Key Developments
On 24 August 2026, the Minister for Defence said the Albanese and Cook governments had selected the site for the Henderson Defence Precinct in Western Australia, with the project intended to support continuous naval shipbuilding, skilled jobs and AUKUS-related submarine capability.
Key Statistics
- $12 billion in Defence infrastructure investment underpinned the Henderson precinct plan
- 10,000 direct jobs were expected over the next 2 decades
Main Body
On 24 August 2026, the Minister for Defence said the Australian and Western Australian governments had selected the site for the new Henderson Defence Precinct, a naval industrial project in Western Australia intended to support continuous shipbuilding and the development of conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS.
The Minister for Defence said the precinct was backed by $12 billion in Defence infrastructure investment and was expected to create about 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades. The announcement placed Henderson at the centre of Australia’s maritime industrial planning, with the site intended to support skilled workforces, naval sustainment and future submarine activity.
The decision followed recent Australia-UK defence industry moves linked to AUKUS. On 13 August 2026, Australia’s Department of Defence said Canberra and London had signed a joint statement to deepen cooperation on Active Electronically Scanned Array radar capability supplied by CEA Technologies. On 12 August 2026, HM Government said the radar cooperation was aimed at strengthening supply chains and defence industry links between the two countries.
The Henderson selection mattered because the Minister for Defence tied the precinct to Australia’s long-term maritime capability and AUKUS submarine pathway. In practical terms, the project gave government, industry and the workforce a defined site for future naval construction and sustainment, while the linked Australia-UK industrial agreements showed how AUKUS partners were aligning procurement, technology and supply-chain planning.
