31 May 2024
Delivering the Submarine Enterprise together
Sir Nick Hine, Managing Director AUKUS and International at Babcock, delivered a keynote speech at Navy Leaders Combined Naval Event 2024, discussing the challenges to delivering a future Submarine Enterprise across the three AUKUS nations.
It’s crucial that we’re collaborating within a wider Submarine Enterprise that delivers an effective deterrent to protect the security of the three nations. The reality is that the enterprise, from shipbuilding to sustainment to disposal, is complex.
It’s all about partnerships
In his speech, Sir Nick discusses how we need partners who can work together to deliver submarine capability as fast as possible.
Firstly, Sir Nick talked about skills and the importance of attracting the right people, but also training and retaining people, which takes careful managing, and needs to be tackled by industry and governments in partnership.
He then explores the complexity of sustainment, and the need for better workforce planning and stronger supply chains. Before looking at infrastructure, and how building and maintaining the infrastructure needed takes time, with regulators and safety proving key.
Finally, he looks at disposal, and shares how we are underway with a demonstrator dismantling programme at our Rosyth facility, and that safe, environmentally aware disposal is at the heart of what we do.
Watch Sir Nick’s speech on delivering the Submarine Enterprise together: