Austal USA To Increase Submarine Industrial Base Capabilities Under AUKUS

[By: Austal USA]

Austal USA entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) during the 2025 Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition (INDOPAC 2025) in Sydney, Australia.  This MoU marks an agreement to advance the introduction of cutting-edge 3D printing in Australian shipbuilding and submarine sustainment, strengthening the supply chain to support the Virginia-class and Australian Collins-class submarine programs. 

“Austal USA is proud of the role we are playing in the international effort to fortify the submarine industrial base through innovations in additive manufacturing capabilities,” stated Austal USA President Michelle Kruger.  “We recognize the importance of AUKUS and are excited to be at the forefront of this monumental collaboration of Allies partnering to defend our freedom with an impenetrable fleet of surface and subsurface naval assets.”

The MoU, signed at the Austal USA stand by Austal USA Vice President Business Development & External Affairs, Lawrence Ryder, ASC Chief Capability Officer, Danielle Bull, and Austal Australia Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Glenn Callow, is another indication of the significant role Austal USA is playing in integrating AM technologies into the maritime industrial base of not only the US but also Australia. 

“This is another significant advance in our efforts to fully integrate the use of AM in the submarine and shipbuilding production and repair process,” stated Ryder. “Signing the MoU here at INDOPAC in Sydney highlights the growing achievements of AUKUS and the expanding relationship between the US and Australian industrial bases.” 

Austal USA’s advanced technologies team has been at the forefront of AM adoption, operating the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) in Danville, Va. Austal USA is responsible for developing a national network of vendors with qualified AM machines and processes to provide critical submarine parts. Austal USA has a unique familiarity with end-to-end production pathways using AM across multiple modalities and alloys. The company is using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), wire laser additive manufacturing (WLAM) and exploring the use of cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM).

One of the most significant challenges is ensuring additive manufacturing digital data smoothly integrates with existing Navy logistics, inventory, and quality management systems. Austal USA is developing a network that will ensure digital traceability – a digital thread built to Navy requirements – through the development of Digital -Secure Exchange for Additive (Digital – SEA), a purpose-built platform that will connect the Navy and component OEMs with AM suppliers and digital manufacturing information.

Austal USA also formed a strategic partnership in 2022 with General Dynamics Electric Boat, supported by the U.S. Navy, to expand the submarine industrial base (SIB) by producing modules for the Virginia and Columbia -class programs.  As part of the partnership, Austal USA is constructing and outfitting Command and Control Systems Modules (CCSM) and Electronic Deck Modules (EDM) for the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs.

Austal USA has continued to expand its facilities and workforce to support the growing demand of the SIB. A new production facility, a 369,600 square foot manufacturing building, will be dedicated to submarine module manufacturing. The new building, Module Manufacturing Facility 3, will be fully operational in late 2026.