AUKUS Alliance: US Teaches Australian Navy How to Retain 20% of Their Nuclear Trained Submarine Officers

Source: Australian submarine force 5 years away from reduced manning goals

Australia will partner with the United States to retain 20% of their submarine junior officers. Australia’s nuclear submarine officer retention program was unveiled in a joint address by President Joe Biden yesterday evening.

Australia will consult with the United States for their retention program over the next 18 months and their submarine fleet is projected to be as undermanned as the United States fleet by 2028.

Nuclear trained operators will monitor the reactor plant, but unlike American subs, nuclear trained operators will only stand watch in the engine room.

The United States hasn’t shared its nuclear trained submarine officer retention strategy with another country since the mid-20th century, when it partnered with the United Kingdom in order to reduce their retention rates below 30%.

Specifics of the deal have not yet been released, but it is expected that Australia will copy the basics of the American submarine junior officer retention strategy to include the following:

·         Limiting sleep to five hours per night

·         Multiple data collection messages

·         Enhanced critique implementation

·         Implementation of the OSO

·         Increased red detailing to prototype by 125%

·         A $40,000 bonus per year

The Australian Navy considered increasing the minimum JO service requirement from 5 years to 10 years but soon realized that such a proposal would likely reduce the number of individuals volunteering for submarine service in the first place.