Australian company VEEM has secured its first purchase orders to supply specialized components for US Navy Virginia-class submarines.
VEEM has received two purchase orders from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding for cast parts for the US Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine program. They are the first orders placed with an Australian supplier through the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) pilot program for the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine program.
The orders have a combined value of approximately A$0.8 million and follow more than 12 months of qualification and audit to meet the requirements of the US submarine supply chain. AUSSQ is managed by H&B Defence, a joint venture between HII and Babcock, on behalf of HII Australia and the Australian Submarine Agency.
“VEEM has demonstrated the strength of Australia’s manufacturing industry and led the way for other businesses across Australia to qualify and compete to supply into the US and UK submarine industrial bases," H&B Defence Managing Director Tim Brown AM said.
“Securing these orders from HII to support the US Navy’s Virginia Class submarine program is a significant milestone for VEEM and demonstrates the role Australian manufacturers can play in this highly specialised defence supply chain. I see this as an important step towards our longer-term ambition of supplying AUKUS submarines built here in Australia," commented VEEM Chairman Brad Miocevich.
The announcement comes as Australia undertakes increasingly complex submarine maintenance activities at HMAS Stirling and prepares for the commencement of Submarine Rotational Force-West from late 2027, which will see the rotational presence of US and UK nuclear-powered submarines and personnel in Western Australia.
For the last 38 years, VEEM has been supplying components for Australia’s Collins-class submarines and was the first Australian company qualified through the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Program (AUSSQ) to secure production orders from Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding for the Virginia-class submarine program.
Through AUSSQ, 56 Australian companies are in the qualification process, with 20 companies receiving Supplier Qualifications and expanding the pool of Australian businesses able to compete for opportunities within United States submarine supply chains.