There will be significant opportunities for Australian industry to be part of Australia’s conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine program – from the delivery of the Submarine Construction Yard in Osborne, South Australia and infrastructure works at HMAS Stirling, Western Australia to the build of our SSN-AUKUS submarines, their operation, sustainment and eventual disposal.
There will be a range of opportunities for involvement in the supply chains of our AUKUS partners by contributing to the maintenance of their submarines and manufacturing components for their production lines.
Australian industry will have opportunities to contribute right from the beginning, working with ASC Pty Ltd (ASC) as the Sovereign Submarine Partner for sustainment, as well as with ASC and BAE Systems as the Sovereign Submarine Partner for the build of our SSN-AUKUS submarines.
Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ)
Launched in 2024, the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program is a key initiative to enable Australian businesses to access US and UK submarine supply chains. Backed by a $262 million Government investment, the program supports industry uplift and strengthens Australia’s role in the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine industrial base.
DIVQ is designed to streamline entry into trilateral supply chains by reducing barriers and accelerating qualification timelines. The program is delivered in partnership with ASC, the US Government and US shipbuilders (General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding) with qualification activities undertaken in Australia.
The program is structured across a series of ‘Waves’, aligned to priority capability needs identified across the US, UK and Australian submarine programs. These include opportunities linked to Virginia Class submarine construction and sustainment, submarine hull steel, power systems, and advanced manufacturing such as additive manufacturing.
Australian businesses are rigorously assessed through the DIVQ process to confirm they meet the technical, quality and security standards required by AUKUS partners. Companies that successfully qualify may be listed in US supply systems and positioned to compete for ongoing commercial opportunities across construction and sustainment activities.
An In-Country Qualification Team, comprising US shipbuilder specialists working alongside ASC, supports the delivery of in Australia assessments and helps accelerate supplier readiness.
Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ)
The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) Program complements DIVQ by providing an additional pathway for Australian businesses to access the United States submarine industrial base.
Delivered by Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Australia, in partnership with H&B Defence, the program adopts a business‑to‑business model that enables direct engagement with Australian suppliers to support both supplier and product qualification. It is designed to streamline and accelerate entry into the Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding supply chain.
The AUSSQ Program is being rolled out through defined work packages aligned to priority product categories, including castings and forgings, precision machining, fabricated parts, air and gas flasks, composites and additive manufacturing. Each work package focuses on a targeted group of suppliers, providing structured support to progress through validation, qualification and tender readiness.
Participating businesses receive in-country support to navigate export controls, resolve technical and process barriers, and prepare for entry into US supply chains. The program also connects suppliers with relevant Government funding opportunities to support capability uplift.
AUSSQ operates as a complementary initiative to DIVQ, with coordination across Defence programs to ensure alignment and avoid duplication. Together, these programs provide multiple, integrated pathways for Australian industry to qualify, compete and grow within AUKUS submarine supply chains.
SSN-AUKUS Build Qualification Program
The Australia’s Sovereign Submarine Build Partner Supply Chain Qualification Program is an industry-led initiative delivered by ASC and BAE Systems. The program supports the qualification of Australian businesses to supply products and services into the Australian and UK nuclear-powered submarine (SSN-AUKUS) build programs.
The program provides Australian industry with an opportunity to contribute proven capabilities and expertise to the sovereign submarine enterprise, strengthening the resilience and depth of the trilateral submarine industrial base.
As part of the program, ASC and BAE Systems sought expressions of interest from Australian suppliers capable of delivering a range of metal fabrications, from small components through to large structural fabrications. The opportunity was open to existing Defence suppliers as well as companies seeking to enter the Defence industry supply chain.
Australia's SSN-AUKUS submarines will be a trilaterally developed capability, based on the UK's next-generation design and incorporating advanced technologies from all three AUKUS partners, including cutting-edge US submarine technologies.
With construction of Australia's first SSN-AUKUS submarine at Osborne planned to commence before the end of the decade, the program will support significant workforce growth, with around 5,500 jobs expected to be created in South Australia.
Expressions of interest for the initial opportunity of SSN AUKUS Build Fabrications has now closed. Businesses interested in future SSN-AUKUS Build opportunities are encouraged to complete the Supplier Capability Questionnaire via the ASC and BAE Systems Industry Capability Network Portal.