MEDIA RELEASE

AIDN National welcomes today’s announcement of the Nuclear Submarine Partners by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence the Hon Richard Marles MP.

Today’s announcement is a significant step forward for the realisation of Australia’s ambitions to become a nuclear submarine force. The choice to formulate a Joint Venture between ASC and BAE Systems will allow for the creation of a sovereign Australian capability, AIDN is fully supportive of this approach and encourages the Albanese Government to ensure that the Australian Government is the majority shareholder in this new enterprise. ASC has decades of experience in the build, maintenance and upgrades of the Collins Class Submarine.

ASC, has over time developed an Australian Industrial supply chain, achieving significant workshare for Australian companies, the importance of which enables Australia to develop a significant sovereign industrial capability. ASC is well placed to both undertake the construction of Australia’s SSN, in partnership with BAE Systems, and continue the maintenance and upkeep of our strategic submarine fleet.

AIDN is calling for the Albanese Government to work with the UK Government in order to ensure that during the design phase of this program that Australian Industry is fully designed and integrated into the design, it is vitally important that this work is down upfront to ensure that the required transfer of IP, technical date and information including the technical know-how and know-why is undertaken. If this is not a requirement then the ability for Australia’s Industries inclusion is at risk. It is during the initial design phase that all aspects of our Australian Industries involvement can be de-risked and embedded for the entirety of the program.

With this announcement the need for a whole of Government approach across all State and Territory boarders is needed to ensure that all of Australia’s industry can compete for the workshare in this program in a fair and equitable manner.

Equally, no one State will be able to undertake this mega program, the skills required will need to be developed in each jurisdiction to ensure that this program can be a success. Whilst the build may take place in TechPort Adelaide, AIDN would expect that there is a large industrial contribution from each corner of our country.

Whilst the exact details of the plan will take some time to be finalized, AIDN looks forward to working closely with Government and the Australia submarine Authority to ensure that the nation succeeds in this ambitious program.

The key risk to executing this plan centres on the ability to create and maintained a skilled workforce in South Australia. This submarine enterprise will require thousands of highly skilled workers across both states, and on a continuous basis. Engineers, welders, naval architects, schedulers technicians and many other types of skills too numerous to mention, will be required. The level of training and the creation of additional University and Trade places must be a clear focus of the Federal and State and Territory Governments.

AIDN congratulates the Albanese Government on today’s announcement and acknowledges the hard work of the ASA under the stewardship of VADM Jonathon Mead AO, RAN and the team lead by First Assistant Director General SSN Construction Ms Kate Van Hilst.