Industry partners vital for national security

Tri-lateral industry partnerships are vital to support the delivery of the nation’s once-in-a-generation AUKUS agenda.

Babcock Australiasia supports engineering, design, system integration and platform managment.

Tri-lateral industry partnerships like Babcock’s collaboration with Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) are vital to support the delivery of the nation’s once-in-a-generation AUKUS agenda.

We recently announced we’re teaming with HII, combining world-leading experience from Australia, the UK and the US to support one of the biggest and most ambitious strategic partnerships of our lifetime.

Collectively, Babcock and HII have more than 100 years of experience in all parts of submarine activity, from design through to disposal.

Andrew Cridland, Babcock Australasia CEO.

We are collaborating to develop the optimal models for nuclear-powered submarine support, including infrastructure, sustainment and the necessary skills development.

As the AUKUS pact reflects, Australia cannot deliver this plan alone.

The effort will require a whole-of-nation and whole-of-industry effort in order to build, deliver and sustain the nation’s first nuclear powered submarines.

And – to counter aggression and preserve the international-rules based order in the Indo Pacific – Australia needs to develop sovereign defence capability faster than ever before.

Together, Babcock and HII can provide every aspect of the nuclear-powered submarine life cycle.

Industry partnerships like ours will support:

● Upskilling and training the defence workforce in Australia is one of the nation’s greatest challenges. Partnerships and exchanges between industry in the UK and the US – where these countries already deliver and sustain nuclear-submarines – will be critical to speeding up the acquisition of vital defence capabilities.

● Nuclear expertise and experience will be crucial to ensure the nation’s inaugural nuclear-powered submarines are delivered – and quickly. It will also ensure we can sustain nuclear-powered submarines from sovereign bases in Australia into the future.

● The infrastructure build required to deliver and sustain nuclear submarines needs to start now. Proven and trusted partners, like Babcock and HII, will be required to support the delivery of nuclear infrastructure in Australia in order to meet the slated timelines for nuclear-powered submarine delivery.

● Supply chain development and mobilisation of design, production capability and sustainment of the future submarines.

● Advice on defueling, decommissioning and disposal processes required. While this is a decision of the commonwealth, industry partners like Babcock and HII can support nuclear solutions.

● Establishing in-country support for visiting Virginia and Astute class submarines in Australia.

Without partnerships with industry, we are unlikely to be successful in achieving our collective aim.

In a world of significant geopolitical instability, national security has never been more important.

Now, more than ever, what we do matters.

The things we hold dear in this country – democracy, freedom, security and safety – depends on it.

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Andrew Cridland is Babcock Australasia’s chief executive.