Defense Manufacturing Companies in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has approximately 12,000 manufacturing establishments and 560,000 manufacturing employees. Pennsylvania is a top manufacturing state, with Philadelphia anchoring pharma production, Pittsburgh's legacy steel industry evolving into advanced metals, and a vast industrial base across the state.

Pennsylvania is one of the leading states for defense manufacturing. 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 Pennsylvania include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, and Lancaster. These cities have concentrations of manufacturers across sectors including pharmaceutical manufacturing, food processing manufacturing, and steel manufacturing.