Road to Osborne arrives at AUKUS

The Australian Submarine Corporation has evolved from a Collin-class submarine builder to sustainer, gaining the unique knowledge and capability required to support such a complex asset.

Collins-class submarines HMAS Collins, HMAS Farncomb, HMAS Dechaineux and HMAS Sheean in formation while transiting through Cockburn Sound, Western Australia. Picture: Deaprtment of Defence

As I look back on my career at ASC, a lot has changed in 35 years.

On November 16, 1989, then prime minister Bob Hawke opened Australian Submarine Corporation’s (ASC) submarine yard at Osborne, in South Australia. The next day, I drove into ASC Osborne for the first time. The site was like a ghost town – still under development and devoid of a workforce. Over a very short period, the facilities, workforce and entire precinct transformed, and within four years the first Collins-class submarine rolled out of the shed.

In 1996, ASC delivered HMAS Collins to the Royal Australian Navy. This was a momentous ­occasion for ASC and the nation, as we proudly handed over a formidable asset, critical to our nation’s defence. By 2003, ASC had delivered the entire Collins-class fleet to the navy – six submarines that are still the most capable conventional submarines in the world.

Since then, ASC has evolved from a submarine builder to sustainer, gaining the unique knowledge and capability required to support such a complex asset. It wasn’t known then, but the industrial submarine capability developed during that time would be a key foundation for ASC’s future role in AUKUS.

Stuart Whiley is ASC chief executive and managing director.

Rising geopolitical tensions and an increasingly contested environment mean submarines are more critical than ever to our nation’s defence and regional stability. This is why the AUKUS trilateral agreement is so important.

AUKUS will make Australia more secure. It will also transform our nation’s workforce and supercharge our industrial capacity and capability.

Through AUKUS, ASC was ­selected as the Australian government’s sovereign submarine partner to sustain and jointly build, with BAE Systems, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) in Australia at Osborne.

In Western Australia, ASC will provide sustainment support for visiting US and UK submarines, and eventually Australia’s Virginia-class and SSN AUKUS submarines.

There’s no question nuclear-powered submarines are the way to go for Australia’s future underwater missions. Possessing unmatched stealth, endurance, and operational range, the SSN AUKUS submarines will form a potent and unprecedented deterrent to adversaries. In the meantime, our Collins-class fleet will continue to deliver a potent capability for the nation.

While AUKUS is a multi-decade program, there is a huge amount of work happening right now. US Virginia-class submarines are already visiting WA more frequently. From 2027, US Virginia-class and UK Astute-class submarines will operate from HMAS Stirling in WA as part of Submarine Rotational Force West. More than 150 ASC employees are currently in Pearl Harbor, training with the US Navy and learning how to maintain the Virginia-class subs.

Investing in our people is critical. We have employees at universities in SA, NSW, and in the UK, learning about nuclear engineering. We have also partnered with schools and tertiary institutions to create career pathways for apprentices and graduates. When the new Skills and Training Academy at Osborne opens, our workforce will be trained in a state-of-the-art submarine environment tailored to the needs of the shipyard.

Make no mistake, AUKUS is the greatest industrial undertaking in our nation’s history. It is unrivalled in its scale, ambition, and impact. In terms of the workforce, it is estimated the AUKUS program will generate around 20,000 direct and indirect jobs – and we are ­hiring now.

As my career at ASC draws to a close, I am immensely proud of my highly skilled team who are working tirelessly to maintain the Collins-class fleet and deliver on AUKUS. Every day, more talented people join our organisation. It is humbling to be part of something that is so important to our nation’s future and to be surrounded by the best and brightest.

I have found a deeper purpose working at ASC and I am eternally grateful that I took the road to Osborne. I am equally confident that the next generation of submarine builders can see the importance in what we do, and how it has a vital role in keeping Australia safe.

---

Stuart Whiley AM is ASC chief executive and managing director.