Anduril agora vai fazer submarinos autônomos

Anduril, an American defense technology company known for autonomous drones and equipment, is set to enter the production of nuclear submarines. The company secured a Pentagon contract and plans to invest $3.7 billion in building a shipyard near Baltimore, Maryland. The industrial complex, named Arsenal-2, is expected to start operations in 2030 and employ over 3,000 people at full capacity.

President Donald Trump, who attended the project's unveiling, stated that Anduril will "build the next generation of American submarines, including autonomous submarines, torpedoes, and critical components for Virginia-class submarines," which are the largest and quietest ever built. The U.S. taxpayers will receive a 40% stake in the shipyard, but the involvement of the public sector has not been disclosed.

Bloomberg reports that Anduril will create a subsidiary to operate the shipyard, with 40% of the capital coming from the government. The company secured a $2.9 billion contract with the Navy, with payments tied directly to production results. Anduril's contract structure ensures the majority of execution risk is taken by the company, aligning incentives to ensure the production of high-quality submarines within the timeline.

The total investment, combining public and private funds, amounts to $6.6 billion. The Arsenal-2 complex will be built in the former location of Bethlehem Steel, which previously operated a steel mill. The design for the shipyard is based on Anduril's proprietary software, ArsenalOS – a platform that integrates workflow, projects, and quality control for execution.

Some critical components of the Virginia-class submarines will be manufactured at the company's facilities in Orange County, California, while others will be produced at Arsenal-2. Final assembly will be done by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries. Anduril was founded by Palmer Luckey, a 34-year-old Californian who is now considered one of the visionaries in the defense AI industry.

Founded in 2017, Anduril was valued at $61 billion in its latest funding round, closed in May. The funding was led by venture capital firms Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. Known as the "Pentagon's favorite startup" for its ability to automate military equipment and defense devices, Anduril generated $2.2 billion in revenue in 2025 and is expected to double that amount this year.

Alongside SpaceX and Palantir, Anduril is part of a new team of technology companies taking on significant contracts in the U.S. Armed Forces. Recently, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will lead the Meridian Project – a team dedicated to "the future of warfare."