The Australian government’s naval shipbuilding infrastructure manager selected an Amentum-Laing O’Rourke joint venture to deliver a new nuclear-powered submarine construction shipyard in Australia, Amentum announced last week.
Amentum said in a press release that under this long-term contract as a “Capability Partner,” it and Laing O’Rourke will “play a central role in developing the new shipyard” at Osborne, north of Adelaide, where Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines will be built under the trilateral AUKUS agreement.
The joint venture was picked by Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) a government-owned business enterprise created in 2017 to support the country’s continuous naval shipbuilding and sustainment program. According to its website, ANI does this by owning, developing and managing the infrastructure and facilities necessary for its delivery. ANI is jointly held by the Australian Ministers for Finance and Defense.
ANI said its work also includes ensuring coordinated and efficient access to infrastructure across all shipbuilding and sustainment activities. All of this work is focused on adding to the new Osborne Naval Shipyard in Adelaide, where the government chose to build the future SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed and nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).
As a capability partner, the joint venture will specifically provide nuclear-related program management, construction management and safety leadership within ANI’s Integrated Delivery Office.
Amentum said the partnership will work closely with ANI to coordinate work packages, support contractor engagement and ensure “seamless interface management across the nuclear and non-nuclear areas of the submarine construction yard.”
The company also said the new yard should allow Australia to build and sustain SSNs, meaning it will house the facilities needed for SSN assembly, outfitting, testing and commissioning for the future SSN-AUKUS fleet.
The first SSN-AUKUS submarines are scheduled to first join the U.K. Royal Navy in the late 2030s and then have Australian built boats become active in the Royal Australian Navy in the early 2040s.
ANI first announced the appointment of the joint venture on July 29. Australia previously announced an equity investment of $3.3 billion to support continued delivery of the SSN construction yard, raising the government’s total equity contribution to ANI to $6 billion for this project.
“The Nuclear-Powered Submarine Construction Yard is one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in Australia’s history and will be central to enabling Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability,” ANI Managing Director Andrew Seaton said in a statement.
In February, the Australian government announced a $2.75 billion investment to start building the submarine construction yard in Osborne. The new shipyard’s total floor area is projected to rise to 10 times larger than the current Osborne South Development project.
Mark Whitney, president of Amentum Energy & Environment said they bring more than 60 years of experience in nuclear submarine programs, “significant nuclear licensee experience, independent regulator exposure and a clear pathway for growing enduring Australian nuclear capability.
“Our team will provide hands-on leadership across key areas of delivery, including governance, assurance, logistics, commissioning, digital engineering, supply chain quality, and integrating construction expertise into the design phase,” said Kim Katheklakis, Amentum Australia managing director, added
Amentum already has over 1,000 employees focused on engineering ,program and project management services for government and commercial clients in sectors including defense, national security, cyber and digital, energy and environment and critical infrastructure.
The company said it plans to continue to grow its Australian team with AUKUS to help establish Australia’s SSN capability, but did not describe upcoming milestones.
ANI said this announcement follows the opening of Eurimbla Way, a new grade-separated road and piece of enabling infrastructure for the current shipyard and future nuclear-powered submarine yard while construction is also underway on the Production Demonstration Facilities within the future Nuclear-Powered Submarine Construction Yard.
The demonstration facilities are meant to help test and validate production processes and procedures before moving on to future submarine construction work at Osborne.
ANI said by the end of 2027 it plans to have also delivered a $356 million Skills and Training Academy Campus at Osborne that will support workforce training for the AUKUS shipbuilding workforce.
Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily first published a version of this story.