Australia set to build its first research submarine

A three-year project to design, manufacture and test Australia’s first yellow submarine will begin next month.

The fully reconfigurable Australian Research Experimental Submarine (ARES) will be used for hydrodynamic and crew efficiency testing of future submarine designs.

A full business case is still being finalised ahead of the kick-off meeting in Adelaide, South Australia, in February.

The project is collaboration between the University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Flinders University, TAFE SA and the University of Tasmania’s Australian Maritime College with Defence support from DST Group.

The four industry partners for the project are SAAB, ASC, Dassault Systemes and MOOG Australia.

ARES received $150,000 in Defence Innovation Partnership funding from the South Australian Government last month to boost a $350,000 in kind contribution from participants to fund the project’s first year. An estimated $3 million will be needed to complete the three-year project.

Project lead and University of Adelaide Director of the Shipbuilding Hub for Integrated Engineering and Local Design (SHIELD) Eric Fusil said the project would deliver Australia’s first reconfigurable research submarine.