Australian Naval Institute

25 July 2024

Source: https://navalinstitute.com.au/aukus-navy-chiefs-meet/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_source_platform=mailpoet&utm_campaign=ani-e-newsletter-

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, AO, RAN, with Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy, Admiral Lisa Franchetti and First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Ben Key, KCB, CBE, ADC, signing the Lethality Statement of Intent at Sir James Stirling Mess, HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. (Royal Australian Navy photo)

Australia’s Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO, RAN, hosted his international counterparts, the US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and the UK First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ben Key KCB CBE ADC, ahead of the Indian Ocean Defence and Security 2024 Conference in Perth last week.

The visit is the first time Admiral Franchetti and Admiral Key have visited HMAS Stirling, which will play a role in Australia’s future fleet of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

The three chiefs received a tour of the base’s facilities, followed by a meet-and-greet with Australian submariners on-board a Collins-class submarine.

They also signed a Statement of Intent for Lethality, which documents the three navies collective commitment to the enhanced lethality of their surface combatant, and submarine fleets.

The visit finished with a showcase of the Royal Australian Navy’s most contemporary and cutting-edge autonomous systems capabilities.

The three naval chiefs also took part in a panel discussion at the Indian Ocean Defence and Security 2024 conference with a Moderator, Rob Scott.

The transcript of the panel discussion can be accessed from the url above.