HMAS Dechaineux ( SSG 76 ) HMAS " Dechaineux " ( SSG 76 ) is the fourth of six " Collins " class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) . Named for Captain Emile Dechaineux , the boat was laid down in 1993 and launched in 1998 . " Dechaineux " and sister boat " Sheean " were modified during construction as part of the " fast track " program — an attempt to fix the problems affecting the " Collins " class , and put at least two fully operational submarines in service before the last " Oberon " class submarine was decommissioned . In 2003 , a seawater pipe burst while " Dechaineux " was submerged deep , nearly resulting in the loss of the submarine . Construction . " Dechaineux " was laid down by the Australian Submarine Corporation on 4 March 1993 , launched on 12 March 1998 , and commissioned into the RAN on 23 February 2001 . The issues with the " Collins " class highlighted in the McIntosh - Prescott Report and the pressing need to have combat - ready submarines in the RAN fleet with the pending decommissioning of , the final " Oberon " class submarine in Australian service , prompted the establishment of an A $ 1 billion program to bring " Dechaineux " and sister boat " Sheean " up to an operational standard as quickly as possible , referred to as the " fast track " or " get well " program . The fast track program required the installation of reliable diesel engines , fixing the hydrodynamic noise issues with the class by modifying the hull design and propeller , and providing a functional combat system . The original Rockwell International - designed combat system had been cancelled , but because there wasn ' t enough time to evaluate the replacement system to include it in the " fast track " program , the two submarines were fitted with components from the old Rockwell system , which were augmented by commercial off - the - shelf hardware and software . Even with the enhanced Rockwell system , it was believed that the capabilities of the fast track " Collins " boats was only equivalent to the " Oberons " . On 14 December 2000 , " Dechaineux " and " Sheean " arrived at HMAS " Stirling " , following the completion of sea trials . " Dechaineux " was named for Captain Emile Dechaineux , who was killed by a kamikaze attack on 21 October 1944 while commanding . Characteristics . The " Collins " class is an enlarged version of the Kockums " Västergötland " class submarine . At in length , with a beam of and a waterline depth of , displacing 3 , 051 tonnes when surfaced , and 3 , 353 tonnes when submerged , they are the largest conventionally powered submarines in the world . The hull is constructed from high - tensile micro - alloy steel , and are covered in a skin of anechoic tile s to minimise detection by sonar . The depth that they can dive to is classified : most sources claim that it is over , The submarine is armed with six torpedo tube s , and carry a standard payload of 22 torpedo es : originally a mix of Gould Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedoes and UGM - 84C Sub - Harpoon , with the Mark 48s later upgraded to the Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System ( CBASS ) version . Each submarine is equipped with three Garden Island - Hedemora HV V18b / 15Ub ( VB210 ) 18 - cylinder diesel engines , which are each connected to a 1 , 400 kW , 440 - volt DC Jeumont - Schneider generator . The electricity generated is stored in batteries , then supplied to a single Jeumont - Schneider DC motor , which provides 7 , 200 shaft horsepower to a single , seven - bladed , diameter skewback propeller . The " Collins " class has a speed of when surfaced or at snorkel depth , and can reach underwater . The submarines have a range of at when surfaced , at at snorkel depth . When submerged completely , a " Collins " class submarine can travel at maximum speed , or at . Each boat has an endurance of 70 days . Operational history . On 12 February 2003 , " Dechaineux " was operating near her maximum safe diving depth off the coast of Western Australia when a seawater hose burst . The high - pressure seawater flooded the lower engine room before the hose was sealed off : it was estimated that if the inflow had continued for another twenty seconds , the weight of the water would have prevented " Dechaineux " from returning to the surface . The RAN recalled the " Collins " class submarines to base after the incident , and after engineers were unable to determine the flaw in the pipes that caused the incident , instructed that the maximum safe depth of the class be reduced . " Dechaineux " underwent a maintenance period during 2009 and early 2010 ; the submarine was returned to service in late May 2010 . On 9 November 2010 , " Dechaineux " was damaged after a tugboat helping the submarine to manoeuvre from her berth at HMAS " Stirling " crossed over the submarine ' s stern . The submarine was sent to the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson , Western Australia for repairs : these were completed within a week , and " Dechaineux " was operational by late November . During 2012 , " Dechaineux " underwent an intermediate maintenance docking , assisted during trials of the MU90 Impact torpedo , and participated in several training exercises .