HMAS Sheean

HMAS Sheean (S77) holds the most poignant cultural significance as the only Australian naval vessel named after an enlisted sailor: Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean. During the sinking of HMAS Armidale in 1942, the 18-year-old Sheean strapped himself to his Oerlikon gun and continued firing at Japanese aircraft to protect his shipmates in the water, even as the ship sank beneath him. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 2020. The submarine’s motto, "Fight On," serves as a daily reminder to the crew of his ultimate sacrifice.

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The Collins-class guided-missile submarines were the first vessels of their kind to be entirely designed and built in Australia, representing a landmark achievement in domestic naval engineering. Based on an enlarged version of the Swedish Type 471 design by Kockums, the six submarines were specifically tailored for the vast distances and varied environments of the Indo-Pacific. Despite early technical challenges, a series of comprehensive "niche" upgrades to their sonar suites and the adoption of the US Navy’s AN/BYG-1 weapons control system have maintained their status as some of the most capable conventional (non-nuclear) submarines in the world. Known for their extreme stealth and long range, they serve as Australia's primary deterrent, capable of intelligence gathering, surveillance, and anti-surface warfare.

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