H&B Defence has been appointed to identify Australian suppliers capable of supporting the AUKUS submarine and aircraft carrier initiative with the UK and US. The company will assess firms specializing in castings and forgings, precision machining, component fabrication, composites, and glass-reinforced plastics for their potential role in producing the initial three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines. A shortlist of qualified small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be drawn up within the month, with detailed technical evaluations to follow.
