Lockheed Martin will invest more than $150 million over the next five years to expand its missile production facility in Alabama, as demand for munitions grows.
The company signed an incentive agreement with the state of Alabama to support operations at its Pike County site and create new full-time positions.
Lockheed said the investment reinforces its long-term commitment to the region’s workforce and its ability to support rising production requirements.
Located on roughly 3,800 acres (1,537 hectares), the Pike County facility manufactures and supports hardware for several major US weapons systems. These include the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptor, Javelin anti-tank missile, AGM-114 Hellfire, JASSM cruise missile, and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile.
The plant currently employs more than 800 workers and has added over 300 full-time jobs since 2019, according to the company. Lockheed Martin opened the facility in 1994, and it has since become a major hub for missile and weapons manufacturing in the southeastern United States.
Workforce programs also support 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 hands-on technical training for employees.
In addition, Lockheed Martin launched a program in 2019 that trains local high school students for future STEM careers tied to defense manufacturing.
Local Defense Investments Across the US
Several US states and cities have seen similar defense-related investments in recent years as companies expand manufacturing and research infrastructure.
In Maryland, Northrop Grumman has expanded missile propulsion development and testing at its facilities in Elkton. In January 2026, the US 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 there.
Earlier efforts in the state also focused on expanding advanced weapons manufacturing.
Northrop opened a Hypersonic Capability Center in Elkton to support production of ramjet and scramjet engines used in hypersonic missile programs, creating high-skilled jobs and strengthening the local defense industry supply chain.
In September 2025, Northrop Grumman opened a new Missile Integration Facility at its Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in West Virginia to increase production of advanced strike missiles.
The facility combines manufacturing, testing, and shipping operations and is designed to produce up to 300 missiles per year using advanced digital manufacturing methods.
