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Babcock International Group has welcomed the phased nuclear-powered submarine plan unveiled by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, President Joe Biden, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in San Diego this week.
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The international defence contactor owns and operates the United Kingdom’s only licensed refitting, refuelling, and defuelling nuclear submarine facility.
Currently, Babcock sustains the entirety of the Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine fleet. Services include through-life support and life extension of the Vanguard, Trafalgar, and Astute classes.
This week, the three leaders unveiled plans for the new SSN-AUKUS, a jointly developed submarine capability based on the UK’s future submarine design with integrated US submarine technology.
The SSN-AUKUS is expected to operate as Australia and the United Kingdom’s future submarine capability, with construction to begin “within this decade”.
According to Prime Ministers Albanese and Sunak and President Biden, the first SSN-AUKUS is scheduled for delivery from the UK to the UK’s Royal Navy in the late 2030s, with the first domestically constructed SSN-AUKUS delivered from the Commonwealth to the Royal Australian Navy in the early 2040s.
The leaders also detailed plans for the United States to sell Australia three Virginia Class submarines in the early 2030s with the deal pending Congressional approval. Currently, the deal can be expanded to an additional two ships.
A joint statement detailed a phased approach to deliver the submarines at the earliest possible time and build a domestic nuclear-powered submarine capability.
In addition to their work on the UK’s nuclear-powered submarines, Babcock currently provides sustainment services to warships in Australia and New Zealand.
David Lockwood, chief executive officer of Babcock, explained that the company hopes to collaborate closely with the governments on the project.
“Babcock plays a critical role in all three countries’ submarine programs today,” he explained.
“Our experience of nuclear infrastructure, workforce upskilling, and regulatory and safety stewardship means we are ideally positioned to help deliver a nuclear-powered submarine capability for the Royal Australian Navy under the AUKUS agreement.”
