HMS Anson arriving at HMAS Stirling – the Astute-class boat’s first visit Down Under (Picture: MOD)

HMS Anson in transit to HMAS Stirling (Picture: MOD)

HMS Anson's embeded Royal Australian Navy personnel (Picture: MOD)

AUKUS written on military uniform — The visit is as part of the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the United States, known as (Picture: MOD)

The Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Beattie and Vice Admiral Mead meet with HMS Anson's crew (Picture: MOD)

HMS Anson's crew closed up on the casing as the boat arrives into Australia (Picture: MOD)

HMS Anson crew line the casting during a historic visit to Australia (Picture: MOD)

HMS Anson arriving into HMAS Stirling (Picture: MOD)

Indigenous Leader Barry Winmar conducts the welcome ceremony for HMS Anson (Picture: MOD)

Navy

HMS Anson docks in Australia as Aukus partners begin first joint maintenance work

A Royal Navy submarine has arrived in Western Australia for maintenance in what the Ministry of Defence is calling a milestone for the Aukus partnership.

HMS Anson, an Astute-class attack submarine, docked at HMAS Stirling on Garden Island near Perth on Sunday.

Australian personnel will work alongside UK engineers to carry out maintenance on the submarine for the first time, as part of efforts to build the skills needed to sustain a nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

"The crew of HMS Anson is very excited to be in Australia for this visit – the next step in the Aukus partnership," Commanding Officer of HMS Anson Commander Aaron Williams said.

"After travelling over 8,000 nautical miles we're ready to show Australia and the region what these submarines have to offer."

The Aukus partnership has ushered in a new era in submarine detection

Aukus is the trilateral security partnership between the UK, Australia, and the United States, centred on the construction of new attack submarines for Australia.

"This visit represents far more than a port call; it is a demonstration of the deep trust, shared purpose, and collective ambition at the heart of Aukus," Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Paul Beattie said.

The visit will include work on the submarine's hydraulic systems, in-water engineering tasks and simulated emergency response exercises.

It follows an Aukus defence ministers' meeting in Washington DC in December 2025, where Defence Secretary John Healey MP and his counterparts said they were "full steam ahead" on delivering the programme.