US Senator Tim Kaine labels Henderson shipyard and Stirling naval base ‘powerful engines’ in AUKUS deal

Former US Vice Presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine has thrown his support behind the AUKUS submarine program during his first visit to Australia, describing the Henderson shipyard and HMAS Stirling naval base build-up as a “powerful economic development engine” for Western Australia. The senior Democrat and 2016 running mate for Hillary Clinton, who serves on both the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees, toured HMAS Stirling and met with local industry and council leaders in Rockingham on Tuesday. Drawing comparisons with his home state of Virginia, a hub of the United States’ nuclear navy, Senator Kaine said Western Australia stood to benefit significantly from hosting nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement. Virginia builds and services the Virginia-class submarine fleet and has decades of experience operating alongside nuclear-powered vessels. Senator Kaine acknowledged that nuclear propulsion is new for Australia but could be done while maintaining strong environmental standards and local economies. “Australian firms being deeply involved is really important,” he said. Senator Kaine said expanding maintenance and repair capabilities at Rockingham would also improve US operational efficiency in the Indo-Pacific. Servicing submarines in Western Australia, rather than returning them to Hawaii or the US mainland, would keep vessels “in the water doing what they need to do”. He also reassured Australians about Washington’s commitment to AUKUS. Originally announced under former president Joe Biden, the agreement has since undergone a review under President Donald Trump. Senator Kaine said it was “full steam ahead” as bipartisan support in Congress remained strong and the President had given the program his backing following talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He described the partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom as strategically vital, particularly amid growing security demands in the Indo-Pacific. Senator Kaine alleviated concern around the US submarine base possibly making Rockingham a target, pointing to decades of experience in Virginia, where military and commercial shipping operate seamlessly side by side. With billions in infrastructure upgrades underway and an AUKUS taskforce established in Western Australia, Kaine said the focus now is on navigating implementation.