Tel: 07836 254721 or 01229 467595 | Email: stuart@klosinski.co.uk

INTRODUCING THE KEEP OUR FUTURE AFLOAT (KOFAC)

KOFAC advocates investment in a strong, innovative, efficient, sovereign UK naval shipbuilding and defence nuclear enterprise to enable the UK to use warships and submarines, a resilient supply chain and a pipeline of skills to deliver UK’s national security, the Nuclear deterrent and prosperity.

KOFAC is also a strong enduring brand with a national reputation for being effective, speaking on defence, procurement, industrial skills, regeneration and infrastructure priorities. It has an international outlook.

KOFAC’S MISSION

Our mission has four strands to it….

To influence government defence procurement policy, support improved productivity and assist growth of the skills-base. It enables Ministers, MPs, local, regional political, industry, trade union and community leaders and the public of all ages to be more aware of why UK needs three classes of submarine, anti-submarine aircraft, autonomous naval capability, warships and RFA supply ships.
To raise public awareness of how the huge scale of the UK supply chain and skills and the growing collaboration between UK, USA and Australia contribute to NATO, AUKUS partners and UK defence capability and regional prosperity.
To further opportunities to strengthen local economies of defence industry hosting communities through defence regional partnerships so they can do more to attract, retain and grow skills and diversify.
To assist realisation of the Team Barrow 10-year programme to strengthen and diversify South Cumbria’s economy so it can grow, attract and keep highly skilled people required by the shipyard and the supply chain businesses that support its activities. This means investment in housing, business sites, transport, business support, healthcare and social infrastructure and services.

Tim Griffiths, Chairman, January 2025.

WHAT WE DO

Champion the policies in “Delivering the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent as a National Endeavour”

Support growth of the local skills-base and attraction and integration of skilled people into the Furness area to meet the needs of the submarine supply chain.

Celebrate the defence, productivity achievements of the submarine and warship industrial bases and ways in which they are innovative, cost effective and contribute to prosperity.

Organise awareness raising events, attend conferences and briefings which reach out with key messages about the value for money and operational benefits of the investment in the strategic deterrent carrying and attack submarine fleets, the emerging potential of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) technology and developments at principal shipyards and naval bases.

Influence the outcomes and effectiveness of evolving UK strategic defence reviews, industrial and defence industrial strategies, local growth plans and Cumbria’s economic strategy and the investment, skills, business growth, supply chain and social impact programmes that emerge from them.

WE DO THIS BY

Meeting Monthly exercising good governance - bringing together the expertise of representatives of GMB, Unite, BAE Systems, Westmorland and Furness Council, the MP, Team Barrow and industry.

Engaging widely CSEU, Unite, GMB, BAE Systems, Dreadnought Alliance, Submarine Delivery Agency, Cumbria Local Skills Plan, Enterprising Cumbria, companies, business and trade organisations.

Carrying out robust research, publishing information and making presentations.

Delivering submarine enterprise days

Resourcing our activities effectively by seeking and securing funding from a range of sources.

OUR ACTION PLAN FOR 2022-2024

OUR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

KOFAC now in its 21st year it is transforming its status to enable it to do more, soundly financed, engaging young people, local communities, industrial sector groups, national and regional industrial and political leaders to further public interest in naval shipbuilding industry and policies to support its evolution and wider prosperity benefits.

In the second half of the 2020’s in which we see:

Challenging global tensions full of uncertainty,
New and stronger international defence alliances emerging through UK’s involvement in NATO, AUKUS, and through bilateral partnerships.
An age of healthy submarine industrial base orders extending towards 2060…

KOFAC is developing a five year plan 2025-2030 that will focus on up to eight activities:

Influencing the emerging UK strategic defence review outcomes
Contributing to a new defence industrial strategy
Ensuring Cumbria economic strategies reflect the strategic importance of shipbuilding and defence nuclear skills development
Attracting more skilled people into south Cumbria and growing our own skills through graduate and apprentice routes
Supporting further investment in new shipyard facilities
Strengthening supply chain capability and involvement of Furness firms and attracting inward investment
Encouraging more housing development leisure and supporting infrastructure
Targeted events such as submarine enterprise days and participation at national political party conferences to boost awareness of our industry and how it delivers prosperity

KOFAC’S EVOLUTION – our history

Founded in 2004, KOFAC evolved as a trade union, community and industry group focused on responding to a dramatic fall in shipyard employment by campaigning for new orders and growing skilled naval shipbuilding jobs, production and supply chain capacity in NW England so that the Royal Navy would be able to “keep the sea lanes open,” deliver Operation Relentless – a continuously-at-sea deterrent, and use the unique capabilities of nuclear-powered submarines.

21 years on, with Barrow shipyard and UK supply chain now engaged in delivering three classes of submarine and Cammell Laird at Birkenhead assisting, KOFAC is helping to attract-in and grow locally the skills needed for a “national endeavour” to replace UK’s deterrent submarine fleet, complete two Astute class boats and work with Australia and America to provide future SSN-Aukus attack submarines.