The U.S. Navy has announced that the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Mississippi (SSN 782) arrived at Royal Australian Navy HMAS Stirling Naval Base, Australia, for a scheduled port visit, Nov. 28.
Mississippi is visiting HMAS Stirling Naval Base to enhance interoperability, communication, and strengthen relationships among like-minded nations.
During the port visit, Mississippi will be conducting interoperability training with personnel from the Royal Australian Navy.
Following Mississippi’s arrival, Commander, Submarine Group (CSG) 7/Task Force (CTF) 54/CTF 74 Rear Adm. Rick Seif, Commanding Officer of Mississippi Cmdr. Edward Barry, and U.S. Consul General Siriana Nair participated in a press conference to welcome the submarine to HMAS Stirling Naval Base.
“The Alliance between Australia and the United States is longstanding, it is enduring, and it is ironclad,” said Seif. “This training is important because it improves our combined readiness in the undersea domain, and the credible, integrated deterrence that comes from that combined readiness.”
While in port, the submarine will host tours for local dignitaries and media. The crew is also scheduled to volunteer their time at a local Australian wildlife rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation facility, and they look forward to enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation at Perth’s tourist attractions during their time off the submarine.
“The United States and Australia have an incredible friendship, and we’re excited to work with our Allies to enhance security and stability across the region,” said Cmdr. Edward Barry, commanding officer of Mississippi. “Additionally, my crew is eager to enjoy Perth’s beaches, restaurants, and hospitality.”
Mississippi is one of six Virginia-class fast-attack submarines homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The submarine is 377-feet long, displaces 7,800 tons, and is equipped to carry torpedoes and Tomahawk missiles. It possesses the capacity to insert special operations forces into a multitude of environments and battlefield scenarios.
Virginia-class submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class attack submarines, designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines, 29 of which have already been decommissioned.
The last Virginia-class submarine to visit HMAS Stirling Naval Base was USS Texas (SSN 775) in January of 2020.