The Australian government announced it was doubling its investment in a submarine supplier qualification pilot program that is helping companies qualify to enter the supply chain of the U.S. submarine industrial base.
The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot is specifically meant to provide more ways for Australian small and medium enterprises to access the American Virginia-class attack submarine supply chain as the AUKUS submarine technology sharing agreement ramps up. This includes companies that may not already be in the industrial base for Australia’s current Collins-class boats.
A statement by the Australian government argued this investment will assist Australian companies’ build skills, create jobs, and strengthen national security via industrial base collaboration with the U.S. in order to ultimately increase domestic capabilities. In March, the Australian government awarded Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Australian subsidiary a $6 million contract to deliver the new pilot program over two years, with the option to extend it. The latest announcement adds another $6 million to that investment to deliver additional work packages in a second tranche.
“This program is helping build a strong, sovereign submarine enterprise that will keep Australia safe for decades to come. This [$12 million] investment is helping Australian businesses break into global supply chains and contribute to allied industrial capacity. It’s about creating jobs, growing skills, and giving our manufacturers a chance to compete on the world stage,” Pat Conroy, minister for Australia’s defense industry, said in a statement.