Quick Summary
• When Royal Australian Navy submarine HMS Anson required replacement components during a routine Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP) at HMAS Stirling, the conventional supply chain wasn’t an option. British defence technology QinetiQ stepped in, using additive manufacturing to design, produce, and deliver the parts in four weeks, a process that would typically take months or years. …
Additional Context
When Royal Australian Navy submarine HMS Anson required replacement components during a routine Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP) at HMAS Stirling, the conventional supply chain wasn’t an option. British defence technology QinetiQ stepped in, using additive manufacturing to design, produce, and deliver the parts in four weeks, a process that would typically take months or years.
It is the first time the Royal Navy has used advanced manufacturing to support a routine SMP in Australia, and a concrete step toward operationalising Submarine Rotational Force – West under AUKUS Pillar 1.
From UK Design to Australian Production
The operation was made possible by QinetiQ’s global footprint. Engineers in the UK reverse engineered the required components and securely transferred the technical da