Mission-focused, neutral integrators.
Our mission is to enable the submarine manufacturing industry to build and maintain America’s next generation of undersea platforms by increasing capability, capacity, collaboration, and resilience.
As an unbiased neutral non-profit integrator, BFA delivers focused connections between the submarine supply chain and the surrounding ecosystems of state and local governments, industry organizations, academic partners, and community programs needed to meet the demand of increasing capability and readiness.
We act as a silent servant to the silent service so that we can collectively overcome the complex challenges facing national security and ensure a resilient maritime manufacturing ecosystem.
We do everything with
the mission in mind
Everything we do is in service of the Navy’s ambitious 1+2 mission — constructing 1 Columbia-Class and 2 Virginia-Class submarines annually. With unwavering focus, we help fortify our maritime sector to ensure national security.
There are no questions the Navy could ask BlueForge Alliance where the answer wouldn’t be ‘yes’. We are the purpose-built partner that is 100% dedicated to answer the call and to execute the mission”.
BlueForge Alliance navigates the ever-shifting terrain of defense priorities by strategically channeling our subject-matter expertise across three key areas:
Collaborating with industry and academia experts, BlueForge Alliance works to scale and deploy advanced manufacturing technologies throughout the Submarine Industrial Base to increase production capability and capacity throughout the country.
With a network spanning all 50 states, we collectively prioritize the needs of over 15,000 suppliers. Our mission is clear: to stand in service of them, ensuring their success in contributing to our shared mission. Whatever they require to succeed, we are committed to providing it.
The backbone of our mission lies in the skilled hands of the hundreds of thousands of men and women whose dedication guides the development of our underwater sentinels. We focus on empowering the SIB workforce through training and support while actively recruiting the next generation of talent, essential for sustaining our objective.
The cornerstones of our approach
As a non-profit neutral integrator, BlueForge Alliance serves as the vital link connecting all stakeholders in pursuit of our shared mission. At the heart of our approach are the following principles:
The people that make it possible
Established with a clear purpose, BlueForge Alliance has embarked on a mission of generational significance that can only be accomplished by assembling a team of cross-industry partners and experts with unparalleled talent, all united by an unwavering passion for our cause.
Our leadership
The purpose of the Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) is to guide and advise BFA’s leadership team on strategic matters through diversity of expertise, objective insights, and long-term focus.
The board provides diverse perspectives necessary for maximizing BFA’s role and impact in addressing critical challenges and supporting opportunities aligned to U.S. submarine production and sustainment.
Admiral James Foggo is an accomplished executive with more than 30 years of experience leading operations across diverse environments. He currently serves as the dean for the Center for Maritime Strategy, a nonprofit think tank partnered with the Navy League of the U.S. During his decorated career in the U.S. Navy, Adm. Foggo served in numerous high-profile roles, including commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa and Allied Joint Force Command in Italy, commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, director of U.S. Navy Staff, and deputy director of Operations for Strategy, Plans & Policy, among others. Today, he serves as a trusted advisor to several organizations, including the American Academy of Diplomacy, Olmstead Foundation, U.S. Institute of Peace, Center for European Policy Analysis, Council on Foreign Relations and the Center for Naval Analysis. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Adm. Foggo also holds graduate degrees from Harvard University and the University of Strasbourg, France.
Stephen Rodriguez is the managing partner of One Defense. This strategic advisory firm leverages machine learning to identify advanced software and hardware commercial capabilities and accelerate their transition into the defense industrial base. He is also an investor at Refinery Ventures, a Midwest fund investing in hypergrowth entrepreneurs across the U.S. Stephen began his career in management consulting in 2001, working in the national security sector. He later became a senior leader at an AI tech company and an international defense corporation. Throughout his career, he has been in and out of government to include service in Colombia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. Stephen currently serves as a director or advisor to 11 venture-backed companies. He is also a commission director at the Atlantic Council and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Stephen holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, respectively.
The Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite served as secretary of the Navy from 2020-2021, as well as U.S. ambassador to Norway. Under his leadership in the Navy, he orchestrated the first tri-service maritime strategy which aligned the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard with the national defense strategy. Other naval career highlights include commanding Navy Combat Camera Atlantic (for Operation Iraqi Freedom); becoming first commander of Joint Public Affairs Support Element-Joint Forces Command (for disaster relief in Pakistan); serving as chief of public affairs at the Philadelphia naval base, and more. In the private sector, Amb. Braithwaite has held executive roles in the healthcare and petroleum industries. He also is a fellow of the NATO School in Germany, an adjunct professor at Kristiania University in Norway and member of the American Academy of Diplomacy. Amb. Braithwaite graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Frank Finelli is a senior advisor to The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm that he served for more than 25 years (ultimately as partner and managing director). He also worked as legislative assistant for former Senator Dan Coats (R-IN). A former field artillery master gunner in the U.S. Army, Frank served in the 82nd Airborne, 1st Armored, and 3rd Infantry Divisions. Other Army highlights include special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the first Quadrennial Defense Review, as well as working for the vice chairman in restructuring the Joint Requirements Oversight Council. Today, Frank is a Chartered Financial Analyst and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Lexington Institute and Atlantic Council. He also serves as a director for Army Emergency Relief, Business Executives for National Security and the MIT Sloan School Executive Board. Frank graduated from the U.S. Military Academy. He holds master’s degrees from MIT and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Jeffery “Scott” Baum is the Chief Operating Officer of Sempre AI, an edge infrastructure company supporting government and commercial customers. Previously, Scott was the vice president of strategy and growth for Elbit Systems of America, a leading provider of products and systems solutions for the U.S. military and the homeland security, medical instrumentation and commercial aviation sectors. Scott also served as the principal director at the Office of Industrial Policy for the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment. There, he led multiple initiatives to ensure robust, secure and innovative capabilities for both current and future warfighting requirements. He also headed a strategic initiative to invest in and expand manufacturing capacity and capability in the U.S. In addition to his civilian experience, Scott is currently serving as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves where he has operational experience in Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, China and Tanzania. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and master’s degrees from Texas Christian University and the National Defense University.