Avio is positioning itself for future US missile and space propulsion demand with a planned $500-million solid rocket motor facility in southern Virginia.
The Italian propulsion specialist said its US subsidiary will build a new production site in Hurt, Pittsylvania County, to manufacture solid rocket motors for defense, tactical missiles, and commercial space programs.
The project is expected to create over 1,000 jobs and significantly expand domestic capacity for propulsion systems used across multiple US military programs.
According to the announcement, Avio USA’s investment is tied to potential state support through Virginia’s Major Employment and Investment Project program, subject to approval by the General Assembly.
If approved, the company could receive up to $97.7 million in incentives linked to job creation and capital spending.
Avio USA chief executive officer James Syring said the new site is intended to support efforts to accelerate missile output and reinforce the US defense industrial base.
Solid Rocket Motor Capacity Expands Across US
Avio’s planned Virginia facility adds to a growing list of US investments aimed at easing long-standing bottlenecks in solid rocket motor production.
In July 2025, L3Harris Technologies announced it was building a new large solid rocket motor production campus in Arkansas. The project aims to increase output for missile defense interceptors and other tactical systems.
By October 2025, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics announced it is progressing on a new rocket motor production plant, also in Arkansas. The facility is designed to support design, assembly, and testing activities, reinforcing supply chain resilience for US missile programs.
More recently, in February 2026, Anduril Industries received $43.7 million through the Defense Production Act to expand domestic solid rocket motor output. The funding supports infrastructure and tooling upgrades at its Mississippi facility, which entered full-rate production in 2025.
