The Morrison government’s scores the need for Australian stakeholders to termination of the Attack-class submarine pro- carefully articulate the acceptable trade-offs gram with France in 2021 and the commence- between foreign sourcing and meeting deliv- ment of the AUKUS Pillar 1 partnership marked a ery timeline expectations. [...] er-class frigates.6 The 2024 Independent Analysis of the Navy’s Introduction Surface Combatant Fleet that was commissioned out of the recommendations of the 2023 Defence Shipbuilding has yet to seriously figure in the Strategic Review proposed the acquisition of “at Australia-ROK security relationship. [...] The majority the period of military rule in the 1960s when Australia’s shipbuilding ambitions and South Korea’s experience 4 BRIEF the prospect of a resumption of hostilities with Shipbuilding exports and challenges North Korea was serious. [...] The group also led the high-profile investment near Subic Bay in the and military contracts in Philippines in the 2000s, an area that had been home to the US naval presence in the Philippines throughout the Cold War. [...] The production of this report was supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Commonwealth of Australia.
- Pages
- 12
- Published in
- Australia
Table of Contents
- Introduction 2
- Shipbuilding is poised to potentially transform Australias relations with its Indo-Pacific strategic partners particularly the Republic of Korea and Japan. 2
- Australias heavy industry woes 3
- The Korean shipbuilding experience 4
- Heavy industries 4
- Shipyard location and workforce 4
- The Republic of Korea today has one of the worlds most successful shipbuilding industries. 4
- Shipbuilding exports and challenges 5
- Unlike the United States or Australia ROK shipbuilders produce vessels for commercial and military contracts in adjacent dry docks. 5
- Lessons for Australia 6
- Cart before the horse Shipbuilding without heavy industries 6
- Offshore build is not a panacea 6
- Niche shipbuilding and sustainment supply chains 7
- Conclusion 7
- To ensure a resilient self-sustaining shipbuilding sector Australia must address its declining heavy industries such as steel production petrochemicals and infrastructure construction. 7
- Endnotes 8
- About the author 10
- Acknowledgements 10
- Dr Peter K. Lee 10
