Countertrade & Offset’s Post

To accelerate the development of Australia’s nuclear submarine capabilities under the AUKUS partnership, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and Babcock International Group are forming H&B Defence, a joint venture in Australia. Headquartered in Canberra, the joint venture will collaborate with government, industry, and academic stakeholders in Australia to develop a skilled local workforce. According to the partner companies, H&B Defence aims to ensure that Australia is prepared for the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines and the SSN-AUKUS. The joint venture will leverage expertise from Australia, the UK, and the US to support various aspects of submarine development. This will include workforce development, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defuelling and decommissioning, nuclear waste management, and future sustainment. "This joint venture will focus on equipping Australia with the requisite industrial base, supply chains, and workforce required to support and manage all aspects of the nuclear-powered submarine lifecycle,”  Tim Brown, a veteran of the Royal Australian Navy and newly appointed managing director of H&B Defence, said. Find out more in the latest issue of the CTO newsletter 👉 Link in the comments. #CTO #offset #defenceindustry #Australia #AUKUS #defencecapabilities #collaboration #jointventure

Yesterday was a significant milestone for the #AUKUS partnership with the selection of BAE Systems and ASC Pty Ltd to build Australia’s first fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and the signing of the #Defence and Security Cooperation Agreement. With the longer-term safety of our nations, and our allies, being of utmost importance, the trilateral AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK and US will be transformative for Australian defence capability and strengthen security across the Indo-Pacific. This commitment will also provide significant societal and economic benefits, through thousands of jobs and skills development in Australia and the UK and through investment in resilient supply chains. This is the start of a long journey together. Already working across the Defence and Civil #Nuclear Enterprise in UK, Turner & Townsend stand ready to help bring this endeavour to life through our business in Australia. Working collaboratively with global stakeholders, embracing new ways of working and adopting a digital first approach is at the heart of how we #transform major #programme #performance. #Makingthedifference

Following yesterday's announcements, we must take a strategic approach to the AUKUS partnership, working together across nations to realise the significant future benefits to both national security and prosperity. For the UK, these benefits include the wealth of local jobs and skills development that BAE Systems will bring to Barrow, boosting the local economy. As we move forward, it's important that global stakeholders embrace new ways of working, such as digitalisation, to enable efficient collaboration and the capability to respond at pace to the challenges of a rapidly changing environment. 

Super power(s) by every definition.

The antipodeans Sir Ernest Rutherford "father of nuclear physics" and Sir Mark Oliphant, "Opposer of the fission bomb" were the first experimental demonstrators of nuclear fusion. Why then are the Australian Government and the Federal Opposition not working to get it developed in Australia and bring it back home? New Zealand has, so why not Australia? Interesting articles about Nuclear and I know you haven't looked at Fusion. So let's look at the nuclear or Fission option versus Fusion 1. Fission (Nuclear) Not able to be licenced. https://lnkd.in/gbm2t5uU 2. Authorities have the power to grant licenses for fusion, which is not explicitly covered by the Nuclear Act or the ARPANSA definition. https://lnkd.in/gjKFABpy The above ARPANSA link defines nuclear as fission—no mention of Fusion. 3. A fission (Nuclear)reactor without fissile fuel is a building. 4. A fusion reactor without fissile fuel is a fusion reactor building 5, Fissile (Nuclear) fuel availability and the future cost is a concern, especially for economists and users Dittmar, M. (2011). The End of Cheap Uranium. ArXiv. /abs/1106.3617 Even the UN has identified this, so why does the Fission(Nuclear) industry persist in denying its death like fossil fuels https://lnkd.in/gze5rwpr 6. Should the focus in Australia be on nuclear fission advancement or the promotion of fusion technology? 7, Fission (Nuclear) is only at present in 39 countries out of 189. 8. Is Dutton doing a Menzies and wanting a loophole to get fission (Nuclear) weapons to start with for the subs? 9. Australia still has no high-level radiation waste storage facility 10. Helion Fusion has committed to having its fusion version working in 2028 11. The FIA (Fusion Industry Association) has postulated that commercial power fusion will be available in the 2030s. 12. In its fusion conference report in 2023, the IAEA postulated that all International nuclear (Fission) Laws like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty do not consider fusion, so it seems it can be built in Australia now. 13. Fusion is also being developed "Small Modular Fusion Reactors" like Zap Energy and Avalanche Energy. 14. HB11 and the UNSW Tokamak project have positioned Australia prominently in the trillion-dollar international fusion industry. Instead of relying on fission with a limited lifetime, wouldn't it be preferable to support Australian renewables, batteries, and hydrogen energy generators and back them up with a fusion power plant? This would eliminate the traditional waste problem while still providing medical isotopes and advancements in medical technology like MRIs. Let's focus on creating a sustainable future for Australia instead of perpetuating pollution and leading to an energy crisis. https://lnkd.in/ekakyifA

BAE Systems PLC (LSE:BA.) will make Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines for the AUKUS programme as part of a partnership that the government said "could be worth billions of pounds", including on engines made by Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LSE:RR.). The deal, where the FTSE 100 company will work with Australian specialist submarine builder ASC, with the first boats aimed to be launched in the late 2030s. It follows "months of negotiations" and is "a monumental success" for the British defence industry, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. BAE Systems have been at the heart of the UK’s submarine enterprise for generations and will bring their experience and excellence to deliver this important submarine for Australia. Elements of the supply chain were also signed off as part of the deal, including Rolls-Royce providing the nuclear propulsion plants. More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors #LSE #BA. http://ow.ly/TSr5105mPhK

The antipodeans Sir Ernest Rutherford "father of nuclear physics" and Sir Mark Oliphant, "Opposer of the fission bomb" were the first experimental demonstrators of nuclear fusion. Why then are the Australian Government and the Federal Opposition not working to get it developed in Australia and bring it back home? New Zealand has, so why not Australia? Interesting articles about Nuclear and I know you haven't looked at Fusion. So let's look at the nuclear or Fission option versus Fusion 1. Fission (Nuclear) Not able to be licenced. https://lnkd.in/gbm2t5uU 2. Authorities have the power to grant licenses for fusion, which is not explicitly covered by the Nuclear Act or the ARPANSA definition. https://lnkd.in/gjKFABpy The above ARPANSA link defines nuclear as fission—no mention of Fusion. 3. A fission (Nuclear)reactor without fissile fuel is a building. 4. A fusion reactor without fissile fuel is a fusion reactor building 5, Fissile (Nuclear) fuel availability and the future cost is a concern, especially for economists and users Dittmar, M. (2011). The End of Cheap Uranium. ArXiv. /abs/1106.3617 Even the UN has identified this, so why does the Fission(Nuclear) industry persist in denying its death like fossil fuels https://lnkd.in/gze5rwpr 6. Should the focus in Australia be on nuclear fission advancement or the promotion of fusion technology? 7, Fission (Nuclear) is only at present in 39 countries out of 189. 8. Is Dutton doing a Menzies and wanting a loophole to get fission (Nuclear) weapons to start with for the subs? 9. Australia still has no high-level radiation waste storage facility 10. Helion Fusion has committed to having its fusion version working in 2028 11. The FIA (Fusion Industry Association) has postulated that commercial power fusion will be available in the 2030s. 12. In its fusion conference report in 2023, the IAEA postulated that all International nuclear (Fission) Laws like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty do not consider fusion, so it seems it can be built in Australia now. 13. Fusion is also being developed "Small Modular Fusion Reactors" like Zap Energy and Avalanche Energy. 14. HB11 and the UNSW Tokamak project have positioned Australia prominently in the trillion-dollar international fusion industry. Instead of relying on fission with a limited lifetime, wouldn't it be preferable to support Australian renewables, batteries, and hydrogen energy generators and back them up with a fusion power plant? This would eliminate the traditional waste problem while still providing medical isotopes and advancements in medical technology like MRIs. Let's focus on creating a sustainable future for Australia instead of perpetuating pollution and leading to an energy crisis. https://lnkd.in/ekakyifA

The antipodeans Sir Ernest Rutherford "father of nuclear physics" and Sir Mark Oliphant, "Opposer of the fission bomb" were the first experimental demonstrators of nuclear fusion. Why then are the Australian Government and the Federal Opposition not working to get it developed in Australia and bring it back home? New Zealand has, so why not Australia? Interesting articles about Nuclear and I know you haven't looked at Fusion. So let's look at the nuclear or Fission option versus Fusion 1. Fission (Nuclear) Not able to be licenced. https://lnkd.in/gbm2t5uU 2. Authorities have the power to grant licenses for fusion, which is not explicitly covered by the Nuclear Act or the ARPANSA definition. https://lnkd.in/gjKFABpy The above ARPANSA link defines nuclear as fission—no mention of Fusion. 3. A fission (Nuclear)reactor without fissile fuel is a building. 4. A fusion reactor without fissile fuel is a fusion reactor building 5, Fissile (Nuclear) fuel availability and the future cost is a concern, especially for economists and users Dittmar, M. (2011). The End of Cheap Uranium. ArXiv. /abs/1106.3617 Even the UN has identified this, so why does the Fission(Nuclear) industry persist in denying its death like fossil fuels https://lnkd.in/gze5rwpr 6. Should the focus in Australia be on nuclear fission advancement or the promotion of fusion technology? 7, Fission (Nuclear) is only at present in 39 countries out of 189. 8. Is Dutton doing a Menzies and wanting a loophole to get fission (Nuclear) weapons to start with for the subs? 9. Australia still has no high-level radiation waste storage facility 10. Helion Fusion has committed to having its fusion version working in 2028 11. The FIA (Fusion Industry Association) has postulated that commercial power fusion will be available in the 2030s. 12. In its fusion conference report in 2023, the IAEA postulated that all International nuclear (Fission) Laws like the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty do not consider fusion, so it seems it can be built in Australia now. 13. Fusion is also being developed "Small Modular Fusion Reactors" like Zap Energy and Avalanche Energy. 14. HB11 and the UNSW Tokamak project have positioned Australia prominently in the trillion-dollar international fusion industry. Instead of relying on fission with a limited lifetime, wouldn't it be preferable to support Australian renewables, batteries, and hydrogen energy generators and back them up with a fusion power plant? This would eliminate the traditional waste problem while still providing medical isotopes and advancements in medical technology like MRIs. Let's focus on creating a sustainable future for Australia instead of perpetuating pollution and leading to an energy crisis. https://lnkd.in/ekakyifA

South Korea and the United States conducted their first table-top exercise, "Iron Mace 24," focused on integrating South Korea's conventional forces with U.S. nuclear capabilities, aimed at enhancing responses to North Korea's nuclear threats. The exercise, held at Camp Humphreys, lasted three days and followed the signing of a joint guidelines document on nuclear deterrence. Participants, including officials from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Forces Korea, discussed strategies to strengthen extended deterrence, which involves the U.S. commitment to defend its allies. The exercise comes amidst North Korea's increasing ballistic missile development, prompting the allies to continue their collaborative efforts to bolster deterrence mechanisms established under the Nuclear Consultative Group guidelines. #AsiaRisk #GeopoliticalConflictandDisputes #SouthKorea Follow us for daily updates on risk and operations in Asia! https://lnkd.in/g8DCUj42

After months of negotiations, the US Congress officially passed the USD874bn 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on 14 December. The bill includes the legislation which enables the transfer of two US Navy Virginia-class submarines to the Royal Australian Navy in 2032 and 2035 under the SSN-AUKUS boat programme. The NDAA will now be sent to President Biden and, upon approval, the ability to transfer nuclear technology to Australia will be signed into US law. *** Separately, Babcock Australia & New Zealand, Bechtel Corporation Australia, and shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) will collaborate to support Australia for the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme. The companies signed an MoU on 18 December to identify ways to develop a skilled workforce, nuclear infrastructure design and build, submarine defueling and decommissioning, and nuclear waste and material management. Find out more in the latest issue of the CTO newsletter 👉 Link in the comments. #CTO #offset #defenceindustry #Australia #UK #US #AUKUS #submarines #techtransfer