QinetiQ has supported HMS Anson’s routine Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP) in Australia, using additive manufacturing to deliver replacement parts in what it claims was just four weeks - much quicker than the months or years it usually takes.
QinetiQ designed the required parts, many of which were produced locally by additive manufacturing SMEs in Perth, WA, with the remainder being produced on the East coast and by QinetiQ Australia.
“QinetiQ’s global reach and established local engineering capability enabled us to move quickly to support HMS Anson in Australia," QinetiQ Australia, Chief Executive, Corry Neale, stated.
“We will continue to support AUKUS Pillar 1 activities and provide opportunities to Australian companies to be part of this internationally significant, complex supply chain.”
While QinetiQ is a longstanding strategic partner to the UK’s Submarine Delivery Group, this is the first time that the Royal Navy has used advanced manufacturing to produce submarine components to support a routine SMP in Australia. This achievement represents a milestone on the road to enabling Submarine Rotational Force - West, a key part of AUKUS Pillar 1.
QinetiQ was able to reverse engineer the required parts in the UK, before securely transferring the technical data to QinetiQ Australia, who worked with local suppliers to manufacture the components.
After approval by the Submarine Delivery Group Additive Manufacturing Team, the parts were then delivered to the crew of HMS Anson who installed the components during the maintenance period at HMAS Stirling.