Australian and UK Governments reach key SSN AUKUS agreement with industry partners

The newly signed Tasking Statement will facilitate joint development efforts, focusing on build strategy, supply chain management, and workforce development. This milestone strengthens the international partnership aimed at delivering advanced nuclear submarine capabilities.

Stuart Whiley, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASC, described the Tasking Statement as a crucial step. “The Tasking Statement is an important step in establishing a sovereign nuclear submarine build capability in Australia. The program is anticipated to generate thousands of highly skilled jobs over its lifetime.”

Whiley also highlighted the long-term impact of the programme. “SSN AUKUS is a multi-national, multi-generational programme through which ASC will invest in developing the critical skills required to build a nuclear submarine fleet in Australia. It’s hard to imagine, but the children at school today will be the ones building our submarine fleet of tomorrow.”

Steve Timms, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Submarines business, emphasised the complexity of the undertaking and the value of shared expertise. “SSN AUKUS is our contribution to the critical tri-national security partnership between Australia, the UK and the US. The safe build, test and commissioning of nuclear submarines is a hugely complex engineering endeavour 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 added that the agreement underpins broader collaboration. “We have a long history of delivering sovereign capability and security in Australia and the UK and the Tasking Statement underpins further support to essential delivery capabilities in Adelaide, with support from Barrow.”

Craig Lockhart, Chief Executive of BAE Systems’ Australia, outlined the strategic role of the SSN AUKUS fleet. “Focused on stealth and endurance, the SSN AUKUS submarine will integrate cutting-edge technologies and advanced materials to enable it to operate the full spectrum of underwater missions, from advanced intelligence and surveillance through to underwater warfare.”

Lockhart further noted the challenges ahead and the progress already underway. “It is a complex build challenge that industry partners are coming together to deliver. Work is underway on defining the delivery schedule, the enablement environment for future information transfer between the UK, US and Australia, as well as design of the new yard at Osborne to accommodate the build.”

Over the past eight months, significant progress has been made towards the SSN AUKUS programme. In November, the ASA, BAE Systems, and ASC signed an AUKUS Mobilisation Deed, providing a framework for contracting with the Australian Government. This follows the Heads of Agreement and the tri-lateral shipbuilding announcement earlier this year.

Integrated Project Teams have been formed to oversee critical tasks, including nuclear stewardship, infrastructure planning, and business enablement. Core functions such as nuclear safety, engineering, and build operations are