AUKUS partnership: Subs may be the centrepiece—but infrastructure will decide the outcome

In this episode, Defence Connect host Steve Kuper is joined by Stantec defence leaders Chris Waywell, Rob Sansbury, and Robert Fogel to explore what it will take to deliver AUKUS over the long term.

While much of the public discussion centres on nuclear‑powered submarines, the panel looks beyond the platforms to the infrastructure, workforce, and industrial systems needed to support them. They discuss the scale of change required across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—from shipyards and safety frameworks to skills, supply chains, and sovereign resilience.

The conversation highlights why building the backbone of AUKUS will be critical to its success and what sustained commitment will be needed to turn ambition into enduring capability.