Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Australia-United States Submarine Officer Pipeline Act”.
Australia-United States Submarine Officer Pipeline Act
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a joint training pipeline between the United States Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Establishment of joint training pipeline between United States Navy and Royal Australian Navy
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—
the AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States presents a significant opportunity to enhance security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region;
parties to the AUKUS partnership should work expeditiously to implement a strategic roadmap to successfully deliver capabilities outlined in the agreement;
the United States should engage with industry partners to develop a comprehensive understanding of the requirements needed to increase capacity and capability;
Australia should continue to expand its industrial base to support production and delivery of future capabilities;
the delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine to the Government of Australia would require the appropriate training and development of future commanding officers to operate such submarines for the Royal Australian Navy; and
in order to uphold the stewardship of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, the Secretary of Defense should work to coordinate an exchange program to integrate and train Australian sailors for the operation and maintenance of nuclear-powered submarines.
Exchange program— The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall carry out an exchange program for Australian submarine officers during 2023 and each subsequent year. Under the program, each year, two Australian submarine officers shall be selected to participate in the program. Each such participant shall—
receive training in the Navy Nuclear Propulsion School;
following such training and by not later than July 1 of the year of participation, enroll in the Submarine Office Basic Course; and
following completion of such course, be assigned to duty on an operational United States submarine at sea.
Report— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) a report on a notional exchange program for Australian submarine officers that includes initial, follow-on, and recurring training that could be provided to Australian submarine officers in order to prepare such officers for command of nuclear-powered Australian submarines.