Defense Manufacturing Companies in Louisiana

Louisiana has approximately 2,800 manufacturing establishments and 135,000 manufacturing employees. Louisiana's manufacturing sector is dominated by petrochemical refining and chemical production along the Mississippi River corridor, with significant shipbuilding in New Orleans.

Louisiana contributes to the national defense manufacturing landscape. Defense manufacturing encompasses companies that produce military vehicles, weapons systems, ammunition, body armor, communications equipment, and other materiel for the US Department of Defense and allied nations. This sector includes prime contractors like Raytheon and General Dynamics as well as thousands of specialized small and mid-size suppliers.

Prime Contractors: Large defense companies like Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman that lead major weapons programs.

Armored Vehicle Manufacturers: Companies producing tanks, armored personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles, and military trucks.

Munitions & Ordnance Producers: Manufacturers of ammunition, missiles, bombs, and explosive ordnance components.

Communications & Electronics: Companies building ruggedized radios, radar systems, electronic warfare equipment, and C4ISR systems.

Small Arms & Weapons Systems: Manufacturers of firearms, crew-served weapons, and weapon system components for military use.

Major industrial centers in Louisiana include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Lake Charles. These cities have concentrations of manufacturers across sectors including chemical manufacturing, oil & gas equipment manufacturing, and food processing manufacturing.