More local Australian businesses will have the opportunity to build our nation’s defence future, as the Australian Government continues to expand opportunities for industry to support AUKUS through a new Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot.
Huntington Ingalls Industries Australia (HII) has been awarded a contract to deliver the Pilot program over the next two years, with an initial value of $9.6 million and the option to extend based on achievement. HII is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States and one of two companies that builds United States nuclear-powered submarines.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said, “An Australian submarine industrial base capable of building and sustaining a persistent, potent and sovereign multi-class submarine capability is vital to the Defence of Australia, and this Pilot initiative with HII Australia is another important step to this being achieved.”
The Pilot program will accelerate the identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products into the United States submarine industrial base.
It will be delivered in partnership with H&B Defence – a HII and Babcock joint venture.
Importantly, HII will identify and work with Australian small and medium-sized enterprises, including those not currently part of Australia’s submarine industrial base, which is critical to growing our sovereign defence industrial capability over the years and decades ahead.
Together, these companies bring decades of nuclear-powered submarine vendor qualification experience to Australia and will connect Australian businesses directly with international primes who have a real and present need for their supplies.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy said, “Leveraging the expertise of companies like HII Australia, whose origins are rooted in our AUKUS partner submarine programs, will enable Australian industry to benefit from generations of lessons learned, and forge ahead developing a strong, skilled sovereign workforce.”
The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot will engage with Australian companies nationwide, building on the success of the recent partnership of HII Australia with both the South Australian Government and the Western Australian Government, and complements the Australian Government’s existing Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program.
The Australian Government is committed to helping Australian businesses – including those who do not currently work in our defence industry – tap into and compete for new opportunities in this multi-decade, multi-billion dollar endeavour, and in support of our AUKUS partners’ submarine programs.