WA engineering company enters AUKUS supply chain
WA engineering company VEEM Ltd secures a nine-year manufacturing licence agreement with United States' defence prime Northrop Grumman.
The $US33 million deal will see VEEM manufacture and supply precision castings for the US Navy's Virginia-class submarines—the same class Australia is set to acquire under the AUKUS partnership from 2032.
This achievement positions Western Australia as a key contributor to AUKUS outcomes.
It also consolidates WA's presence within the US nuclear-powered submarine supply chain, demonstrating the ability of local industry to meet the stringent standards required for US defence approvals.
VEEM has entered the US submarine industrial supply base through a $300,000 partnership with US prime contractor Huntington Ingalls Industries. It is one of five Western Australian small and medium enterprises selected for this program.
Under the Diversify WA economic framework, local defence industries have been identified as a priority sector, with a strong emphasis on supporting AUKUS outcomes. This includes championing local small and medium enterprises to gain access to US defence markets.
