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Defense & Security · North America

USS Colorado selected for submarine rotations at Australian base

The Pentagon selected the Hawaii-based USS Colorado as the first submarine assigned to Submarine Rotational Force-West in Australia. The Virginia-class vessel is due to arrive there later next year, and the U.S. Navy reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 to support the rotations in June.

AI-assisted synthesis · Based on 4 outlets' reporting · Article text read from 1 of 4 outletsHow it's made

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4 outlets2 regionsLatest reporting 3 min read
Coverage: Mostly CenterL 0 · C 2 · R 1 · 1 unrated
Updat3 graphic: United States
Updat3 graphic · Map data: Natural Earth Natural Earth (public domain)

What happened

Key facts

  • The Pentagon announced that USS Colorado will be the first submarine assigned to Submarine Rotational Force-West in Australia.
  • The United States reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 to support the rotations; the Navy has not identified the full squadron lineup.
  • USS Colorado is a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
  • The rotational force is projected to include up to four U.S. fast-attack submarines and one from the United Kingdom at HMAS Stirling, near Perth.
  • The rotational fleet is part of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The brief

The Pentagon has selected the Hawaii-based USS Colorado as the first submarine assigned to Submarine Rotational Force-West in Australia, according to Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon announced the assignment on Monday. The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine is scheduled to arrive in Australia later next year.

The Navy reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 in June to support the rotations. USS Colorado is currently based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, where it has been homeported since April 2024 after moving from Connecticut. The assignment places the submarine in the planned rotational force for Australia; the account does not give a more precise arrival date.

USS Colorado was commissioned in March 2018 and was the Navy’s 15th Virginia-class submarine. The vessel is 377 feet long and carries a crew of 130 submariners. Those details identify the submarine selected for the deployment and the size of its crew. Australia is also planning to acquire three used Virginia-class submarines of its own.

The plan, outlined in June by Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and reported by the United States Study Centre at the University of Sydney, anticipates a fleet of 14 boats spanning three types by the 2040s. The planned acquisitions are separate from the assignment of USS Colorado to the rotational force.

The Pentagon’s selection makes USS Colorado the first vessel named for Submarine Rotational Force-West. Stars and Stripes describes the deployment as due later next year, while the announcement itself is dated only to Monday in its account. The article does not state a specific calendar date for the announcement or give a more exact timetable for the submarine’s arrival.

For now, the concrete next step identified is the scheduled deployment of USS Colorado to Australia and the Navy’s preparation for rotations through the reactivated Submarine Squadron 3. Australia’s longer-term plan, as described by Richard Marles and reported by the University of Sydney center, is for its own fleet to reach 14 boats of three types by the 2040s.

Why it matters

  • The assignment places a submarine with a 130-person crew in the planned rotational force in Australia.
  • The U.S. Navy reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 specifically to support the rotations.
  • Australia's stated fleet plan includes three used Virginia-class submarines and a projected total of 14 boats across three types by the 2040s.

What to watch next

  • Whether the Pentagon and Navy carry out USS Colorado's scheduled deployment to Australia later next year.
  • Whether Submarine Squadron 3 supports the planned rotations as intended.
  • Whether Australia proceeds with its plan to acquire three used Virginia-class submarines.
  • Whether Australia's fleet reaches the projected 14 boats of three types by the 2040s.

How it's being covered

Coverage analysisShow details
4 source articles · 4 unique outlets
Outlet political mix: Mostly Center· 2 Center · 1 Right · 1 unrated
Where the outlets are based: Unknown 50% · US/Canada 25% · Other 25%
Outlet political mix
Mostly Center
Left
Center
Right
0 outlets
2 outlets
1 outlet
The marker shows coverage balance: each unique outlet counts once. 1 unrated outlet is not included.
Geography
Where the outlets covering this story are based.
4 unique outletsDominant coverage: US/Canada
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Timeline

Developments from this story's sources, dated background we compiled and fact-checked, and our earlier coverage. Each row says which.
  1. Australia had signed the French submarine agreement in 2016.
    Background · from our historical context
  2. Australia selected France’s DCNS to build its next fleet of submarines.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3
  3. USS Colorado was commissioned in March 2018 and was the Navy’s 15th Virginia-class submarine.
    Reported in this story's sourcesSource:stripes.com
  4. The rotation grew out of AUKUS, the security partnership Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced on September 15, 2021.
    Background · from our historical context
  5. In March 2023, the three governments described the planned rotations as “Submarine Rotational Force-West” and said the force would initially include U.S. Virginia-class and British Astute-class submarines.
    Background · from our historical context
  6. The immediate strategic backdrop was the AUKUS submarine pathway announced on March 13, 2023, by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
    Background · from our historical context
  7. In April 2024, USS Colorado moved from Connecticut to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, placing the Virginia-class submarine at a U.S. base in the Pacific.
    Background · from our historical context
  8. The U.S. Navy reactivated Submarine Squadron 3 to support submarine rotations in Australia.
    Background · compiled and fact-checked by Updat3

How we got here

The immediate strategic backdrop was the AUKUS submarine pathway announced on March 13, 2023, by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. It included plans for a U.S. and British submarine rotational presence at HMAS Stirling, near Perth, beginning in 2027.

The arrangement was designed to build Australian expertise in operating nuclear-powered submarines before Australia receives its own. In April 2024, USS Colorado moved from Connecticut to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, placing the Virginia-class submarine at a U.S. base in the Pacific.

Original sources

4 articles from 4 outlets

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