DEFENCE SA IS PROUD TO HAVE LED OUR LARGEST EVER SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION TO THE INDO PACIFIC 2023 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME EXPOSITION, HAVING SHOWCASED THE STATE’S WORLD-CLASS NAVAL DEFENCE CAPABILITIES.
Australia’s naval shipbuilding capital
South Australia has a long and proud history of delivering the nation’s most complex and dynamic Defence projects, and the state is uniquely placed to maintain a sustainable and globally competitive defence industry, while contributing to our nation’s sovereign capability.
The state’s naval shipbuilding expertise spans the full spectrum of capabilities, including:
- heavy engineering and manufacturing
- systems design, engineering and integration
- combat system design and integration
- software development
- ship design and engineering
- commercial vessel construction.
As the future home of construction of Australia’s next-generation nuclear-powered submarine fleet, South Australia will be at the forefront of one of Australia’s greatest industrial undertakings that represents the biggest leap in defence capability in the nation’s history. Combined with a continuous flow of naval shipbuilding work, the state is experiencing unprecedented investment and a major uplift in defence industry capability and capacity.
Home to a critical mass of world-class industry that is delivering specialist services and products to defence customers across the globe, South Australia’s defence industry stands at the ready to deliver a pipeline of naval shipbuilding and Defence programs and contribute to the national mission to build a sovereign maritime capability for Australia.
Together with a highly skilled workforce that includes some of the most experienced and skilled naval shipbuilders in the world and a research community working at the cutting-edge, South Australia has firmly established itself as The Defence State.
Defence State Exhibitors
Home to leading Defence primes, high-tech and innovative small and medium enterprises, and world-class research and development institutions, South Australia is at the forefront of the nation’s defence industry endeavours.
More than 80 high-profile companies, research and education providers exhibited on the South Australia – The Defence State stand, representing South Australia’s largest contingent ever.
South Australia is home to 7 of the world’s top 10 defence companies and over 400 SMEs that are part of the broader defence ecosystem with capabilities spanning across all domains. You can explore them all by visiting our Defence Industry Directory.
Australia’s premier naval shipyard
South Australia is home to some of Australia’s most advanced defence precincts, which host specialist infrastructure and groups of companies with a critical mass of expertise.
The Osborne Naval Shipyard is a world-class, state-of-the-art digital shipyard and the most advanced naval shipbuilding facility in Australia.
Located at Osborne, 25 kilometres north-west of Adelaide’s CBD, the shipyard is being expanded to support ongoing large scale shipbuilding projects, including the Hunter class frigates, Arafura class offshore patrol vessels, Australia’s new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines (SSN-AUKUS), and the life of type extension and sustainment of the Collins class submarines.
As part of AUKUS, Australia is set to become one of only seven countries to operate nuclear-powered submarines. Adelaide’s Osborne Naval Shipyard will be home to one of only four connected shipyards in the AUKUS partnership, together with Virginia, Connecticut and Barrow-in-Furness.
South Australia’s shipbuilding programs
South Australia is the Defence State and the nation’s home of complex naval ship and submarine building as well as upgrade and sustainment activities at the state-of-the-art Osborne Naval Shipyard. These programs will continue at a steady pace for decades to come.
Nuclear-powered Submarines
Nuclear-powered Submarines
The first pillar of the enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Australia’s fleet of SSN-AUKUS conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines will be built at Osborne Naval Shipyard.
Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels
Arafura Class Offshore Patrol Vessels
A $4bn project as part of Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy, with two vessels constructed at Osborne Naval Shipyard. The first OPV was completed in 2021, with construction of the second ship underway.
Collins Class Submarines
Collins Class Submarines
Six vessels were built in Adelaide in the 1990s. Osborne Naval Shipyard is the confirmed location for the through-life support of the fleet including ongoing Full-cycle docking and Life-of-type extension.
Hobart Class Destroyers
Hobart Class Destroyers
Three vessels constructed at Osborne Naval Shipyard from 2007-2020.
$5.1bn in upgrades to Combat Management System announced in 2021, will commence in South Australia in 2024.
Hunter Class Frigates
Hunter Class Frigates
Prototyping is underway on this $45bn project, the largest ever surface ship project in Australia’s defence history. Construction commended in 2022, with a fleet of nine anti-submarine warfare frigates expected to enter service in the late 2020s.
Other Projects
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