HII and Babcock launch new Australian joint venture to accelerate Australian SSNs

US defence giant Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and UK defence contractor Babcock have formed a new joint venture, H&B Defence headquartered in Canberra to accelerate the development of critical sovereign Australian capability for the AUKUS conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine program.

H&B Defence brings together comprehensive expertise in every aspect of nuclear-powered submarine activities to support the development of Australia’s sovereign capability, the two partners say. It has been established to support all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS Pillar 1, including workforce, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defueling and decommissioning, nuclear waste and future sustainment.

The new company will work with government and key stakeholders from industry and academic sectors to develop a program to promote and grow a skilled sovereign nuclear workforce in Australia.

Tim Brown AM has been appointed H&B Defence Managing Director. “H&B Defence’s mission is to transform Australia’s submarine industrial landscape to position the nation to operate nuclear submarines,” he said. “This joint venture will focus on equipping Australia with the requisite industrial base, supply chains, and workforce required to support and manage all aspects of the nuclear-powered submarine lifecycle.”

Brown, a 33-year veteran of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), is a mechanical engineer who commanded both a Collins-class submarine and an ANZAC-class frigate. A former Director General Submarines and Head of the Submarine Profession, Brown led the submarine capability enterprise through a period of unheralded submarine availability and high levels of workforce growth, and he played an early and instrumental role in the AUKUS security partnership.

The company board is chaired by HII’s President of the Nuclear and Environmental Services and HII Australia business lead, Michael Lempke and also includes Babcock Australasia CEO, Andrew Cridland.

H&B Defence can support all steps of Australia’s optimal pathway to sovereign nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS Pillar 1 – including workforce, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defueling and decommissioning, nuclear waste and future sustainment, says the company. This ensures the nation is ready for both the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines and SSN-AUKUS.

HII is the leading designer, builder, maintainer, and sustainer of US Navy nuclear-powered submarines, with over 60 submarines delivered in four decades. Babcock currently sustains all of the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet and owns and operates the UK’s only licensed facility for refitting, refuelling and defueling nuclear submarines.

The Joint Venture complements the existing partnership already established between Babcock and HII to collaborate on nuclear decommissioning, disposal, and other national security opportunities.