Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) Pilot Program
What is AUSSQ?
The Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) Program is a national initiative accelerating Australian industry into the US and UK submarine industrial bases, directly supporting the AUKUS Pillar I pathway.
Delivered by H&B Defence on behalf of HII Australia and the Australian Submarine Agency, the program identifies and qualifies Australian businesses to support the construction of Virginia-class submarines and aircraft carriers at Newport News Shipbuilding in the United States, and the sustainment of visiting Astute-class submarines from 2027.
Suppliers register for priority work packages and are assessed and qualified to stringent US and UK naval nuclear standards — positioning Australian industry to directly contribute to AUKUS delivery.
Priority areas include: castings and forgings, precision machining, air and gas flasks, fabricated parts, composites and GRP, furniture and joinery, and related technologies.
As a joint venture between HII and Babcock, H&B Defence provides direct reach-back into live US and UK nuclear submarine enterprises, leveraging this unique, end-to-end expertise, to identify, assess and actively uplift Australian suppliers to the highest allied standards.
This is delivered through targeted mentoring from subject matter experts, process improvement support and direct engagement with international customers, creating a clear, supported pathway to qualification and contract opportunity.
Program highlights
Since launching in May 2025, AUSSQ has received more than 430 submissions from suppliers nationwide. Over 50 companies have progressed through capability uplift, with 13 formally qualified to US naval nuclear standards and responding to Requests for Quotation.
First Australian export into the US naval nuclear supply chain:
Century Engineering has become the first Australian business to secure export contracts into the United States naval nuclear supply chain. The South Australian company will manufacture precision components for US aircraft carriers on behind of Newport News Shipbuilding.
This milestone demonstrates that Australian industry can meet the highest global standards and marks a step change from prospective supplier to active contributor within AUKUS supply chains.
Western Australian companies VEEM Ltd and Dobbie have also achieved Level 1 accreditation, one of the highest tiers in the US system, enabling them to manufacture critical components requiring the highest standards of quality, traceability and assurance.
AUSSQ continues to expand, with Australian businesses now being assessed across 20+ capability areas supporting both US submarine construction and UK sustainment requirements.
Current opportunities
AUSSQ is actively identifying additional Australian businesses to support priority work packages across US and UK programs.
Shortlisted suppliers are guided through the full onboarding journey, from pre-assessment and formal evaluation to uplift, qualification and entry into the AUKUS supply chain.
Register for AUSSQ