Lockheed Martin plans to invest more than $150 million over the next five years to expand its missile manufacturing operations in Alabama, responding to growing global demand for munitions.
The company has signed an incentive agreement with the state to support activities at its Pike County Facility, a move expected to generate new full-time jobs while strengthening the region’s defense manufacturing base. Lockheed Martin said the investment reflects its long-term commitment to the local workforce and its ability to scale production to meet increasing operational requirements.
The 3,800-acre site produces components and provides support for several major US weapons systems, including the **Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptor, FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile, AGM-114 Hellfire missile, AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile, and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile.
Currently employing over 800 personnel, the facility has added more than 300 full-time positions since 2019. Since opening in 1994, the plant has grown into one of the major missile manufacturing hubs in the southeastern United States.
Workforce development initiatives are also supporting the expansion. Alabama Industrial Development Training has partnered with the facility for more than three decades and operates a $2-million Advanced Training Center that provides technical, hands-on training for employees. Additionally, in 2019 Lockheed Martin launched a program that prepares local high school students for STEM careers linked to defense manufacturing.
Defense Investments Expanding Across the US
Similar defense-sector investments are occurring across the country. In Maryland, Northrop Grumman has expanded missile propulsion research and testing at its facilities in Elkton. In January 2026, the United States Navy awarded the company a $94.3-million contract to produce second-stage solid rocket motors for extended-range missile programs at its Propulsion Innovation Center.
The company has also strengthened hypersonic technology development in the state by opening a Hypersonic Capability Center, which supports production of ramjet and scramjet engines used in hypersonic missile systems.
Meanwhile, in September 2025, Northrop Grumman inaugurated a Missile Integration Facility to boost production of advanced strike missiles. The facility integrates manufacturing, testing, and shipping processes and is designed to produce up to 300 missiles annually using advanced digital manufacturing technologies.
