At least eight nuclear-powered submarines will be built in Adelaide as part of a defence alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, called AUKUS.
The state has also secured a pipeline of defence projects, that includes the Collins class full-cycle docking and life-of-type extension to be undertaken at Osborne Naval Shipyard with installation commencing in 2026, and upgrades to the Australian Navy’s three Hobart class air warfare destroyer’s combat management systems from 2024.
This work is in addition to the construction of the first two Arafura class offshore patrol vessels and nine Hunter class frigates already underway.
The expansion of South Australia’s naval shipbuilding program is expected to see up to 5000 South Australians employed in the industry by 2030.
With South Australia’s Edinburgh precinct established as the nation’s centre of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the new AUKUS agreement will also present new opportunities across other defence domains such as information warfare, cyber and systems.
The need for a highly skilled and sustainable defence workforce is critical as we scale up to deliver on these key projects in the years to come. This is exciting news for anyone with a capability and interest in the defence industry.
