14 November 2025
Australian businesses have gained direct access to United States submarine technical data for the first time, marking a major milestone in trilateral cooperation under AUKUS.
The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) hosted the historic event that brought together nearly 30 local companies for a rare opportunity to engage with export-controlled information in a secure environment.
Participating businesses were offered insights into submarine component specifications and production standards, which are critical knowledge for those seeking to enter the AUKUS submarine supply chain.
The Technical Data Sharing Industry Day was made possible through the AUKUS licence-free environment(Opens in a new tab/window), a key enabler of deeper industrial collaboration between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Head of Workforce, Industry and Supply Chain at ASA, Kate van Hilst, said the event marked a turning point for Australian industry.
‘For the first time, our businesses are seeing the kind of technical data that underpins submarine component manufacturing in the US. It’s a tangible example of AUKUS delivering real capability uplift and opening doors for Australian suppliers,’ said van Hilst.
‘The Licence-Free Environment is more than a policy shift; it’s a practical mechanism that allows us to share sensitive data securely and efficiently.
‘It’s enabling Australian companies to prepare for participation in the most advanced submarine supply chains in the world.’
The event also served as a gateway to the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification (DIVQ) Program, a government-led initiative launched in 2024 to streamline the qualification of Australian businesses for participation in trilateral submarine supply chains.
Delivered in partnership with industry, the DIVQ Program is being rolled out in targeted waves, each focused on specific product categories or production types identified through ongoing analysis of supply chain resilience needs.
Qualification activities are conducted in Australia by US shipbuilders General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding, in collaboration with ASC. Companies that meet the required standards may be listed in the US Supply Catalogue, unlocking future commercial opportunities in the AUKUS submarine enterprise.
ASA’s Technical Data Sharing Industry Days are set to continue, offering authorised Australian businesses a pathway to engage with the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program.
To attend future events, companies must be registered as AUKUS Authorised Users and Australian Authorized Users via the My Australian Defence Exports (MADE) portal(Opens in a new tab/window).
Learn more via the ASA Industry Front Door and stay up to date about future Technical Data Sharing Industry Days by registering your business details via ASA’s new ICN portal.(Opens in a new tab/window)