Four South Australian companies are among the first group of suppliers to be shortlisted by H&B Defence to determine their readiness to export into the US submarine and aircraft carrier supply chains.

South Australian companies Intercast, Castech, Axiom, and Supashock are among 12 businesses from across five Australian states selected to undergo capability testing in the coming months to determine their suitability for H&B Defence’s two-year Australian Submarine Supplier Qualification (AUSSQ) Pilot Program.

Australian companies that qualify from the pilot program will be eligible to compete for contract opportunities at Newport News Shipbuilding, a major US shipyard where nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines are designed, built, tested and maintained.

H&B Defence Managing Director Tim Brown said the inaugural cohort of short-listed Australian companies were chosen due to their focus on the priority areas of castings and forgings and precision machining – skills and services vital to support delivery of US-built Virgina-class submarines.

“As we move through the audit and validation phase, our focus remains on ensuring each supplier meets the rigorous standards required to support the US submarine industrial base and validates their readiness to deliver world-class components to our international partners and Australia,” said Mr Brown.

“By elevating local expertise to global standards, H&B Defence is building a sovereign, resilient trilateral supply chain that will drive job creation and economic growth while positioning Australia’s manufacturing base as a trusted partner in AUKUS enterprise.”

In the next phase of the program, H&B Defence will seek additional Australian capability with specific skills and services in areas including air and gas flasks, fabricated parts, glass-reinforced plastics, composites, furniture and joinery and circuit cards.

H&B Defence was formed in 2024 as a joint venture between US companies HII and Babcock to support Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS Pillar 1.

Image: Intercast, based at Wingfield, is one of four South Australia companies selected to undergo testing for a pilot program that would give them access to the US submarine and aircraft carrier supply chains.