South Australian manufacturers are inching closer to joining the US nuclear-powered submarine supply chain, after securing a Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) supplier identification number.

The supplier identification number signifies that once fully certified through the Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification process, these companies are qualified to participate in the NNS supply chain in support of nuclear-powered submarine construction.

The inaugural Supplier Capability Uplift Program is being  delivered by US shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries through its Australian entity HII Nuclear Australia Pty Ltd (HII-NA). The South Australian companies participating are:

• McKechnie Iron Foundry
• Century Engineering
• Levett Engineering
• H-E Parts International
• MacTaggart Scott Australia

To help prepare for US shipbuilding work, the businesses will share in $400,000 of South Australian Government support, matched by the companies, to help address capability gaps identified in Supplier Technical Assessment and Validation (STAV) reviews that were undertaken last year.

Century Engineering Managing Director David Heaslip said the program is helping build the company’s capability in support of Australia’s highly complex and demanding future submarine build and sustainment needs.

“HII provided an insightful review of Century’s capabilities and offered advice and comments in a transparent manner which allowed us to learn a lot about the requirements for the US Nuclear Submarine Build & Sustainment,” Mr Heaslip said.

“Every defence project Century undertakes is an opportunity to further improve our capability. Becoming a trusted supplier to HII would mean lasting capability improvement for our business and workforce.”

 Minister for Defence and Space Industries Stephen Mullighan said the program has been successful in helping businesses prepare to enter AUKUS supply chains and build the experience required to deliver South Australia’s major shipbuilding projects.

Read the media release.