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Austal signs long-delayed shipbuilding pact as industry risks persist

18th August 2025 - 17:05 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Christchurch, New Zealand

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Medium and heavy landing craft – visible in this computer-generated image – are the first platforms to be covered by a new Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement with Austal. (Image: Austal)

Austal signs long-delayed Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement, but schedule risks and programme delays still loom over Canberra’s naval plans.

Austal has signed a long-delayed Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with the Australian government to build various vessel classes for Australia’s military, as Canberra aims to create a resilient, sovereign naval ship supply chain.

The agreement, which concluded on 5 August after nearly two years of negotiations, reaffirmed Austal position as key builder of naval vessels in Western Australia despite lingering concerns remaining over further schedule slippages to the programme.

According to the Australian Department of Defence: “The SSA will provide the framework for a steady pipeline of projects to be delivered by Austal, granted it continues to perform and meet

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