Case Study: SSN-AUKUS Program

The SSN-AUKUS program is delivering Australia's nuclear powered submarine capability through the Osborne Submarine Construction Yard, one of the most significant industrial undertakings in the country's Defence history. M2T Solutions worked with the Australian Submarine Agency as an above the line technical consultant, supporting engineering assurance, design governance and nuclear regulatory compliance across a program the ASA has confirmed at AU$3.9 billion to date, with a total long term investment estimate of up to AU$30 billion.

Delivering nuclear powered submarine construction in Australia meant establishing assurance and compliance frameworks for a program without local precedent. The Australian Submarine Agency needed a joint approach that could coordinate Defence, federal regulators, nuclear specialists, engineering authorities and local communities, while interpreting emerging Australian nuclear regulations and international standards and translating them into evidence that certification bodies could rely on.

M2T Solutions supported engineering assurance across submarine design and combat system integration, ensuring technical outputs aligned with Defence requirements and emerging nuclear safety standards. Our team contributed to a joint assurance framework coordinating government, regulators and technical specialists, supported design reviews, hazard analysis and safety case development, and assisted in interpreting nuclear regulations into engineering evidence packs. We also provided project controls support, including design change management, cost modelling and schedule assurance.

Our work contributed to infrastructure assurance across the Osborne Submarine Construction Yard through the construction and commissioning phases, supporting certification evidence for nuclear related facilities. We produced clear technical reporting for government officials, regulators and local communities, translating complex nuclear engineering into accurate public communication. This support has helped maintain baseline integrity across a program now confirmed at AU$3.9 billion, with construction targeted to deliver Australia's first submarine by around 2030.