British firm BAE Systems will partner with ASC Pty Ltd to build
Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines, in a major moment for the
AUKUS programme.
Meeting in Australia, Defence Secretary , Australian Deputy Prime
Minister Richard Marles, and US Ambassador to Australia, Caroline
Kennedy, welcomed the partnership.
The submarine builder deal follows months of negotiations and is
a monumental success for British industry. BAE Systems have been
at the heart of the UK’s submarine enterprise for generations and
will bring their experience and excellence to deliver this
important submarine for Australia.
First announced in September 2021, AUKUS is a trilateral security
and defence partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US
that will see our nations work together on a range of
capabilities, including a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered
submarine capability for Australia.
Defence Secretary said:
In a more dangerous world, today’s announcement symbolises the
huge confidence our close partner Australia has in our
world-leading defence industry, including companies such as BAE
Systems and Rolls-Royce.
Through these collaborations, British industry will grow, and
thousands of jobs will be created across the country, delivering
security and prosperity to our two nations.
Opportunities through the AUKUS supply chain for British industry
could be worth billions across the life of the Australian
submarine programme. That includes Rolls-Royce, which will
deliver the nuclear propulsion plants for the Australian
programme.
As announced in March 2023, Australia has agreed to make a
significant investment into the UK’s submarine industrial base,
including Rolls-Royce, Sheffield Forgemasters, and their supply
chains, to support the delivery of the Australian SSN-AUKUS
programme. This investment, alongside funding from the UK
Ministry of Defence, will enable the Rolls-Royce Derby site to
double in size, with a further 1,170 highly-skilled jobs created.
CEO of BAE Systems, Charles Woodburn, said:
We’re extremely proud of our role in the delivery of this vitally
important, tri-nation submarine programme. Our selection as a
partner in Australia, alongside ASC, recognises our role as the
UK’s long-term submarine design and build partner and as a key
player in Australia’s maritime enterprise and wider defence
landscape. Drawing on decades of experience in the UK and
Australia, we look forward to working with ASC to develop an
enduring, sovereign nuclear-powered submarine building capability
for Australia.
We’re already making good progress on the design and development
of the next generation submarine in the UK where we have more
than 1,000 people working on the SSN-AUKUS programme and major
infrastructure investment underway.
This latest step will ensure an integral connection between the
UK design and the build strategy development in Australia as we
work together to deliver next generation military capability as
well as considerable social and economic value to all three
nations.
Rolls-Royce Submarines President, Steve Carlier,
said:
Last year we were proud to welcome the Hon Richard Marles MP,
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence and
UK Defence Secretary to our Raynesway site and
showcase some of the world-class manufacturing and engineering
capabilities we have developed over the last 60 years.
This commitment of funding to our existing expansion work shows
the trust Australia places on our nuclear expertise and our
ability to deliver. We look forward to working with the
Australian Submarine Agency to support them in building their own
fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
These jobs are part of the 7,000 additional British jobs that the
UK’s and Australia’s AUKUS submarine programme will generate
through their life. At the peak, there will be over 21,000 people
working on the SSN-AUKUS programmes in the UK – concentrated in
Barrow-in-Furness and Derby.
The first UK submarines built to this design will be delivered in
the late 2030s to replace the current Astute Class vessels, and
the first Australian submarines will follow in the early 2040s.
The appointment of a builder by Australia comes a year after
Prime Minister , Australian Prime Minister
Albanese and US President Biden met in San Diego, where they
announced that the first generation of AUKUS submarines would be
based on the UK’s world-leading design. The AUKUS partnership is
a demonstration of the commitment of Australia, the UK, and the
US to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the
Indo-Pacific and beyond.
The partnership has carried out extensive engagement with the
International Atomic Energy Agency, with all countries committed
to developing an approach which protects classified information
and strengthens the global non-proliferation regime.
