New Defence Secretary, , has set out Britain's
commitment to the AUKUS partnership as an important driver of
jobs and growth in Yorkshire and across the UK.
Joined by the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence
Minister, Richard Marles, on a tour of a key military steel
supplier in Sheffield, the pair saw first-hand how the
business is benefiting from AUKUS – the trilateral defence and
security partnership between the UK, US and
Australia.
today reaffirmed the UK's
staunch commitment to AUKUS and the jobs and growth it can
deliver for Britain.
The AUKUS submarine programme will generate 7,000 additional
British jobs. At its peak, there will be over 21,000 people
working on the SSN-AUKUS programmes in the UK supply chain.
The visit comes after Prime Minister spoke to Australian Prime
Minister, Anthony Albanese, with the leaders outlining their
commitment to the strong AUKUS partnership.
Australia and the UK are close partners, working together on the
most pressing global security issues. The two ministers also
discussed UK-Australian cooperation to support Ukraine, our close
coordination in the Indo-Pacific and our joint commitment to
ensuring the AUKUS partnership fully delivers its
potential.
Defence Secretary, said:
Working with allies and partners is fundamental to our security
and so it is a pleasure to host my Australian counterpart within
my first fortnight as Defence Secretary. The UK and Australia are
the closest of friends and our work through AUKUS is testament to
this.
Sheffield Forgemasters is a shining light of UK industry that
helps boost global security and employs skilled staff from the
local community. This is just one example of how our hugely
important partnership with our Australian and American partners
can help drive jobs and growth across Britain.
Sheffield Forgemasters manufacture specialist steel parts used in
critical UK defence programmes, including highly complex,
nuclear-grade steel components for nuclear-armed submarines.
Their parts will also be used in future UK and Australian
conventionally armed, nuclear-powered, submarines – known as
SSN-AUKUS – which will be the largest, most advanced and most
powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal
Navy.
Deputy Prime Minister for Australia, Richard Marles
said:
Australia and the United Kingdom's relationship is enduring and
forged in deep history.
Be it under the defence and security cooperation agreement, or
the work we continue to achieve under AUKUS, we are modernising
our partnership.
And importantly, we continue to work together on our support for
Ukraine and to support a global rules-based order.
Opportunities through the AUKUS supply chain for British industry
could be worth billions across the coming decades, supporting
thousands of jobs in both countries.
Sheffield Forgemasters is fully owned by the Ministry of Defence,
employing around 650 skilled workers, with more than £900 million
invested to date to modernise and expand the business. Both the
UK and Australian governments have made hundreds of millions of
pounds of joint investment into the infrastructure and capability
of the business. This investment shows the commitment both
governments are making in the region and to the wider UK supply
chain supporting the AUKUS endeavour. Latest statistics show £330
million is spent annually with the defence industry in Yorkshire
& The Humber, with more than 2,500 jobs
supported.
The tour at Sheffield Forgemasters followed Richard Marles
visiting HMNB Clyde in Scotland to see first-hand how the UK
operates its nuclear submarine base, including exposure to an
Astute Class submarine and the UK approach to the operation,
maintenance and regulation of these attack vessels.
Just last week the first three Royal Australian Navy
officers graduated from the Royal Navy's Nuclear Reactor Course
at HMS Sultan in Gosport. The graduates will now go on to
serve in Astute-class submarines side-by-side with the Royal Navy
to gain first-hand at-sea experience with naval nuclear
propulsion technology.
Their success marks a significant milestone in developing the
skilled workforce needed to operate Australia's future
conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability being
developed under the AUKUS partnership.
