By Peter Roberts BAE Systems Australia has batted off suggestions it will bid to construct nuclear powered submarines in Adelaide under the AUKUS deal. The company already operates a new shipyard built by the federal government at Osborne in Adelaide where it is constructing Hunter class frigates for the RAN, as well as a capable…
The three AUKUS leaders, US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have emphasised the industry building aspects of the tri-lateral plan to jointly develop and build nuclear powered submarines. The three leaders said in a joint statement: “Together we will deliver SSN-AUKUS – a trilaterally-developed submarine based…
Australia is to purchase three US-made Virginia class nuclear powered submarines and follow on by building eight nuclear powered submarines to a new design designated SSN-AUKUS in Adelaide. To fill a capability gap with the retirement of the Collins class submarines Australia will host American nuclear-powered submarines on a regular basis as early as 2027.…
Yesterday in our series – Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – Lance Worrall argued that sovereign capability is about a nation making things it needs, and policy with purpose. Today he identifies Australia’s priority sovereign capability sectors, and reveals where we are falling short. Over 30 years Australia overdosed on neoliberalism. The patient’s disorders include deindustrialisation…
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. Just as this drove manufacturers to new heights during during the Covid-19 pandemic, the same urgency is needed today as the nation rebuilds sovereign capabilities. Today our editorial series – Celebrating Australian sovereign capability – looks at the fortunes, and future, of one manufacturing SME.…
In the first of two articles in our new series – Celebrating Australian Sovereign Capability – Lance Worrall argues that sovereign capability depends on Australia’s reindustrialisation and rediscovering the positive role of government in setting directions for inclusive growth. The phrase ‘sovereign capability’ re-entered our lexicon during the pandemic. Covid severely disrupted international supply chains,…
We have all heard the phrase – sovereign manufacturing capabilities. But what does it mean for Australia in the 21st century, what are they and how do we develop them? Here Peter Roberts sets the scene for our latest editorial series – Celebrating Australian sovereign capability. It wasn’t too long ago that a new phrase…
Robotics and automation company Diverseco will offer Northern Territory businesses direct access to automation services and solutions, including industrial robots, collaborative robots (known as “cobots”) and weighing solutions. The company has opened a Darwin premises on Cavenagh Street which will enable upskilling, job creation and support early-stage small-scale and pilot research projects in advanced manufacturing…
The federal government has awarded a contract extension to the Warship Asset Management Agreement (WAMA) partners who are upgrading the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac class frigates. The WAMA is an alliance of BAE Systems Australia, Saab Australia, Naval Ship Management and the Commonwealth Government and sustains hundreds of skilled shipbuilding jobs at Henderson in Western…
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is backing a trial of a system in South Australia which will enable electricity retailers to manage consumers’ rooftop solar output to maximise benefits to customers and increase network flexibility. With SA leading the country in terms of the penetration of solar and wind power – and rooftop solar…