BAE Systems and ASC, formerly Australian Submarine Corp., are collaborating to deliver the SSN AUKUS fleet of submarines to the Royal Australian Navy.
The British multinational defense contractor disclosed on Tuesday that the two companies have signed a tasking statement with the Australian Submarine Agency to develop a build strategy, supply chain management plans and a workforce development policy to support the endeavor.
ASC CEO and Managing Director Stuart Whiley said the agreement is a significant step toward building the country’s submarine manufacturing capabilities. “SSN AUKUS is a multinational, multi-generational program through which ASC will invest in developing the critical skills required to build a nuclear submarine fleet in Australia,” the chief executive said.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems’ submarines business, highlighted how the company’s long history of equipping Australia and the United Kingdom with essential defense technologies will contribute to the effort.
“The safe build, test and commissioning of nuclear submarines is a hugely complex engineering endeavor and through these agreements, we’re able to share our vast experience of nuclear submarine capabilities with our industry partners to support the build of submarines in Australia,” he said.
Efforts to provide RAN with the submarine fleet started in November when ASA signed a tripartite agreement with BAE Systems and ASC to establish the foundation for building Australia’s submarine manufacturing capabilities.