Premier Peter Malinauskas to visit United States in May to tour nuclear submarine shipyards

Premier Peter Malinauskas will head to the United States in May, visiting nuclear submarine shipyards.

Premier Peter Malinauskas will visit the United States’ two nuclear submarine yards during a mid-May trip focused on growing skilled jobs for Adelaide-based AUKUS construction.

In his fifth overseas trip as Premier, Mr Malinauskas will meet with US government and defence industry leaders during the 10-day mission, from May 14-24.

He will tour Virginia’s Newport News shipyard, where Huntington Ingalls Industries employs more than 23,000 people, and General Dynamics Electric Boat’s yard in Groton, Connecticut, where about 10,000 people are employed.

Both make Virginia Class nuclear-powered submarines, three of which will be delivered to Australia by 2032 under the AUKUS security pact.

This will be ahead of Adelaide-based construction of AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines by joint builders ASC, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation, and Osborne Naval Shipyard neighbour BAE Systems Australia.

The Virginia Class submarine Minnesota (SSN 783) under construction in 2012, at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding. Picture: Newport News Shipbuilding via US navy

Mr Malinauskas will also conduct high-level meetings in Washington, DC, including with key Congressional representatives.

In a statement, Mr Malinauskas said a key focus of his US visit would be the skills, training and workforce development for its nuclear submarine program, helping ensure SA was best-placed to leverage the $368bn AUKUS project.

“As the home of the AUKUS submarine program, it is vital that South Australia forges even stronger ties with our partners in the United Kingdom and the United States for the long term,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“AUKUS is a once-in-a-generation moment for South Australia, and I am determined to ensure we maximise every single opportunity.

“ … I want the key industry leaders and decision-makers in the United States to be clear that South Australia is serious about maximising every available opportunity out of this program – and we are committed for the long term.

“It is important we do the hard work now to ensure we have the highly skilled workforce we will need in South Australia for decades to come.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas at Osborne Naval Shipyard in February. Picture: Dean Martin

Mr Malinauskas also will meet with Maryland Governor Wes Moore – the third African-American elected governor in US history – to “build on the relationship and collaboration” between the two states.

Mr Malinauskas has spent 27 days overseas in previous trips: to Japan and South Korea, October, 2022; touring the UK’s nuclear submarine shipyard in March, 2023; Germany and the Netherlands, May, 2023; and China, September 2023.

In his first two years in office, his predecessor Steven Marshall had spent 46 days overseas.

Originally published as Premier Peter Malinauskas to visit United States in May to tour nuclear submarine shipyards