THE FEDERAL Government has unveiled its 2024 Naval Shipbuilding and Sustainment Plan, which sets out the national program of activities required to deliver maritime capability to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as well as the uplift of the maritime industrial base that underpins National Defence.

The plan details Defence’s current and future capability projects, through a planned investment of $123-$159 billion in maritime capability. Through a 30-year forecast, the government says, the plan signals a long-term demand for shipbuilding and sustainment activities including:

  • conventionally-armed nuclear-powered submarines
  • enhanced lethality surface combatants
  • minor war vessels and Army landing craft.

This includes 55 newly announced vessels compared to the plan under the former Coalition government. The pipeline of construction and sustainment projects is spread largely across South Australia and Western Australia.

“The Australian Government’s investment in continuous naval shipbuilding and sustainment (CNSS) establishes a strong foundation for evolving the maritime industrial base,” release documents said.

“The uplift of the industrial base is a national endeavour that will bolster Australia’s ability to build, sustain and operate maritime capability. 

“An enhanced CNSS Enterprise governance framework supports the coordinated industrial uplift, through strong collaboration across all levels of government, industry, academia, and trade unions.”

The government said its commitment in CNSS will require significant workforce growth to support around 8,500 jobs in naval shipbuilding and sustainment by 2030, plus 20,000 jobs over the next 30 years in support of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program.

“The release of the Plan signifies enhanced collaboration and communication between Defence and enterprise partners to ensure the ADF succeeds in its mission to defend Australia and its national interests,” it said.

Deputy prime minister Richard Marles said the government is already taking decisive steps to grow this workforce, including through:

  • $1.5 billion to provide 500,000 Free TAFE and vocational education training places;
  • $250 million to attract, train and retain the nuclear-powered submarine workforce, including 4,000 Commonwealth supported STEM university places across Australia; 
  • The implementation of the South Australia Defence Industry Workforce and Skills Report and Action Plans in partnership with the South Australian Government. 

The coordinated growth of this workforce will be overseen by the newly established Maritime Workforce and Skills Council in close collaboration with partners from federal, state and territory governments, industry, trade unions and academia.

The government is also progressing detailed design and enabling works to deliver multi-billion-dollar infrastructure upgrades for Australia’s maritime industrial base, including for the new Defence Precinct at Henderson in Western Australia and the Submarine Construction Yard at Osborne in South Australia.

To ensure the government’s approach to shipbuilding keeps pace with the changing strategic environment, the plan will be updated on a biennial basis, with the next iteration scheduled for release in 2026.