Multinational aerospace and defence company BAE Systems will open a new head office in Adelaide, creating hundreds of jobs for South Australians.

South Australia’s Premier Peter Malinauskas said the company would be homed at Lot Fourteen’s new Innovation Centre at the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site on North Tce.

“BAE Systems are set to become one of the major employers here in South Australia … employing people in really high-quality jobs that are well paid and secure,” he said.

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BAE Systems chief executive Craig Lockhart said the company was set to recruit 800 new employees as part of its work on the Hunter Class Frigate and AUKUS submarine programs.

About 500 of the new employees would be based at the new Adelaide site that would help with the design of manufacturing at the Osborne Naval Shipyard.

The new jobs required range from engineers, computer scientists, supply chain specialists and human resources professionals.

“We’re really excited to be part of it, excited to work in partnership with the state government and drive our economy to higher wage development,” Lockhart said.

The BAE Systems announcement coincided with Lot Fourteen publicly unveiled its master plan on Monday.

Three state and federal government projects worth $100 million will tenant the new Innovation Centre.

These projects are a $60 million Australian Defence Technologies Academy, a $20 million Innovation Hub and a $20 million Space Assembly Integration and Testing facility.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said BAE Systems’ part of this master plan would help diversify the state’s economy.