Under AUKUS, the Defence Department is preparing a digital twin submarine

As part of the AUKUS agreement, the Department of Defence has announced its intention to utilize a digital twin for the acquisition of nuclear submarines. This plan was disclosed in a recruitment advertisement seeking a digital strategy chief who would be responsible for overseeing the digital twin. The advertisement explains that a model-based systems engineering strategy is required to ensure the successful delivery and long-term maintenance of the submarine capability. Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world physical items, systems, or processes that can be employed to simulate scenarios and visualize changes. A Defence spokesperson stated that the department frequently employs digital twins to support decision-making and gain insights within a virtual environment. The spokesperson further emphasized that lessons learned and opportunities identified through digital twins can be applied to the physical world. The digital strategy chief will report to the director-general of the Australian Submarine Agency and collaborate with various stakeholders from Defence, government agencies, industry, and academia to leverage digital technologies for submarine scientific research and engineering advice generation. The Department of Defence has been exploring the use of digital twins since at least 2020 and has identified them as an integral part of its STAR (science, technology, and research) Shots initiative, particularly within the Battle Ready Platforms streams. In 2021, the Defence Science and Technology Group partnered with Supashock, an auto suspension company, to explore the application of digital twins in the preventative maintenance and condition monitoring of military land vehicles.