A joint venture (JV) between Amentum and Laing O’Rourke has been selected by the Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) to help in the delivery of a nuclear-powered submarine construction yard in Osborne, north of Adelaide.
Under this long-term contract, the JV will serve as ANI’s capability partner. It will play a central role in the development of the new facility, which is intended to support Australia’s first domestically built, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).
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The yard will include advanced assembly, outfitting, testing and commissioning capabilities required for the future SSN AUKUS fleet, ANI stated.
As capability partner, Amentum and Laing O’Rourke will supply nuclear-related programme management, construction management, and safety leadership to ANI’s Integrated Delivery Office.
The partnership will work in close coordination with ANI to oversee work packages, support contracting activity, and manage interface processes across both nuclear and non-nuclear elements of the facility.
Amentum Australia managing director Kim Katheklakis said: “Our team will provide hands-on leadership across key areas of delivery, including governance, assurance, logistics, commissioning, digital engineering, supply chain quality and integrating construction expertise into the design phase.”
The new construction yard is a key component of the trilateral AUKUS agreement between Australia, the US, and the UK, designed to reinforce Australia’s defence industrial capability and long-term national security.
The facility is also expected to generate thousands of highly skilled jobs in South Australia over the life of the programme.
This latest appointment follows milestone developments at Osborne. These include the recent opening of Eurimbla Way, a new road to support current and future shipyard operations, and ongoing work on Production Demonstration Facilities that will validate manufacturing methods ahead of large-scale submarine construction.
ANI also confirmed that the A$502m ($349.2m) Skills and Training Academy Campus, designed to support the AUKUS workforce, is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027.
Last month, the Australian government announced plan to invest a further A$4.6bn ($3.2bn) in ANI to support ongoing work at the nuclear-powered submarine construction yard in Osborne.
