U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Australia -- Delegations from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States visited General Dynamics Electric Boat’s submarine construction facilities on Monday, December 5. One of the two private shipyards in the U.S. that builds nuclear-powered submarines, Electric Boat provides the capability to design, construct, maintain, and modernize nuclear-powered submarines for the United States. The U.S. delegation included Director Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program Admiral James Caldwell, U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, Senior Advisor on AUKUS to the Secretary of Defense Abe Denmark, and Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, Policy Ken Handelman. The Australian delegation included Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty, and Chief of Defence Force Angus Campbell. The United Kingdom delegation included Captain Scott Rawson, United Kingdom Liaison Officer.

The delegations reviewed the scale and complexity of the company’s manufacturing facility in Quonset Point, and met with experts to discuss the skills and technical knowledge required to manufacture nuclear-powered submarines. The delegation also discussed the management and oversight requirements for the construction facility with Electric Boat executives.

The visit supported Australia’s intent to develop a nuclear-powered submarine construction yard and build an Australian workforce with the necessary skills, training, and qualifications to build, operate, and sustain a conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability. AUKUS partners are committed to setting the highest non-proliferation and safeguards standards.

The visit builds on AUKUS partners’ progress since the President and Prime Ministers announced on September 15, 2021 their shared ambition for Australia to acquire a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability and to accelerate the development of advanced capabilities in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. As President Biden said about AUKUS, “This is about investing in our greatest source of strength — our alliances — and updating them to better meet the threats of today and tomorrow.”