ALEX WALSH: AUKUS will provide Western Australia with long-term economic sustainment

When most people think about AUKUS, they picture submarines being built.

And that’s understandable.

The conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines Australia will acquire under AUKUS will be among the most advanced machines ever constructed, representing an unprecedented investment in our nation’s future security.

But for Western Australia, the bigger story is sustainment.

Sustainment is the work that keeps submarines operating throughout decades of service. It includes maintenance and logistical support, repairs, upgrades and the specialist workforce needed to keep vessels safe, capable and ready for deployment.

While it doesn’t attract the same attention as construction, sustainment is where much of the long-term value lies. Across major defence programs, around 70 per cent of expenditure is typically spent on sustainment. In other words, while submarines may take years to build, they require decades of ongoing support.

The long-term nature of sustainment gives local businesses, workers and communities certainty about the opportunities that will be available for future generations.

For Western Australia, that matters. WA has spent decades building expertise in submarine maintenance, engineering and logistical support. Under AUKUS, that capability places the state at the centre of one of the most significant industrial and economic opportunities in Australia’s history.

WA will become home to Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine sustainment capability. From next year, US Virginia Class and UK Astute Class submarines will rotate through HMAS Stirling at Garden Island as part of Submarine Rotational Force-West, relying on local infrastructure, local businesses and local workers to support keeping them operational.

And that’s only the beginning.

From the early 2030s, Australia will begin acquiring its own nuclear-powered submarines. Those vessels will operate for decades, creating demand for engineers, technicians, project managers, tradespeople, logisticians, technology specialists and countless other skilled roles.

The opportunities won’t stop at the shipyard gate. Every submarine relies on a broad network of suppliers and service providers. Businesses specialising in advanced manufacturing, precision engineering, digital technologies, logistics and specialist services will all have a role to play.

We’re already seeing what that future looks like.

Through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification program, WA companies including VEEM, Camco Engineering and HIFraser – which has operations in WA and NSW – have achieved the rigorous standards required to compete for work supporting Virginia Class submarines. Meanwhile, local companies such as MAK Water, Diverse Welding Services and Australian Safety Engineers ? have already contributed specialist capabilities during visits by US and UK submarines.

These are important reminders that AUKUS is not simply a future opportunity. WA businesses are already proving they have the skills, expertise and credentials needed to participate.

The Collins Class experience shows what is possible. Sustainment has supported thousands of jobs, developed highly specialised skills and helped build sovereign industrial capability that did not previously exist in Australia.

AUKUS gives us the chance to build on that success at an even greater scale.

A long-term pipeline of high-value work attracts investment, supports apprenticeships, encourages innovation and creates opportunities for young people pursuing careers in engineering, advanced manufacturing and skilled trades.

It creates opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses to grow, gives companies confidence to invest in people, facilities and technology, and helps ensure highly skilled workers can build rewarding careers in WA.

These aren’t short-term projects that come and go with the economic cycle. They are multi-generational careers that support families, strengthen communities and generate economic activity for decades.

That’s why AUKUS should be viewed not only through a national security lens, but also through an economic one.

It is a defence project. But it is also an industry project, a workforce project and a nation-building project.

The success of Australia’s future conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet will depend not only on acquiring these submarines, but on sustaining them safely, reliably and efficiently throughout their operational lives.

WA already has many of the ingredients needed for success: world-class infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, a strong maritime heritage and an industrial base ready to grow.

And when it comes to long-term value for WA, the greatest prize lies in sustainment: decades of work that will create certainty in employment, supporting local businesses and drive economic growth for generations of West Australians to come.

Alex Walsh is CEO of ASC