As national leaders urge American workers to rebuild the industrial base, shipbuilding has returned to the center of U.S. security and economic debates. On the Arsenal of Freedom tour, Secretary Pete Hegseth captured the moment succinctly: “You are the engine of the arsenal of freedom… Our warfighters cannot win without you.”
The challenge is that the engine isn’t running at full speed. While the United States retains deep manufacturing expertise, skilled labor, and shipbuilding capacity, much of it inland and far from traditional coastal hubs, it remains disconnected from the scale and urgency the moment demands.
At Blue Water Autonomy, we are intentionally drawing on nationwide industrial strength to enable long-endurance operations at sea. One of the companies supporting this work is Precise Power Systems, a U.S.manufacturer whose automated engine room modules are integrated into Blue Water’s autonomous vessels.
This effort reflects a broader reality about modern shipbuilding. While it is often associated with coastal states such as Virginia, Maine, California, and the Gulf Coast, the nation’s maritime industrial base extends far beyond the shoreline. States including Michigan and Indiana, along with Georgia and Arizona, play an essential role in supplying the systems and manufacturing expertise today’s naval vessels depend on - and Blue Water draws on the shipbuilders in these states. As the Navy modernizes its fleet, shipbuilding has become a 50-state industrial challenge rather than a coastal workforce issue alone.
From the Automotive Belt to the Maritime Industrial Base
Precise Power Systems lies outside Detroit, squarely in our country’s automotive manufacturing corridor. That environment shaped the company’s focus on precision engineering, automation, and reliability - all applied to industrial technology.
As naval programs such as the Littoral Combat Ship and next-generation frigates emerged in the 2010s, the Navy required more advanced internal systems, particularly for fuel, lubrication, and auxiliary fluids. Precise Power applied integration and manufacturing discipline drawn from the automotive sector to meet these needs, translating it into maritime applications.This work later positioned the company to support DARPA’s NOMARS autonomous ship program and, ultimately, Blue Water Autonomy’s ship-scale autonomous vessels.
Manufacturing for Endurance & Autonomy
Autonomous ships designed to operate for months at sea place unique demands on internal systems. Fuel, lube oil, and auxiliary fluid delivery must perform continuously without crew intervention or routine maintenance.
Precise Power’s Michigan-built modules were integrated into Blue Water’s 165-ton autonomous test vessel, unveiled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, one of the largest privately operated autonomous vessels in the Western Hemisphere. Rather than validating components in isolation, Blue Water evaluates these systems as part of a fully integrated vessel operating in real maritime conditions.
Following the unveiling, Precise Power is now building shipboard modules for Blue Water’s prototype autonomous vessel, supporting the transition from testing to repeatable, mission-ready production.
Small Businesses and Competitive Markets
Small-to-mid-sized manufacturers such as Precise Power play an essential role in the nation’s maritime future. They develop specialized expertise while helping create competitive markets for critical industrial systems.
These companies are often able to support early-stage programs, take on prototype-scale work, and bridge commercial and defense innovation, capabilities that are increasingly important as autonomy reshapes naval shipbuilding.
Looking Forward
Major shipbuilding and maritime industrial initiatives, including the SHIPS Act, are now being advanced by leaders from inland states such as Indiana and Arizona. This reflects a growing recognition that America’s shipbuilding strength is distributed across the country.
Blue Water Autonomy’s alignment with Precise Power reflects that reality. Building the future fleet is not only about hulls in the water. It depends on a nationwide manufacturing ecosystem, including Michigan-based companies like Precise Power, delivering the reliability and scalability required for the Navy’s next generation of vessels.