ASC and Austal have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate the use of additive manufacturing technologies in Australia’s naval shipbuilding and submarine sustainment programs, marking a significant development for the nation’s sovereign maritime capability.
The agreement was formalised at the 2025 Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney and will focus on expanding the use of advanced 3D printing in support of the Collins Class and US-built Virginia Class submarines. The collaboration is also expected to strengthen Australia’s domestic additive manufacturing supply chain and bolster workforce training across emerging production technologies.
ASC chief capability officer Danielle Bull said the partnership underscored a shared commitment to innovation and sovereign capability development.
“Additive manufacturing offers transformative potential for Australia’s maritime industry – enabling faster production, improved part performance, and greater flexibility in shipbuilding, maintenance and sustainment,” she said.
“At ASC, we are already investigating ways to further integrate AM into our sustainment operations. This partnership with Austal will accelerate our efforts to scale these capabilities and embed AM into the broader Australian supply chain, improving resilience, reducing lead times, and enhancing the performance and maintainability of critical components.”
Austal USA’s Advanced Technologies division has been a leader in additive manufacturing for defence, operating the US Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in partnership with BlueForge Alliance. The facility is used to qualify and scale 3D-printed components for submarine platforms and other maritime applications.
Austal chief technology officer Glenn Callow said the collaboration built on years of investment in advanced manufacturing capability.
“This partnership builds on our long-term investments into advanced manufacturing,” he said.
“As early as 2020, Austal has worked with partners to align 3D printing technologies with the demands of its maritime customers. With this new partnership, we will continue efforts to uplift Australia’s shipbuilding and sustainment capability across the supply chain.”
Austal USA vice president for submarines and advanced technologies Don Hairston said the agreement represented a major opportunity.
“It represents a tremendous opportunity for the AM CoE to share the knowledge, capabilities, and experience – our collective ‘lessons learned’ – with Austal Australia, ASC, and their AM partners,” he said. “Together, we’re pushing the boundaries to build faster, more resilient worldwide supply chains for defence.”
The MoU supports broader national defence initiatives aimed at strengthening sovereign capability and keeping Australia at the forefront of maritime innovation.
