7 Military Shipbuilding Companies Supporting the U.S. Navy (2026 Update)

Military shipbuilders design, build, and deliver state-of-the-art technology that can effectively operate in the most challenging seafairing environments and execute various missions. The largest Pentagon shipbuilders are known as prime contractors because they have the experience, the talent and the knowledge for building the most difficult and technologically-advanced sea vessels in the world. See how these companies are shaping the future of U.S. naval dominance and submarine superiority.

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What Are Military Shipbuilding Contractors?

Military shipbuilding contractors are specialized companies that focus on designing, constructing, modernizing, and maintaining military vessels for naval forces. These contractors collaborate with the government and military organizations, particularly the U.S. Navy, to manufacture a variety of ships, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and surface combatants. In this process, the SUPSHIPs (supervisors of shipbuilding) evaluate the construction and business practices of Navy shipbuilders operating in the private sector.

Note: The following list of military shipbuilding companies is ranked in no particular order. The selection criteria are based on a variety of factors, including market capitalization, revenue and overall industry impact. That said, while they are highly regarded in the industry, plenty of other companies also offer exceptional products and services.

Image by Derek Fountain (Huntington Ingalls Industries) from Defense News

HII Logo from Wikipedia

Huntington Ingalls Industries

The largest military shipbuilding company in the U.S. 

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) is a renowned global provider of engineering and defense technologies, contributing significantly to U.S. national security advancements. The company specializes in delivering critical capabilities such naval ships, unmanned systems, and analytics for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. With a rich history, HII plays a vital role in advancing defense capabilities and ensuring the safety of the nation,

Notable Divisions

• Ingalls Shipbuilding has been designing and producing advanced warships for the surface Navy fleet, the U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and foreign and commercial customers since 1939. 
• Newport News Shipbuilding, a part of HII, is the exclusive industrial designer, builder, and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the U.S. It’s one of only two shipyards with the expertise to design and build nuclear-powered submarines. In addition to the initial construction, NNS provides fleet services for these naval vessels. 

Huntington Ingalls Industries 2025 Contracts

• The Navy selected HII Ingalls Shipbuilding to design and construct its future small surface combatant, with delivery slated for 2028.
• HII landed a contract worth as much as $472 million to provide engineering support for Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers.
• HII Mission Technologies secured a $147 million Navy contract to provide shipboard and shore-based combat training support services.

 

Photo from General Dynamics Official Website

General Dynamics – NASSCO

The largest shipyard on the U.S. West Coast

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, known as NASSCO, is a shipbuilding company under the division of General Dynamics. With a history dating back to 1960, NASSCO has shipyards located in San Diego, Norfolk, Bremerton, and Mayport. The company specializes in the design and construction of auxiliary and support ships for the U.S. Navy, as well as oil tankers and cargo carriers for commercial markets. Notably, NASSCO generates a significant half of its revenue from ship repair work and is a major provider of repair services for the U.S. Navy’s global operations.

General Dynamics NASSCO 2025 Contracts

• The Navy awarded General Dynamics NASSCO a $1.7 billion contract to build T-AO 215 and T-AO 216 vessels for the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler program.
• General Dynamics NASSCO won a potential $209 milion Navy contract for USS America (LHA 6) amphibious assault ship modernization, maintenance and repair.
• The Navy awarded General Dynamics NASSCO a potential $655 million contract for aircraft carrier shipyard availabilities and related maintenance support services.

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Photo from Lockheed Martin Official Website

Lockheed Martin 

The world’s largest defense contractor since 2001

Known as a prominent player in the aerospace and defense sector, Lockheed Martin has a strong foothold in the maritime industry. Its maritime offerings encompass diverse capabilities, such as directed energy, surface combat, joint all-domain operations, hypersonics, electronic warfare, cyber, CD4ISR, and AI. Over the years, the company has demonstrated its adeptness in developing and integrating intricate maritime systems for the U.S. Navy, the Royal Navy, and other naval vessels across the globe.

Lockheed Martin 2025 Contracts

• Lockheed Martin received a $233 million Navy award to deliver IRST21 Block II systems and initial spares to the Navy and Air National Guard.
• The Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $647 million to deliver and support Trident II ballistic missiles.
• Lockheed Martin secured a $133 million Navy contract for systems engineering, development and testing support for the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic missile program.

Photo by Rosamar from Shutterstock

BAE Systems

Europe’s largest aerospace and defense company

BAE Systems PLC is a leading defense contractor and systems integrator known for providing advanced aerospace, defense, and security solutions for air, land, and maritime domains. The company specializes in designing and manufacturing naval ships, submarines, and state-of-the-art combat systems and equipment. BAE Systems also offers associated services, including training solutions, maintenance and modernization programs to support ships and equipment in service worldwide and the management of supporting infrastructure. With a dominant position in the U.K. and a top six U.S. Department of Defense supplier, BAE Systems has also established a strong presence in key defense markets—Australia and Saudi Arabia.

BAE Systems 2025 Contracts

• BAE Systems was awarded a $118 million contract modernization from the Navy for USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) modernization, maintenance and repair.
• The Navy awarded BAE Systems a potential $317 million deal to deliver MK 41 vertical launching systems.
• BAE Systems won a $251 million contract from the Navy for AEGIS critical system engineering and on-site technical support.

Photo by gmeland from Shutterstock

Northrop Grumman

The largest builder of naval vessels

Northrop Grumman is focusing on developing autonomous and intelligent capabilities for marine applications, such as Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles. Northrop’s Litton Sector, previously known as Litton Industries, is the world’s largest producer of non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy. It specializes in designing, constructing, and renovating surface ships globally for government and commercial clients. 

Northrop Grumman 2025 Contracts

• The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $422 million contract to support the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, or SEWIP, Block 3 electronic warfare system.

Photo from Fincantieri Official Website

Fincantieri

Europe’s largest shipbuilder 

Fincantieri is a ship design and manufacturing company that offers a diverse range of products, such as Postpanamax, Panama, offshore vessels, passenger ships, merchant ships, yachts, and ferries. It is a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group, which operates under FINCANTIERI SI Spa, an Italian company specializing in providing innovative and eco-friendly solutions for the marine and industrial sectors. Fincantieri collaborates with the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and commercial shipping customers as a leading player and a trusted partner in the maritime industry.

Fincantieri 2025 Contracts

In May 2023, Fincantieri’s U.S. shipyard, Marinette Marine (FMM), was awarded an estimated $526 million contract to build a fourth Constellation-class frigate for the US Navy. This contract is part of a larger agreement signed in 2020, with a total value of $5.5 billion, covering post-delivery support and crew training. Fincantieri’s proposal for this project is centered around the advanced FREMM frigate platform, showcasing their commitment to innovation. The construction of the first Constellation class began in August 2022 and will be delivered by 2026. 

Photo from Austal Official Website

Austal

The largest foreign-owned defense exporter 

 

Austal USA is a shipbuilding company headquartered in Mobile, Alabama, with additional facilities in San Diego, Singapore, and Charlottesville, Virginia. The company specializes in utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques and equipment to produce aluminum and steel ships. The company possess expertise in designing and maintaining advanced communication, command and control, and radar systems.

 

Despite being a foreign-owned subsidiary by Austal from Australia, Austal USA has the ability to work independently and separately on highly-sensitive U.S. defense programs. This is made possible by a Special Security Arrangement, which enables them to operate on these projects while maintaining the necessary security protocols. 

Austal in 2023

In May 2023, Austal USA secured an estimated potential $3.2 billion contract to undertake the detailed design and construction of up to seven TAGOS-25 class ocean surveillance vessels, which the U.S. Navy utilizes for passive and active acoustic surveillance against submarines. These ships are critical to the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (UISS) as they collect important underwater acoustic data.

 

Additionally, Austal USA recently organized its annual golf invitational at the Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Spring Golf Course, which raised more than $200,000. The event’s proceeds will be donated to three local charities in the area—United Way of Southwest Alabama (UWSWA), Mulherin Home, and Eagles Landing.