Trump announces $6.6bn defense shipyard owned by top Republican donor’s firm
Baltimore project to be partly funded by US government but owned by defense firm Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey
TL;DR
- Donald Trump announced a new $6.6 billion shipbuilding factory in Baltimore, Maryland.
- The factory is owned by Anduril Industries, a defense company founded by Palmer Luckey, a significant GOP fundraiser and Trump supporter.
- The project is partly funded by the US Navy ($2.9 billion) and private funding ($3.7 billion).
- The new factory, named "Arsenal Two," will produce torpedo tubes and sections for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.
- Anduril has no known prior experience in the specialized manufacture of crewed submarines.
- The factory is not expected to be operational until 2030.
- Acting navy secretary Hung Cao praised the partnership, calling it a breakthrough that bypasses bureaucratic red tape.