Australia is helping fund the US industrial base [6].

Frequently asked questions

How many Virginia-class submarines is Australia buying?

Three, with the option to seek approval for up to two more [3].

When will Australia get its first Virginia-class submarine?

The plan is from the early 2030s, pending US Congressional approval [1].

Are the submarines new or second-hand?

The 2023 NDAA authorisation described two in-service boats and one off the production line [4]. In May 2026, ministers welcomed an approach for Australia to acquire three in-service boats instead [5].

Sources

Checked 26 Oct 2026. AUKUS Defense is an independent site, not affiliated with any government. Plans and figures may change; check the sources above for the latest.