Lockheed Martin to build sovereign Virginia-class submarine combat systems integration capability in Australia under AUKUS - Defence Industry Europe

This represents a major AUKUS pillar advancement: the establishment of sovereign Australian combat systems integration capability for Virginia-class submarines moves Australia toward indigenous submarine maintenance, modernisation, and operational independence. It directly strengthens Pillar 6 (Maritime Defence) and Pillar 3 (Industrial Base), reducing long-term dependency on US support and demonstrating committed US partnership on the timeline required for AUKUS delivery.