Australia funds long-lead items for future SSN-AUKUS fleet

Australia has announced a $310 million payment for the acquisition of long‑lead items from the United Kingdom to support Australia’s future sovereign conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarine capability.

As disclosed, the announcement will directly support the manufacture of critical components for nuclear‑powered submarines, which will be built at Osborne in South Australia, including the nuclear propulsion systems of Australia’s first two SSN-AUKUS. 

Under the AUKUS program, the United Kingdom will deliver complete, welded nuclear propulsion systems for Australian‑built SSN‑AUKUS boats, with work already underway at the Rolls‑Royce Submarine facility in Derby. Early progress on reactor manufacturing is essential to maintaining program momentum, sustaining specialist skills, and aligning industrial schedules across the AUKUS partnership.

This investment is in addition to Australia’s contribution of GBP 2.4 billion over 10 years to expand the production capacity of Rolls-Royce Submarines.  

This announcement follows Minister Conroy’s engagement at the Australia-United Kingdom Defence Industry Dialogue (AUKDID). AUKDI, which was held for the first time since 2018, provided an important opportunity to build on areas of shared interest between Australia and the United Kingdom, including submarine industrial base cooperation, it was highlighted.

“Industrial cooperation between Australia and the United Kingdom is key to AUKUS and a shared commitment to delivering a safe, secure and enduring submarine capability. Rolls‑Royce Submarines is a cornerstone of the UK’s nuclear submarine enterprise and a key partner in the delivery of SSN‑AUKUS,” the officials noted.

The visit follows the Australian Government’s recently announced investment of AUD $3.9 billion as a down payment to deliver the new Submarine Construction Yard in Osborne. 

“Australia continues to work with the United Kingdom and United States to develop the capabilities, skills and knowledge that will underpin our ability to build, operate and maintain nuclear‑powered submarines. Early investment in components such as the nuclear propulsion systems will be critical to the delivery of AUKUS,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated.

“Starting work early on critical submarine components is essential to keeping this program on track. The next-generation SSN-AUKUS submarines will be an extraordinary capability, designed and built by trusted partners and powered by a company with decades of nuclear-propulsion experience,” Minister for Defense Industry Pat Conroy commented.

“Australia’s investment is helping to lay the foundations for a sovereign capability that will keep Australians safe for decades to come. This is a concrete example of allied industrial capacity delivering real benefits for Australia.”

This week in Western Australia, HMS Anson, a United Kingdom Astute-class submarine, is at HMAS Stirling for maintenance, marking the first time a UK nuclear‑powered submarine has undergone a maintenance period in Australia.