Bisalloy Steel has secured an order for steel plate from US defence shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB).
Under the US$2 million contract, Bisalloy will supply GDEB with HY80 steel plate for the construction of new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines for the US Navy.
Bisalloy will be responsible for the specialised processing and heat treatment of the raw steel plate, which will be manufactured by BlueScope Steel from its hubs throughout Australia.
"The US continues to expand capacity within its submarine industrial base and has identified steel supply as a key industrial priority," the Australiain Department of Defence (DOD) said in a press release on Wednesday, July 29. "Australian industry participation supports this effort, strengthens resilience across the trilateral submarine industrial base, and creates new opportunities for local manufacturers."
The DOD added that the order will provide valuable production experience for Australian industry and position Australian companies to compete for future opportunities, in addition to demonstrating, "how AUKUS is delivering tangible benefits for Australian industry, supporting skilled jobs and building the industrial capability needed to underpin Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program."
"For the first time, Australian-made steel will be used in the construction of US Virginia-class submarines, demonstrating the world-leading capabilities of our manufacturing sector and the growing contribution Australian industry is making to allied defence capability," said Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.
