Aussie sailors to learn UK nuclear sub secrets

Submariners from Australia will be allowed to train aboard Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines and access sensitive technology that has been kept secret from foreign nations for decades.

Although Norwegian and French personnel have been inside British boats, they have been restricted from accessing areas beyond the bulkhead where the nuclear reactor technology is placed.

Under plans being discussed by British and Australian ministers, naval officers would be allowed to see nuclear engineering at work for the first time.

In an exclusive interview with The Times, Richard Marles, Australia’s deputy prime minister and defence minister, said his country’s submarine crews needed to ‘‘evolve’’ from working on diesel-electric submarines to nuclear-powered ones so they could confront future threats.

A Royal Navy source said: ‘‘We protect UK technology very closely. This is a first-time agreement where we can give Australians access to that. It’s a really big gift.’’

Australia is to become the seventh nation to operate nuclear-powered submarines, as part of the landmark Aukus pact agreed by the United

States, Britain and Australia last year.

The training is likely to take place on the UK’S Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines, rather than Vanguardclass ballistic missile submarines, because they have the newest reactor technology.

Marles said his government had not yet decided which nuclear-powered submarines – British or American – were best to replace Australia’s ageing conventional submarine fleet. He was planning to announce the choice early next year.

NATO Australia’s nuclear submariners are likely to receive their nuclear engineering training on British Astute-class attack submarines.