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Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced that Australian-made steel will be used in the construction of the nation’s fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, which is to be built at Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia, subject to a comprehensive qualification process.
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The Australian Submarine Agency has entered into a $15 million contract with Australian steel manufacturer Bisalloy Steels for the qualification of Australian steel for use on Australia’s future SSN-AUKUS submarines, putting Australian-made products at the centre of the nation’s future submarine fleet.
Using raw plate steel, supplied by BlueScope Steel, Bisalloy Steels will perform an advanced heat treatment process on the raw plate steel to produce high-grade submarine pressure hull steel that meets or exceeds both the UK and US standards, as part of the comprehensive qualification process.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy welcomed this announcement, saying: “The qualification of Australian steel is an important step in the Australian government’s strategy for acquiring state-of-the-art conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines."
This qualification process involves more than 4,500 tests and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.
Minister Conroy added: “The strength and quality of Australian steel will keep Australian submariners safe in the SSN-AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines for decades to come, just as it does today on our Collins Class submarines.”
Not only will the steel produced under this contract be used for qualification purposes, but it will also be used to develop the necessary welding procedures and used in early production demonstration activities occurring ahead of the commencement of construction of Australia’s first SSN-AUKUS submarine later this decade.
The AUKUS partnership presents one of the biggest uplifts in Australia’s industrial and defence capability in our history.
This contract is a clear demonstration of the progress being made and the Albanese government’s commitment to the construction of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines in Australia and support for future Australian jobs.
Minister Conroy said: “Crucially, this contract will support jobs in an industry which is not only of strategic importance but also a source of innovation and employment, and part of the Australian fabric.”
