HMAS Rankin

HMAS Rankin
Ship name	HMAS Rankin
Ship class	Collins class submarine
Ship registry	Royal Australian Navy
Builder	ASC Pty Ltd / Australian Submarine Corporation
Laid down	11 March 1993
Launched	6 November 1995
Commissioned	1 December 2003
Pennant	SS 78
Displacement	3,500 tonnes (surfaced)
Length	77.8 m
Beam	7.8 m
Draught	7 m
Propulsion	diesel-electric; 3 × Wärtsilä diesels, electric motors, single shaft
Speed	10 knots (surfaced), 20 knots (submerged)
Complement	~58
Homeport	HMAS Stirling
Namesake	Lieutenant Commander Rolf Theodore 'Teddy' Rankin?

HMAS Rankin is a Collins class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), hull number SS 78. Built by the Australian Submarine Corporation at Osborne, South Australia, she is one of six large conventional submarines developed to provide undersea capability for Australia. Rankin entered service in the early 2000s and has since been involved in regional operations, exercises with allies, and maintenance cycles at Australian and international shipyards.

Design and construction

Rankin is a member of the Collins class program, designed in response to strategic assessments conducted by the Department of Defence and the Australian Government during the 1980s and early 1990s. The class was influenced by design work in the United Kingdom and Sweden and sourced systems from suppliers including Wärtsilä and other European manufacturers. Built at the ASC yard in Osborne, Rankin's keel was laid amid national debate over naval procurement and shipbuilding industrial policy championed by successive Australian administrations in the 1990s.

The Collins class reflects a design optimized for long-range, stealthy patrols in the Indian Ocean, Timor Sea, and western Pacific. The hull form and sensor integration took cues from contemporary designs operated by navies such as the Royal Navy and the Swedish Navy. Construction ran alongside parallel projects including the refurbishment of surface combatants at Garden Island, Western Australia and cooperation with allied maintenance facilities.

Operational history

Since commissioning, Rankin has served from HMAS Stirling and participated in bilateral and multilateral activities with partners including the United States Navy, Royal Navy, and regional navies such as the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Her deployments have included surveillance patrols in Australian maritime approaches, training exercises like Talisman Sabre and RIMPAC, and intelligence-gathering operations consistent with Australian strategic priorities.

Rankin underwent major maintenance and upgrade periods under the oversight of ASC and the Commonwealth of Australia through planned docking cycles, aligning with broader sustainment efforts for the Collins fleet that involved entities such as the Australian National Audit Office and parliamentary defence committees. During operational rotations, Rankin has trained alongside ANZAC-class frigates and fleet auxiliaries, integrating with carrier strike and amphibious task groups during complex warfighting and humanitarian assistance exercises.

Capabilities and armament

Rankin features diesel-electric propulsion with multiple Wärtsilä diesel generators charging batteries for silent submerged operation, enabling enhanced survivability against acoustic detection methods used by assets like P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Her sensor suite includes a bow-mounted sonar array, flank arrays, and electronic support measures sourced from Australian and international defence contractors collaborating with the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group.

Armament comprises 6 × 533 mm torpedo tubes capable of deploying Mark 48 torpedoes and Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missiles adapted for submarine launch, as well as capability for deploying naval mines. These systems have been integrated with fire-control solutions compatible with allied munitions and doctrines, enabling Rankin to undertake anti-surface, anti-submarine, and sea denial missions in littoral and blue-water environments.

Crew and life aboard

Rankin's company normally numbers around 50–60 personnel drawn from Australian naval ratings and officers trained through institutions including HMAS Creswell and the Australian Defence Force Academy. Crew training emphasises submarine warfare, damage control, and systems maintenance, with professional exchanges and courses offered by partners such as the United States Naval Academy and the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

Life aboard involves tight watch rotations, maintenance routines, and proficiency training in confined conditions typical of conventional submarines. Crew welfare programs coordinate with Royal Australian Navy support services, and extended patrols require careful logistics planning with supply ships and shore facilities like Fleet Base West to sustain endurance. Rankin's company participates in commemorations and naval traditions linked to Australian maritime heritage and namesake recognition ceremonies.

Incidents and deployments

Over her service life, Rankin has experienced routine technical issues addressed during maintenance availabilities and mid-life upgrades coordinated by ASC and Australian defence procurement bodies. Rankin has been involved in high-profile regional deployments, tracking strategic developments in the South China Sea and participating in interoperability exercises with the United States Indo-Pacific Command, NATO partners during combined drills, and regional security cooperation initiatives with nations such as Indonesia and Singapore.

Her deployments have contributed to Australia’s undersea deterrence and maritime domain awareness, operating alongside assets like Anzac-class frigates, HMAS Canberra (L02), and allied submarines during complex scenarios including anti-submarine warfare, intelligence collection, and maritime security patrols. Periodic refits have addressed obsolescence issues and incorporated upgrades to combat systems, sensors, and habitability in coordination with defence industry partners.

Category:Collins-class submarines Category:Royal Australian Navy ships