6-digit U.S. detail
336992
Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing
Description
Establishments within this sector are dedicated to the production of highly sophisticated military mobility platforms and defensive systems designed for combat zones. The core business activities involve heavy assembly, precision engineering, and specialized fabrication of complete tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery units. In addition to full vehicles, these facilities also focus on manufacturing critical subsystems such as turrets, tracks, fire control systems, and armor plating that form the essential infrastructure for modern battlefield operations. A typical operator in this field is a large-scale industrial corporation or a specialized defense contractor that operates high-security manufacturing plants equipped with advanced machinery and strict quality control protocols. These companies often employ thousands of highly skilled workers ranging from welders and machinists to systems integrators and quality inspectors who must adhere to rigorous military standards. The scope of operations typically extends beyond the initial manufacturing phase to include final testing, field qualification, and direct integration into armed force logistics networks. Many facilities are located in industrial zones near major airports or military bases to facilitate the rapid delivery of complex hardware to defense agencies worldwide. This industry plays a pivotal role in national security by ensuring that defense providers can maintain a steady supply of durable, reliable, and technologically advanced fighting vehicles capable of withstanding the demands of modern warfare.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Manufacturing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Manufacturing sector comprises establishments engaged in the mechanical, physical, or chemical transformation of materials, substances, or components into new products. The assembling of component parts of manufactured products is considered manufacturing, except in cases where the activity is appropriately classified in Sector 23, Construction. Establishments in the Manufacturing sector are often described as plants, factories, or mills and characteristically use power-driven machines and material handling equipment. However, establishments that transform materials or substances into new products by hand or in the worker's home and those engaged in selling to the general public products made on the same premises from which they are sold, such as bakeries, candy stores, and custom tailors, may also be included in this sector. Manufacturing establishments may process materials or may contract with other establishments to process their materials for them. Both types of establishments are included in manufacturing. Selected industries in the Manufacturing sector are comprised solely of establishments that process materials for other establishments on a contract or fee basis. Beyond these dedicated contract manufacturing industries, establishments that process materials for other establishments are generally classified in the Manufacturing industry of the processed materials. The materials, substances, or components transformed by manufacturing establishments are raw materials that are products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, or quarrying as well as products of other manufacturing establishments. The materials used may be purchased directly from producers, obtained through customary trade channels, or secured without recourse to the market by transferring the product from one establishment to another, under the same ownership. The new product of a manufacturing establishment may be finished in the sense that it is ready for utilization or consumption, or it may be semi-finished to become an input for an establishment engaged in further manufacturing. For example, the product of the alumina refinery is the input used in the primary production of aluminum; primary aluminum is the input to an aluminum wire drawing plant; and aluminum wire is the input for a fabricated wire product manufacturing establishment. The subsectors in the Manufacturing sector generally reflect distinct production processes related to material inputs, production equipment, and employee skills. In the machinery area, where assembling is a key activity, parts and accessories for manufactured products are classified in the industry of the finished manufactured item when they are made for separate sale. For example, an attachment for a piece of metalworking machinery would be classified with metalworking machinery. However, component inputs from other manufacturing establishments are classified based on the production function of the component manufacturer. For example, electronic components are classified in Subsector 334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing, and stampings are classified in Subsector 332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing. Manufacturing establishments often perform one or more activities that are classified outside the Manufacturing sector of NAICS. For instance, almost all manufacturing has some captive research and development or administrative operations, such as accounting, payroll, or management. These captive services are treated the same as captive manufacturing activities. When the services are provided by separate establishments, they are classified in the NAICS sector where such services are primary, not in manufacturing. The boundaries of manufacturing and the other sectors of the classification system can be somewhat blurry. The establishments in the Manufacturing sector are engaged in the transformation of materials into new products. Their output is a new product. However, the definition of what constitutes a new product can be somewhat subjective. As clarification, the following activities are considered manufacturing in NAICS: <table width=100%><tr><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Milk bottling and pasteurizing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Water bottling and processing;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fresh fish packaging (oyster<br/> shucking, fish filleting);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Apparel jobbing (assigning<br/> materials to contract<br/> factories or shops for<br/> fabrication or other contract<br/> operations) as well as<br/> contracting on materials<br/> owned by others;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Printing and related activities;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ready-mix concrete production;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Leather converting;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Grinding lenses to<br/> prescription;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Wood preserving;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Lapidary work for the trade;</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td><td><dl><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Electroplating, plating, metal<br/> heat treating, and<br/> polishing for the trade;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Fabricating signs and<br/> advertising displays;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Rebuilding or remanufacturing<br/> machinery (i.e., automotive<br/> parts);</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Making manufactured homes<br/> (i.e., mobile homes) or<br/> prefabricated buildings,<br/> whether or not assembling/<br/> erecting at the customers'<br/> site;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Ship repair and renovation;</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Machine shops; and</dt><dt style='padding-left: 10px; text-indent: -10px;'>Tire retreading.</dt></dl></td><td width=10%> </td></tr></table> Conversely, there are activities that are sometimes considered manufacturing, but which for NAICS are classified in another sector (i.e., not classified as manufacturing). They include: 1. Logging, classified in Sector 11, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, is considered a harvesting operation; 2. Beneficiating ores and other minerals, classified in Sector 21, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction, is considered part of the activity of mining; 3. Constructing structures, assembling prefabricated buildings, and fabricating at the construction site by contractors are classified in Sector 23, Construction; 4. Breaking bulk and reselling in smaller lots, including packaging, repackaging, or bottling products, such as liquors or chemicals; assembling and selling computers on a custom basis; sorting and reselling scrap; mixing and selling paints to customer order; and cutting metals to customer order for resale are classified in Sector 42, Wholesale Trade, or Sector 44-45, Retail Trade; and 5. Publishing and the combined activity of publishing and printing, classified in Sector 51, Information, transform information into a product for which the value to the consumer lies in the information content, not in the format in which it is distributed (i.e., the book or software compact disc). |
| 336 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Transportation Equipment Manufacturing subsector produce equipment for transporting people and goods. Transportation equipment is a type of machinery. An entire subsector is devoted to this activity because of the significance of its economic size in all three North American countries. Establishments in this subsector utilize production processes similar to those of other machinery manufacturing establishments—bending, forming, welding, machining, and assembling metal or plastic parts into components and finished products. However, the assembly of components and subassemblies and their further assembly into finished vehicles tends to be a more common production process in this subsector than in the Machinery Manufacturing subsector. NAICS has industry groups for the manufacture of equipment for each mode of transport—road, rail, air, and water. Parts for motor vehicles warrant a separate industry group because of their importance and because they require less assembly than complete vehicles. Land use motor vehicle equipment not designed for highway operation (e.g., agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and material handling equipment) is classified in the appropriate NAICS subsector based on the type and use of the equipment. |
| 3369 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Transportation Equipment Manufacturing subsector produce equipment for transporting people and goods. Transportation equipment is a type of machinery. An entire subsector is devoted to this activity because of the significance of its economic size in all three North American countries. Establishments in this subsector utilize production processes similar to those of other machinery manufacturing establishments—bending, forming, welding, machining, and assembling metal or plastic parts into components and finished products. However, the assembly of components and subassemblies and their further assembly into finished vehicles tends to be a more common production process in this subsector than in the Machinery Manufacturing subsector. NAICS has industry groups for the manufacture of equipment for each mode of transport—road, rail, air, and water. Parts for motor vehicles warrant a separate industry group because of their importance and because they require less assembly than complete vehicles. Land use motor vehicle equipment not designed for highway operation (e.g., agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and material handling equipment) is classified in the appropriate NAICS subsector based on the type and use of the equipment. |
| 33699 | Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing motorcycles, bicycles, metal tricycles, complete military armored vehicles, tanks, self-propelled weapons, vehicles pulled by draft animals, and other transportation equipment (except motor vehicles, boats, ships, railroad rolling stock, and aerospace products), including parts thereof. |
| 336992 | Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing 6-digit U.S. detail | Establishments within this sector are dedicated to the production of highly sophisticated military mobility platforms and defensive systems designed for combat zones. The core business activities involve heavy assembly, precision engineering, and specialized fabrication of complete tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery units. In addition to full vehicles, these facilities also focus on manufacturing critical subsystems such as turrets, tracks, fire control systems, and armor plating that form the essential infrastructure for modern battlefield operations. A typical operator in this field is a large-scale industrial corporation or a specialized defense contractor that operates high-security manufacturing plants equipped with advanced machinery and strict quality control protocols. These companies often employ thousands of highly skilled workers ranging from welders and machinists to systems integrators and quality inspectors who must adhere to rigorous military standards. The scope of operations typically extends beyond the initial manufacturing phase to include final testing, field qualification, and direct integration into armed force logistics networks. Many facilities are located in industrial zones near major airports or military bases to facilitate the rapid delivery of complex hardware to defense agencies worldwide. This industry plays a pivotal role in national security by ensuring that defense providers can maintain a steady supply of durable, reliable, and technologically advanced fighting vehicles capable of withstanding the demands of modern warfare. |
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Classification References
- 01Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing nonarmored military universal carriers are classified in Industry 336110, Automobile and Light Duty Motor Vehicle.
Index Items
Armored military vehicles (except tanks) and parts manufacturing
Tanks, military (including factory rebuilding), manufacturing
Weapons, self-propelled, manufacturing
How Item Can Help
Transportation Management System tracks oversized military shipments through varied terrains and border checkpoints, providing end-to-end visibility for critical armored vehicle logistics.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 336992.
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Military Vehicle Division
A trade organization that advocates for standards and innovation in the military vehicle manufacturing sector.
U.S. Army Materiel Command
A government agency responsible for research, development, and acquisition of armored vehicles and tank components for the U.S. Army.
Global Data Center on Defense Industry
A U.S. Department of Defense directory providing statistics and data on defense industry manufacturing, including armored vehicles.
