The South Australian Government has partnered with the Australian affiliate of US-based BlueForge Alliance (BFA) to help build the state’s skilled workforce and industrial base to deliver Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine program.

The collaboration with BlueForge Alliance Australia (BFAA) will facilitate knowledge transfer from its US counterpart and support the delivery of the SSN-AUKUS program in South Australia.

Under the MoU, BFAA plans to establish a presence in the state, working closely with government, academic and industry partners.

The partnership will benefit Australia, the US and the UK, while contributing to workforce development, industry capability, technology development, supply chain resilience, knowledge transfer and public awareness.

A BFAA spokesperson said the organisation was honoured to be partnering with South Australia to support delivery of AUKUS Pillar I.

“BFAA, as a not-for-profit with an Australian-led team, is a strategic enabler for AUKUS, designed to partner across industry, government, and academia to uplift Australia’s sovereign submarine and maritime industrial base,” the spokesperson said.

“This MOU with South Australia will support the state’s AUKUS preparations across a range of critical aspects.

“Through this partnership, BFAA will bring knowledge and experience to help South Australia deliver on this critical national endeavour.”

BFA serves as a US Navy system integrator for its Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) and has strengthened the US MIB’s capability and workforce through targeted campaigns and training initiatives. The newly established BFAA, launched on 3 November 2025, will be led by CEO-designate Sam Guthrie, with a local Board including BFA CEO Rob Gorham.

The MoU was formally signed at the Defence State stand during the 2025 Indo Pacific in Sydney, marking a significant step toward developing a highly skilled sovereign workforce and supporting an innovative defence industry to meet the demands of the AUKUS endeavor. It builds on South Australia’s ongoing collaboration with the Commonwealth, industry and academia to deliver programs locally and at speed.