Defence firms and unions are warning a significant investment is needed to build up the industrial base and workforce if local construction of nuclear-powered submarines is to start by the end of the decade.
Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead says construction of nuclear-powered submarines could begin in Adelaide by the end of the decade.“We want to commence those boats towards the end of the decade, in actually constructing them,” Admiral Mead told the ABC. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is tipped to travel to Washington next month to unveil, alongside US President Joe Biden and British PM Rishi Sunak, the path Australia will take to acquire the submarines.Australian Industry Defence Network chief executive Brent Clark said Australian firms need to be embedded in the design phase and supply chain immediately to meet a start date of the late 2020s.
The head of the Australian Industry Group’s Defence Council, Kate Louis, said meeting any reasonable timeframe for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines would require “exceptional levels” of co-operation, leadership and collaboration across government, defence and industry.