Defence officials from around the world are in Perth this week for a major nuclear-powered submarine event showcasing WA’s strategic role in the AUKUS alliance. The Submarine Institute of Australia’s (SIA) biennial conference kicked off at the Pan Pacific Perth and will also provide some of the sharpest defence minds – from policy experts to maritime researchers – an opportunity to connect.
Speakers at the conference include Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Deputy Chief of Navy Matt Buckley and Sarah MacIntosh, British High Commissioner to Australia.
Western Australia is Australia’s home of AUKUS and from 2027 nuclear-powered submarines from the United States and United Kingdom will begin to forward operate from HMAS Stirling at Garden Island as part of Submarine Rotational Force – West (SRF-West). This will strengthen WA’s defence industries experience with nuclear-powered submarines before Australia receives its own sovereign capability in the 2030s.
Conference attendees will also tour the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) where the new Commonwealth Defence Precinct is set to be built. Once completed the precinct will become the largest naval maintenance hub in the southern hemisphere and support generations of jobs for Western Australians.
The SIA conference is the centrepiece of Defence Week – a week-long program of defence-related events hosted in WA from 18 to 22 August.
Defence Industries Minister Paul Papalia said: “WA is Australia’s home of AUKUS and these events are a powerful showcase of our state’s growing capability, innovation, and strategic importance to Australia’s national security. High profile defence events will become more frequent in WA in advance of the start date for Submarine Rotational Force – West in 2027. I look forward to engaging with global leaders and experts in order to help shape the future of defence in WA.”
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