Nuclear powered submarines for Australia.

Speakers: Cmdr Peter Bullard Royal Navy (Rtd), EA Sydney Nuclear Engineering Panel and Dr Anna Paradowska, ANSTO.

Hosted by the Nuclear Engineering Panel of Engineer Australia Sydney Branch.

Venue: 6 pm 11 Nov 2021 Hybrid Event. Engineers Australia Office Harricks Auditorium, 44 Market St (Mezzanine Floor), Sydney, NSW.

Following the announcement of the AUKUS agreement, a task force has been established to intensely examine the full suite of requirements that underpin nuclear stewardship. This presentation will examine the infrastructure, engineering, skills and training required for this program.

Nuclear-powered submarines have superior characteristics of stealth, speed, manoeuvrability, survivability, and almost limitless endurance, when compared to conventional submarines. They can deploy unmanned underwater vehicles and carry more advanced weapons. This enables them to operate in contested areas with a lower risk of detection and deter actions against Australia’s interests. The first speaker, Cmdr Peter Bullard, served as an engineer officer for 35 years in the RN of which 24 was in nuclear submarines as an operator/maintainer as well as the senior mechanical engineer during reactor refuel, lecturer for nuclear operator training, nuclear plant safety regulator and plant and equipment designer for nuclear submarine acquisition. The second speaker, Prof Anna Paradowska, is an ANSTO expert in neutron diffraction stress analysis used to advance manufacturing processes in particularly defence applications.