The submarine has been part of the UK Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Indo-Pacific which had recently exercised with a range of Royal Australian Navy units alongside numerous engagements with regional partners.
UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace said:
“The UK, Australia and our Five Eyes intelligence partners have a long history of friendship and our Navies have enjoyed a close and mutually beneficial relationship for over a hundred years.
“With many shared security interests, it is natural that Australia is at the heart of the UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt. The permanent maritime presence in the region provided by HMS Tamar and Spey further demonstrates this resolve and our commitment to a truly Global Britain.”
The visit comes six weeks after the announcement of AUKUS, an enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK and the United States.
Minister for Defence, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, said the submarine’s visit was a testament to the three nations’ commitment to greater cooperation on security and defence capabilities:
“The AUKUS partners have committed to bolstering our collective efforts in meeting the challenges posed by our strategic circumstances in the Indo-Pacific,” Minister Dutton said.
For the record, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) hosted French Navy (Marine Nationale) SSN Emeraude and a support vessel at the same naval base in November 2020.
