Briefs Prepared By Commercial Investments Division For 2025-26 Supplementary Budget Estimates

Written by Claude Haiku 4.5 from the extracted text on 27 Feb 2026. It can miss or misread redacted and scanned pages. Check the source before relying on it.

This Finance estimates brief outlines the status of Australia's nuclear-powered submarine program (AUKUS), detailing three acquisition phases: Submarine Rotational Force-West operational from 2027, purchase of three Virginia Class submarines from the US from early 2030s, and domestic SSN-AUKUS construction beginning late 2020s in Osborne, South Australia. ASC Pty Ltd and BAE Systems were appointed as sovereign build and sustainment partners in March 2024, with government equity injections provided through multiple budget cycles. Australian Naval Infrastructure is developing the Osborne construction yard, while Henderson Defence Precinct will host maintenance facilities. The Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Act received Royal Assent in October 2024, establishing regulatory framework. By December 2024, parties had signed mobilisation agreements and initial tasking statements commencing preparatory work on the SSN-AUKUS build.