ASC and Austal Partner to Advance Additive Manufacturing for Australia’s Naval Programs

ASC and Austal have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the use of additive manufacturing across Australia’s naval programs. Announced at the 2025 Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney, the partnership focuses on strengthening the domestic AM supply chain and expanding workforce skills to support both Collins Class and Virginia Class submarines. The collaboration will also scale the use of metal 3D printing in shipbuilding and sustainment while introducing training programs to upskill technicians and engineers in advanced manufacturing technologies.

“Additive manufacturing offers transformative potential for Australia’s maritime industry, enabling faster production, improved part performance, and greater flexibility in shipbuilding, maintenance, and sustainment,” said Danielle Bull, Chief Capability Officer of ASC. She explained that ASC is already exploring ways to integrate AM further into submarine sustainment. Bull added that joining forces with Austal will accelerate those efforts across the broader Australian supply chain.

HMAS Waller, a Collins-class submarine, in Sydney Harbour. (Photo Credit: Royal Australian Navy)

Austal’s Experience in Additive Manufacturing

Austal contributes deep additive manufacturing experience through its U.S. operations. The company’s Advanced Technologies division manages the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in partnership with BlueForge Alliance, where teams work on qualifying and scaling printed components for submarine and ship platforms. This experience gives the partnership a strong technical foundation as Australia looks to expand AM adoption across naval programs.