Collins-Class: Australia's Giant Submarine Mistake?

What You Need to Know: Australia’s Collins-class submarines, commissioned in the late 1990s, are the pride of the Royal Australian Navy. With a 3,470-ton displacement, the diesel-electric subs are equipped with Harpoon anti-ship missiles and advanced torpedoes, boasting a range of 11,500 nautical miles.

-These submarines have supported major operations, such as the East Timor mission in 1999, and have participated in U.S. Navy wargames. However, the Collins-class fleet has faced issues, including construction flaws and a near-tragic incident aboard HMAS Dechaineux in 2003.

-Despite challenges, the Collins-class remains in active service and complements Australia’s AUKUS nuclear-submarine partnership with the U.S. and U.K.

Collins-Class Submarine Profile 

When one thinks of the surname Collins in a military context, chances are that people think of the following entities: 

(1) Michael Collins, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) soldier turned Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State

(2) Michael “Mike” Collins, no relation to the previous Michael Collins, the U.S. Air Force Reserve Major General and NASA astronaut who flew the Apollo 11 command module Columbia around the Moon in 1969 with his legendary crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, during the first successful lunar landing. 

Meanwhile, the name Collins also has major significance in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), more specifically the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Say hello to the Collins-class submarines.  

Collins-Class Submarine Early History and Specifications 

Built by ASC Pty Ltd, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation; headquartered in Osborne, South Australia in tandem with Sweden’s Saab Kockums AB and dual-listed Australian-Singaporean shipbuilder Civmec Limited, the Collins-class boats are diesel-electric guided missile submarines (SSGs) named in honor of former RAN Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sir John Augustine Collins, KBE, CB.  

According to ASC’s specific info page on these warships, “The Collins Class project was established in 1982, with design work commencing in 1987,” they were replacements for the RAN’s Oberon-class subs, which were commissioned between 1967 and 1978. 

Accordingly enough, the lead warship of the class is the HMAS Collins (Pennant No. S73), which was laid down on 14 February 1990, and launched on August 28, 1993 and commissioned on July 27, 1996.  

Five other Collins-class subs have been commissioned since then, named after significant RAN personnel who distinguished themselves in action during World War II: 

-HMAS Farncomb (S74); commissioned January 31, 1998 

-HMAS Waller (S75); commissioned July 10, 1999 

-HMAS Dechaineux (S76); commissioned February 23, 2001 

-HMAS Sheean (S77); also commissioned February 23, 2001 

-HMAS Rankin; commissioned March 29, 2003 

The warships bear the following specifications and vital stats: 

-Displacement: 3.47 tonnes fully laden and submerged 

-Hull length: 77.8 m (255.2 ft) 

-Beam Width: 7.8 m (25.5 ft) 

-Draught: 7.0 m (22.9 ft) 

Propulsion:  

-Three Hedemora/Garden Island Type V18B/14 diesels 

-Three Jeumont Schneider generators 

-One MacTaggart Scott DM 43006 hydraulic motor for emergency propulsion 

-Max Speed (submerged): twenty knots (thirty-seven km/h; 23.0 mph)  

-Range: 11,500 nautical miles 

-Test Depth: Over 180 m (590 ft) (actual depth classified) 

-Crew Complement: fourty-eight commissioned officers and enlisted seamen plus trainees 

-Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) Sub Harpoon Block 1B (UGM 84C) anti-ship missiles 

-Six  533 mm 21-in  forward tubes, provisioned for 

-Twenty-two Gould Mk 48 Mod 4/6/7; OR 

-Fourty-four Stonefish Mark III mines 

Operational History 

In 1999, two of the Collins-class boats reportedly operated in support of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET), providing an escort to transport ships and monitoring Indonesian communication. In addition, during multiple multinational exercises and wargames, these subs demonstrated their effectiveness in the hunter-killer role by successfully simulating attacks on both surface warships and other submarines. For good measure, in late May 2000, HMAS Waller became the first Aussie undersea boat to operate as a fully integrated component of a USN carrier battle group during wargames. 

However, for the sake of fairness & balance, it should be noted that at least one Collins-class boat, HMAS Dechaineux,  was involved in a rather inauspicious incident. My colleague Brandon J. Weichert picks up the story in picks up the story, “On February 12, 2003, the HMAS Dechaineux was operating near its maximum safe diving depth off Western Australia when an onboard seawater pipe burst. High-pressure seawater flooded into the lower engine room. This was a significant crisis for the submarine as it was underway…Had the flooding not been staunched for another twenty seconds, the submarine might have sunk below its maximum operational depth, and would have been lost with all hands…It would have been bad enough if the Dechanieux disaster was an isolated event. It was not. The Collins-class submarines had numerous construction issues, high operational costs, and design flaws. The Dechanieux incident only added to the narrative that the Collins-class submarines were not worth the money Australia was investing in them.” 

Collins-Class Where Are They Now? 

Despite those aforementioned troubles, all six Collins-class warships remain in service with the RAN. HMAS Collins is homeported at Fleet Base West; ditto for HMAS Dechainieux. Meanwhile, the RAN continues to press forward with the nuclear submarine construction alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom known as AUKUS.  

About the Author: 

Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ). He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch , The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS). 

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