HMAS ''Stirling'' is a

Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the navy, naval branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (Australia), Chief of Navy (CN) Vice admiral (Australia), Vice Admiral Mark Hammond (admiral), Ma ...

(RAN) base that is part of Fleet Base West situated on the west coast of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, on the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

. The base is located on Garden Island in the state of

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

, near the city of

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

. Garden Island also has its own military airport on the island . HMAS ''Stirling'' is currently under the command of

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Ken Burleigh, RAN

History

HMAS ''Stirling'' is named after Admiral Sir James Stirling (28 January 1791 – 23 April 1865). Stirling, a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer and colonial administrator, landed on Garden Island, Western Australia in 1827 and returned as commander of the barque ''Parmelia'' in June 1829 to establish and administer the

Swan River Colony The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just ''Swan River'', was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, an ...

in Western Australia. He was the first Governor of Western Australia, serving between 1828 and 1838. The planning of ''Stirling'' began in 1969 when, after it was decided to create the Two-Ocean Policy, a feasibility study into the use of Garden Island as a naval base was begun. The causeway linking the island with the mainland was completed in June 1973. Construction of the wharves and workshops began in early 1973 and accommodation in 1975 with the facility, including the new Fleet Base West, being formally commissioned on 28 July 1978. The first major unit to call ''Fleet Base West'' home was HMAS ''Stuart'', having first been assigned to ''Stirling'' in 1984 for several years and, after refitting in the east, again in 1988 until decommissioning in 1991. The first submarine to be based at ''Stirling'' was HMAS ''Oxley'' in 1987. Later, the headquarters of the Australian Submarine Squadron was relocated there in 1994. ''Stirling'' has expanded significantly within its existing boundaries and is the largest of the RAN's shore establishment, with a base population of approximately 2,300 service personnel, 600 defence civilians and 500 contractors. Amenities included berthing and wharves, vessel repair and refit services, a ship-lift, and a helicopter support facility, as well as medical facilities, fuel storage and accommodation. The base also hosts the Submarine Escape Training Facility – one of only six in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere.

Garden Island

Garden Island is in length, wide, and is in area, with ''Stirling'' occupying approximately 28% of that area. The remaining portion of the Island is nature reserve, the navy has been active in the removal of introduced flora and fauna species. The island has its own quarantine conditions, which prohibit bringing of plants and animals to the island.

Submarine Rotational Forces

In March 2023, the US, UK and Australia announced, as part the

AUKUS AUKUS ( ), also styled as Aukus, is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States intended to "promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable." Initially announced on 15 September ...

security partnership, the Submarine Rotational Forces-West (SRF-W) initiative whereby the US and UK would maintain a permanent rotational presence of nuclear-powered submarines at the base. Under the AUKUS partnership, US and UK submarines will visit ''Stirling more frequently and remain for longer. Australia's nuclear-propelled submarines will be based at ''Stirling'' from the early 2030s.

Ships stationed

''Stirling'' is home port to 10 fleet units, including four ''Anzac'' class

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

s, all six of the ''Collins'' class

submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

s operated by the Royal Australian Navy Submarine Service, and a replenishment vessel.

References

External links