The Rhode Island Defense Ecosystem

Your East Coast National Security Leader

Rhode Island’s defense ecosystem provides the premier environment for your defense and dual-use business.

This symbiotic ecosystem, with Prime Contractors like General Dynamics Electric Boat, RTX, Textron, Anduril, and L3 Harris, strategic partners like the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, the United States Naval War College, and over _____ tactical level defense companies , provides employ over ________ , contributes over 5.2 billion dollars annually. 

It is the singular destination that provides the expertise, support and proximity needed in today’s kinetic national security environment. 

Rhode Island's robust defense ecosystem supports three basic mission sets:

1. Innovative and/or Undersea Technology,
2. Shipbuilding,
3. and Homeland Defense and Security.

Our Differential

Nearly 400 businesses located within 1200 square miles – with mutually supporting strategic, operational and tactical level expertise providing timely and critical support to preserving our National Security:

Defense Cluster

• 826 Defense Companies representing 62% of all companies included in state database*
• $7.6B in economic impact (2022)**
• 374 registered in Rhode Island and active (205 of these companies headquartered in RI)
• 452 companies inactive or foreign (registered outside of RI but do business here)
• 191 Different NAICS Codes within ecosystem with Manufacturing, Professional Services, Operational and Support Services and Construction being most prolific

^{*Data is from the Commerce Ocean Economy Ecosystem Database which is comprised by pulling data from the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s (Business Database).
** From SENEDIA Economic Impact Study of NE Defense Cluster 2022}

Innovation and Growth

Also, VATN Systems, Havoc AI, and Flux Marine received 60M, 97M and 66M respectively in external funding to support their innovative technology.

In addition, Rhode Island Commerce has supported facility investments for SAAB (46,000 sqft), Anduril (150,000 sqft), VATN Systems (150,000 sqft) and REGENT craft (255,000 sqft).

Contracts - Prime Awards

1,985 Award - Showing 150 largest recipients (those awarded $1M+) - Total all: $4,489,053,168