Growing a skilled workforce and clarifying demand for Australian industry are among key priorities identified in a plan aimed at helping businesses break into US and UK supply chains for AUKUS.
The AUKUS Submarine Industry Strategy was released by Defence Minister Richard Marles on Wednesday, amid concerns Australian businesses could miss out on a multibillion-dollar pipeline.
Under the AUKUS agreement, Australia has been promised at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US in the early 2030s, with a new class of nuclear-powered boats to be built for delivery from the 2040s.
The AUKUS partnership with the UK and US is forecast to create about 20,000 jobs over the next three decades.
The government has previously announced $262 million to support local defence industry for the nuclear-powered submarine program.
Parliamentary inquiries have been told small and medium-sized Australian businesses in the defence space were haemorrhaging money and would likely disappear without urgent government support.
Mr Marles said Australian industry would be at the "forefront" of the submarine program.
"As a multi-decade, multi-generational undertaking which will create around 20,000 jobs across the country, the strategy will continue to evolve in line with industry and capability requirements as the AUKUS pathway progresses," he said.
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the nation's businesses had "incredible access" to new opportunities.
"Now being able to be work with our AUKUS partners and contribute to the sustainment and build of their submarines as we develop a strong, resilient trilateral submarine industrial base," he said.
