ND Defense wins Navy shipbuilding work for future USS Sam Nunn

ND Defense has landed one of its first maritime contracts through HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding to support helicopter handling crane work on the future USS Sam Nunn in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The award marks the company’s entry into U.S. Navy surface combatant production and extends its defense manufacturing footprint from land systems into shipbuilding.

Why it matters: - ND Defense is moving into U.S. Navy surface ship production for the first time. - The award gives the company a role on the future USS Sam Nunn (DDG 133), an Arleigh Burke-class Flight III guided missile destroyer. - The work supports a critical aviation system that helps Navy helicopters operate safely at sea. - The contract also adds another supplier to the maritime industrial base as Navy shipbuilding schedules remain tight.

What happened: - ND Defense LLC won a contract from HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division. - The work covers helicopter handling crane support for the future USS Sam Nunn. - The destroyer is under construction in Pascagoula, Mississippi. - The announcement was dated July 23, 2026. - ND Defense described the award as one of its first contracts in the maritime sector.

The details: - The helicopter bridge crane is part of the ship’s aviation handling system. - The crane provides overhead lifting capability needed to secure, maintain and service embarked Navy helicopters. - The system is designed to operate in demanding at-sea conditions and across a wide range of sea states. - DDG 133 is described as one of the most advanced surface combatants in the U.S. fleet. - ND Defense will perform the work at its West Point, Mississippi facility. - The West Point site includes fabrication, welding, paint and quality capabilities. - ND Defense said its maritime effort builds on decades of work supplying rugged, mission-critical systems for the U.S. military and allied governments. - The company says it has delivered tens of thousands of tactical and armored vehicles around the world. - ND Defense is headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan, and operates a flagship manufacturing facility in West Point, Mississippi. - ND Defense also maintains direct sales presence across the United States, the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe. - HII is America’s largest shipbuilder and says it has a more than 140-year history of supporting U.S. national security. - HII says it is the largest producer of unmanned underwater vehicles for the U.S. Navy and the world.

Between the lines: - The award suggests ND Defense is trying to leverage its manufacturing discipline from ground systems into naval programs. - For HII and the Navy, adding a new supplier with fabrication and quality capabilities can help spread workload across the industrial base. - Tim George, vice president of sales and marketing at ND Defense, said the company is bringing the same commitment it used to support the warfighter on land to the Navy and the maritime industrial base.

What's next: - ND Defense will carry out the crane work from its West Point facility. - The company will look to build on this early maritime work as Navy shipbuilding demand continues. - The future USS Sam Nunn will continue through construction as part of the Navy’s DDG 133 program.

The bottom line: - ND Defense has turned a long defense manufacturing background into a foothold on a major Navy destroyer program.