H&B Defence has begun validation visits for the first 12 Australian suppliers selected to join the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) Pilot Program.
Chosen from a national pool of hundreds of applicants, these businesses represent five states and will undergo rigorous capability and compliance assessments to qualify for the US submarine and aircraft carrier supply chains. Initial focus areas are Castings and Forgings and Precision Machining, supporting Virginia-class submarine production at Newport News Shipbuilding.
Participating suppliers include:
- Castings and Forgings: CQMS (QLD), AW Bell (VIC), AJAX (NSW), Castech (SA), Hycast (NSW), Intercast (SA)
- Precision Machining: Supashock (SA), Camco (WA), Stella (NSW), Ferra (QLD), Axiom (SA), Marand (VIC)
H&B Defence Managing Director Tim Brown said the program had unearthed remarkable capability within Australia’s defence manufacturing sector.
“The wide geographic spread of these first 12 businesses highlights the nation’s extensive industrial depth. As we move through the audit and validation phase, our focus remains on ensuring each supplier meets the rigorous standards required to support the US submarine industrial base,” said Mr Brown.
AW Bell CEO Sam Bell said the qualification phase is a key step in strengthening sovereign capability.
“As a trusted partner to the defence sector for over a decade, we are proud to be advancing through the AUSSQ program and continuing our contribution to Australia’s industrial base,” said Mr Bell.
The two-year pilot will continue to expand, targeting additional sectors such as composites, fabricated parts, and circuit cards, ensuring Australia’s industrial base is well positioned for long-term participation in AUKUS defence programs.
Republished by The Sub Monitor as Indo Pacific 2025 event’s official media partner.
