The Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) today marks three years of operation, as delivery of Australia's nuclear‑powered submarine capability under the AUKUS partnership gathers pace.
Established on 1 July 2023, the ASA is leading a whole‑of‑nation effort to deliver Australia's conventionally armed, nuclear‑powered submarine capability. Over the past three years, the Agency has deepened collaboration across government, industry and international partners to build the foundations of a sovereign program of unprecedented scale and complexity.
The past 12 months represent the ASA's most significant period to date as preparations build toward the first major phase of AUKUS Pillar 1 in 2027: the commencement of Submarine Rotational Force - West (SRF‑West).
Director‑General of the Australian Submarine Agency, Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead, said momentum is accelerating across operations, industry and international partnerships.
'The ASA's third year of operations has reflected a clear shift from establishing the foundations to delivering capability at scale across one of the most complex national endeavours Australia has ever undertaken,' said Vice Admiral Mead.
'Over the past 12 months, we've achieved major milestones across submarine maintenance, industry access and trilateral cooperation, demonstrating that the Optimal Pathway is on track and gaining momentum.
'Looking ahead to 2027 and the commencement of Submarine Rotational Force - West, our focus is clear: ensuring Australia is ready to operate, maintain and safely steward nuclear‑powered submarines. This is a defining milestone for our nation, and we are sustaining the pace required to deliver it.'
In preparation for SRF-West, 2025-26 saw two Submarine Maintenance Periods (SMPs) at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. Both SMPs were historic in their own right, marking the first time a US nuclear-powered submarine has undergone a maintenance period in Australia without a US support ship, and the first‑ever maintenance activity on a United Kingdom nuclear‑powered submarine in Australia.
The last 12 months has also seen the ASA strengthen trilateral cooperation with the United States and United Kingdom, enabling Australian industry to participate in global supply chains, and building the workforce required to sustain this capability over decades.
Highlights from 2025-26
July - September 2025
- In July 2025, the Geelong Treaty was signed , bringing SSN‑AUKUS a step closer by formalising long‑term cooperation between Australia and the United Kingdom.
- The Industry Front Door was launched in September, streamlining access for Australian businesses seeking to contribute to the submarine program.
October - December 2025
- October saw the arrival of USS Vermont , which completed a successful Submarine Maintenance Period, marking the first time a US nuclear-powered submarine has undergone a maintenance period in Australia without a US support ship.
- ASA showcased Australia's submarine future at INDOPAC 2025 , engaging industry and international partners on AUKUS opportunities. INDOPAC was just one of 7 major domestic events ASA attended.
- November saw Australian industry gain unprecedented access to US submarine technical data through ASA's inaugural Technical Data Sharing Days, marking a major milestone in trilateral cooperation under AUKUS.
- HIFraser became the first Australian company qualified under the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification Program to supply parts for US Virginia‑class submarines.
January - March 2026
- In February 2026, the Australian Government committed funding for the South Australian submarine construction yard at Osborne, supporting long‑term industrial capability.
- Later that month, HMS Anson arrived at HMAS Stirling for the first‑ever maintenance activity on a United Kingdom nuclear‑powered submarine in Australia , marking a historic step in our nation's readiness to operate and maintain conventionally armed, nuclear‑powered submarines.
- The Propel Scholarship program was launched in March to support the development of Australia's future submarine workforce, funding thousands of STEM students, with more than 800 students selected as the inaugural cohort.
- Community information sessions were held in Perth and Rockingham in March , engaging local communities on what AUKUS means for their region and how they can get involved. The sessions followed similar events in September and December 2025.
April - June 2026
- April saw the inaugural industry events in Adelaide and Perth , bringing together federal and state government leaders, international partners, defence primes and hundreds of Australian suppliers to prepare for the demands of the AUKUS submarine program.
- The Australian Government announced additional funding to expand the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification Program to support Australian suppliers to provide priority sustainment services to the UK submarines participating in the Submarine Rotational Force - West activities.
- A new ASC-BAE Systems Supply Chain Qualification Program was also launched(Opens in a new tab/window) , providing Australian industry with pathways to join supply chains supporting both Australian and UK SSN‑AUKUS submarine build programs.
- ASA and Defence presented as a unified national team at the Sea‑Air‑Space 2026 Conference in the United States, showcasing Australian capability to global partners.
- In May, the Australian Government selected Lockheed Martin Australia as the preferred Combat System Integration Partner for Australia's future fleet of sovereign Virginia‑class submarines.
- June saw the AUKUS Defence Minister's meeting in Singapore , with all three ministers reaffirmed their commitment to delivering the AUKUS partnership.
- The Submarine Discovery Centre opened in Rockingham , providing an interactive space for the community to learn about Australia's nuclear‑powered submarine program.
As the ASA enters its fourth year, the focus remains firmly on delivery-building the capability, workforce and industrial base required to ensure Australia is ready to safely operate and sustain nuclear‑powered submarines for decades to come.
