ASC and Austal support Australia’s naval capability with AM
The partnership will focus on shipbuilding and submarine sustainment, as well as workforce development through training and upskilling
Australia’s sovereign submarine partner, ASC, and shipbuilder Austal have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on additive manufacturing technologies and workforce development, marking a significant step forward in strengthening Australia’s sovereign naval capability.
The partnership will advance the use of cutting-edge 3D printing in shipbuilding and submarine sustainment, strengthening Australia’s domestic AM supply chain to support both the Collins Class and US-built Virginia Class submarines. It will also support workforce development through training and upskilling in advanced manufacturing technologies.
“Additive manufacturing offers transformative potential for Australia’s maritime industry – enabling faster production, improved part performance, and greater flexibility in shipbuilding, maintenance, and sustainment,” said Danielle Bull, Chief Capability Officer of ASC. “At ASC, we are already investigating ways to further integrate AM into our sustainment operations. This partnership with Austal will accelerate our efforts to scale these capabilities and embed AM into the broader Australian supply chain, improving resilience, reducing lead times, and enhancing the performance and maintainability of critical components.”
Austal USA’s Advanced Technologies division has been at the forefront of AM adoption, operating the US Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) in collaboration with BlueForge Alliance. The facility supports the qualification and scaling of AM parts for defense applications, including submarine platforms.
“This partnership builds on our long-term investments into advanced manufacturing,” said Glenn Callow, Chief Technology Officer of Austal. “As early as 2020, Austal has worked with partners to align 3D printing technologies with the demands of its maritime customers. With this new partnership, we will continue efforts to uplift Australia’s shipbuilding and sustainment capability across the supply chain.”
“It represents a tremendous opportunity for the AM CoE to share the knowledge, capabilities, and experience – our collective ‘lessons learned’ – with Austal Australia, ASC, and their AM partners,” said Don Hairston, Vice President for Submarines and Advanced Technologies at Austal USA. “Together, we’re pushing the boundaries to build faster, more resilient worldwide supply chains for defense.”
