Next phase of AUKUS deal unlocked: Industry partners sign tasking statement

December 17, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA), BAE Systems, and ASC Pty have signed a tasking statement, a contractual agreement that supports the joint development of a build strategy, supply chain management plans, and a workforce development strategy under the AUKUS pact.

As disclosed, the agreement is a significant milestone that will support the delivery of Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy. Under the AUKUS pact, signed with the US and the UK, Australia plans to build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Over the past eight months, government and industry partners have made progress across a number of areas for the delivery of the SSN-AUKUS.

In November, the ASA, BAE Systems, and ASC signed an AUKUS mobilization deed, which provides a framework to contract with the Australian Government through the ASA. That followed the heads of agreement and the trilateral announcement of the Commonwealth of Australia’s shipbuilders in March.

The Australian Government has selected BAE Systems and ASC to build Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. Australia and the UK will operate a common submarine of the future, incorporating technology from all three nations.

According to BAE, SSN-AUKUS will be the largest, most powerful, and advanced attack submarines the Royal Navy has ever operated and will start to replace the Astute class, which BAE Systems is building at its site in Barrow-in-Furness in the North West of England, from the late 2030s.

Australia expects the delivery of its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the early 2040s.

Under the tasking statement agreement, integrated project teams will now be working to oversee tasks such as nuclear stewardship, infrastructure functional requirements, business enablement, and build preparation.

Underpinning business functions such as nuclear safety and assurance and engineering and build operations have also been established, according to BAE Systems.

“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,” Stuart Whiley, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ASC, said.

“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.”

“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,” Steve Timms, Managing Director, BAE Systems’ Submarines business, stated.

“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,” Craig Lockhart, Chief Executive, BAE Systems’ Australia, commented

“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,” he concluded.

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