HII Australia has been given a $9.6 million contract for a new Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Pilot (SSQP). The contract will run over the next two years with the option to extend based on success.
“An Australian submarine industrial base capable of building and sustaining a persistent, potent and sovereign multi-class submarine capability is vital to the defence of Australia, and this Pilot initiative with HII Australia is another important step to this being achieved," Minister for Defence Richard Marles said.
The Pilot program will be in partnership with H&B Defence – a HII and Babcock joint venture. It aims to accelerate the identification and qualification of Australian suppliers and products into the United States submarine industrial base.
“Qualifying Australian suppliers to operate within the US nuclear-powered submarine programs now will equip them with the appropriate level of accreditation to support Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program," Managing Director of H&B Defence, Tim Brown said.
HII says it will work with Australian enterprises, including those not currently part of Australia’s submarine industrial base to help grow Australia's sovereign defence industrial capability in the decades ahead. The company also says it will connect Australian businesses directly with international primes who need for their supplies.
H&B Defence was established to support all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS Pillar 1 – including workforce, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defueling and decommissioning, nuclear waste and future sustainment.