In a decisive effort to strengthen its submarine industrial foundation, the U.S. Navy has allocated an impressive $500 million to the Texas-based nonprofit organization, BlueForge Alliance. This figure is expected to increase further.
As disclosed in a roundtable discussion at the Naval Sea Systems Command on June 6, this substantial investment is designed to enhance the submarine industrial sector in preparation for upcoming strategic security demands, such as those posed by the AUKUS agreement.
Since its establishment in November 2022 by founders Kiley Wren and Rob Gorham, the BlueForge Alliance has emerged as a significant player within the industry.
The alliance has partnered with the U.S. Navy and General Dynamics Electric Boat, undertaking efforts to add 100,000 workers over the next decade.
In a statement, Matt Sermon, executive director of the program executive office for strategic submarines, detailed that an additional $605 million from the fiscal year 2024 national security supplemental is expected to be channeled through BlueForge.
The collaborative work between the Navy and BlueForge has been transparent, with outreach efforts such as the BuildSubmarines.com website. The site communicates the Navy’s workforce requirements and has been promoted via billboards and advertisements at major events like MLB games, NASCAR races, and the Oscars.
The origins of BlueForge’s partnership with the Navy and Electric Boat can be traced back to initiatives pitched for supplier and workforce development. Their performance in pilot programs demonstrated their capacity to add value to shipbuilders, which kickstarted the relationship. As Sermon explained, the programs showed that they “added capacity to that group, the shipbuilders.”
BlueForge’s influence extends to leading an additive manufacturing consortium across several universities. This effort aligns with working with equipment manufacturers to ensure the submarine industrial base meets the necessary material maturity.
The initiatives by BlueForge and their rapid scale-up reflect a broader movement within the U.S. Navy to invest in its industrial base. In a parallel effort, the Navy’s collaboration with SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) to recruit and train skilled workers supports a similar goal.
Jeannine Kunz, SME’s Chief Workforce Development Officer, expressed the urgency of such collaborations to bridge the skills gap in the defense manufacturing workforce.
Kunz highlighted the potential for local and national impact, noting that the partnership with BlueForge would “strengthen, grow, and accelerate this collaborative program.”
This alliance targets not only immediate workforce needs but also aims to inspire and prepare future generations, with initiatives like the SME PRIME program to elevate technical education in high schools.
Simultaneously, DARPA is progressing with the ANCILLARY program, hoping to equip Navy ship commanders with advanced ISR-T assets.
The program seeks to develop a vertical-take-off-and-landing drone that requires minimal crew for operation, surpassing the capabilities of the legacy RQ-21 Blackjack. Steve Komadina, the program manager at DARPA, underscored the need for ship commanders to have “organic, long-range ISR-T” assets under their control.
As the ANCILLARY program unfolds, Komadina revealed the operational vision, stating that the drones would “take off with the wing folded” before unfolding mid-flight, harmonizing the Navy’s requirements for a compact, high-endurance, and payload-capable UAS suitable for destroyer deployment. DARPA has selected six companies, including Northrop Grumman and Sikorsky, to move forward in the program.