[4][16][17] 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.

[4] In 1999, Waller reportedly operated in the International Force East Timor (INTERFET) together with a second Collins-class boat providing escorts for transport ships and monitoring Indonesian communications.

[19] Waller had overtly docked in Darwin during the international naval buildup in September shortly before the Force sailed to East Timor.

[19][20] In late May 2000, Waller became the first Australian submarine to operate as a fully integrated component of a United States Navy carrier battle group during wargames.

[2] Waller performed similarly during the Operation Tandem Thrust wargames in 2001, when she 'sank' two USN amphibious assault ships in waters just over 70 metres (230 ft) deep; although the submarine was 'destroyed' herself later in the exercise.

[3] In 2006, the Mark 48 torpedoes carried by the Collins class were upgraded to the Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) version, which had been jointly developed with the United States Navy.

[17] Waller was the first vessel of either navy to fire an armed version of the torpedo, sinking the decommissioned Spruance-class destroyer USS Fletcher on 16 July 2008, during RIMPAC 08.

[23] This, combined with other factors affecting Waller’s sister boats, left HMAS Farncomb as the only operational submarine in Australian service as of mid-2009.