The Australian Navy will use software made in Connecticut to help them train on their new American-made nuclear submarines, as part of the recent AUKUS defense agreement.
Last week, President Biden announced the deal with Australia and the United Kingdom to sell and train their Navy’s on nuclear-powered submarines. Australia will start by investing $2 billion in the U.S. defense sector and $1 billion in the UK.
RDSI’s software and monitor technology is used in Virginia Class submarines, which will be sold to the Australian Navy.
“So we started as an electronic warfare training company, software-based company,” RDSI President Jon Evans said. “We’re still privately owned. The founder and his son created that software.”
“Since then, we’ve grown, so we do everything from having a specialty in [radio frequency] communications for submarines, supporting testing facilities and recently expanding into the area where we support the surface fleet with two safety solutions,” he continued.
The company, based in Pawcatuck, as well as offices in Rhode Island and Virginia, has been around for 30 years, and has been recognized by the Department of Labor for its commitment to employing U.S. veterans who make up around 70% of its staff.
During a visit to RDSI this week, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said what this company is doing for national security is vital.
“This company is on the cutting edge of new technology, not only providing services but doing research that enables our submarine fleet to communicate globally all around the world and also to protect our homeland against cyberattacks, which unfortunately are a vastly increasing threat,” Blumenthal said.
Australia's nuclear submarine plan will cost up to $245 billion by 2055, each nuclear submarine going for over $3 billion. Another Connecticut company, Electric Boat, hopes to make the Virginia Class submarines.
