The AUKUS trilateral program to equip Australia with nuclear submarines moved ahead on March 21 with an announcement that BAE Systems and ASC Pty will lead the industrial team being formed to build the boats. The mega deal involving the two companies is slated to produce a BAE-designed fleet of nuclear attack submarines for Australia by the early 2040s under the Australian-British-U.S. initiative.
Per the AUKUS agreement, Australia and the U.K. will eventually operate a common class of nuclear submarines, incorporating technology from all three nations. The boats will be based on Britain’s next-generation design, now in its early stages at BAE.
The U.S. Navy will supply Australia with three Virginia-class submarines, maybe more, as an interim measure ahead of delivery of any Anglo-Australian boats. The announcement of the industrial tie-up was made by Richard Marles, Australian deputy prime minister and defense minister, during a visit by British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.
BAE Systems and ASC, Canberra’s builder and maintainer of conventional submarines, will initially work together under a collaborative arrangement in Australia before formalizing to a more long-term joint venture. BAE Systems chief executive Charles Woodburn said work on delivering the new class of submarine, known as the SSN-AUKUS, was already well underway in the UK.
The British shipbuilder already has experience working with the Australian maritime industry and navy. The company is currently building a fleet of anti-submarine frigates for the Australian sea service based on its Type 26 design. SSN-AUKUS will start to replace the Astute class, which BAE is currently building at its site in Barrow-in-Furness in the northwest of England, from the late 2030s.
