The Naval Institute Press is the book-publishing division of the United States Naval Institute, a private, nonprofit professional organization founded in 1873 and based in Annapolis, Maryland. The press specializes in books on naval and military history, strategy, technology, and related subjects.
While best known for its professional and historical titles, the Naval Institute Press made a notable foray into fiction when it published Tom Clancy's debut novel, The Hunt for Red October, in 1984. It was a rare move into fiction for the press, and the novel became a runaway bestseller that launched Clancy's career and the techno-thriller genre.
The press continues to publish authoritative works for naval professionals, historians, and enthusiasts, including reference works, memoirs, and analyses of sea power and military affairs. Its catalog is a respected resource in the field.
As part of the United States Naval Institute, the press supports the organization's mission of advancing knowledge of sea power and national defense. Its publication of The Hunt for Red October remains one of the most famous episodes in its history.