Another $9.3 million awarded to submarine qualification program

The federal government has awarded $9.3 million through the second stage of the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification pilot program (AUSSQ), focussing on “industry uplift activities involving air and gas flasks, and fabricated parts.”

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The funding covers “additional work packages” and will help “build skills, create jobs, and strengthen our national security through industrial base collaboration with our closest ally”, according to a statement from defence industry minister Pat Country on Friday.

“This $19 million investment is helping Australian businesses break into global supply chains and contribute to allied industrial capacity” added Conroy, referring to the total value spent on the program so far.

An initial $9.6 million was announced in March 2025 for the first phase of AUSSQ, which aims to help more companies qualify as suppliers to HII. It had focus areas of castings, forgings, and precision machining.

Twenty-two businesses are currently taking part in the program, which is being delivered by H&B Defence, a HII and Babcock joint venture.

Eight are now fully-qualified: MacTaggart Scott Australia; Levett Engineering; Century Engineering; H E Parts International; Veem; Hofmann Engineering; Dobbie; and MTA.

HII is the US’s biggest military shipbuilder and one of two companies that builds that country’s nuclear-powered submarines.

Picture: The PCU Virginia submarine (public domain)

Further reading

AUKUS governments and industry press ‘go’ on submarine build

Qualified AUKUS vendors to enter submarine supply chain
Five companies aided to join submarine supply chain