The nation's Arsenal of Freedom isn't as simple as a factory expansion or new production line. It's powered by speed and a dedicated workforce that utilizes innovative technology and industry expertise to deliver critical national security capabilities.

As the threat environment evolves, the ability to produce and deliver these capabilities is more important than ever before. 

At Lockheed Martin, investments are being made in manufacturing, workforce development and digital transformation to strengthen the foundation that supports global readiness. 

Breaking Ground in Alabama

Meeting today’s mission demands requires the power to manufacture efficiently and quickly. 

Efforts across Lockheed Martin’s Missiles & Fire Control (MFC) business are centered on increasing production capacity for critical air and missile defense systems, like PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) and THAAD interceptors. 

PAC-3 MSE has solidified itself as the most advanced air and missile defense interceptor through proven performance in real-world operations and has inspired the development of PAC-3 ACE™ to deliver a lower-cost interceptor for the U.S. and our allies. 

In July, the U.S. government awarded Lockheed Martin a seven-year undefinitized contract action modification for up to $53.86 billion for PAC-3 MSE interceptors, supporting the Department of War's Acquisition Transformation Strategy. The new funding further enables Lockheed Martin to supercharge PAC-3 MSE production and triple capacity by the end of 2030.  

This is the second major multiyear procurement contract executed under the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy, following the THAAD procurement contract for up to $35 billion in June.  

“We are moving with speed to support the Department of War’s Arsenal of Freedom,” said Dan Nimblett, vice president, Lockheed Martin Munitions Acceleration Integration. “Lockheed Martin continues to move with urgency to support investments to expand capacity, modernize critical facilities and deter adversaries through comprehensive defensive capabilities.”

Lockheed Martin is investing $8 to $9 billion through 2030 to modernize more than 20 U.S. facilities and rapidly scale munitions output. The company has already celebrated two munitions facility groundbreakings this year, including the Munitions Production Center Building 47 in Troy, Alabama, supporting THAAD and future work with Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), and the Munitions Acceleration Center in Camden, Arkansas, supporting PAC-3.

Lockheed Martin’s Space business is also shaping the future of missile defense through expanding campus in Courtland, Alabama. 

To power and scale production of NGI, the campus opened Missile Assembly Building 5 (MAB-5) in June. The cutting-edge facility accelerates manufacturing while leveraging fully digital engineering and production, enabling operators to streamline testing, integration and delivery phases.

“Once again, we are expanding the Courtland campus to meet the national security challenges of today,” said Reshondra McInnis, Lockheed Martin Courtland site executive. “MAB-5 will shape the local workforce by introducing high-skill jobs to create even more pathways toward advanced manufacturing careers.”

Driven by local talent, the unveiling of MAB-5 represents a pivotal step for the nation’s mission to secure the homeland and accelerate NGI development from design to production.

Next-Generation Tech

NGI represents a significant leap in homeland missile defense, engineered to protect the nation and its allies against evolving long-range ballistic missile threats.

"NGI is more than a 'next generation interceptor', it's a next generation solution to missile defense's most serious threats," said Chris Jewell, vice president, Lockheed Martin NGI Program. "We are creating a foundation that enables long-term production, sustainment and mission support with greater adaptability and more resilient defense architecture."

Powered by advanced infrastructure across the enterprise, a dedicated mission-focused workforce and next-generation digital technologies, such as Lockheed Martin continues to support the Arsenal of Freedom and deliver resilient capabilities to our nation and our allies, now and well into the future.

Scalable for the Future

Since its debut on U.S. Navy ships, the Aegis Combat System has become the gold standard for multi-mission combat systems, powering more than 120 ships across six nations. But Aegis isn't limited to the sea. Its proven architecture scales seamlessly to land-based operations, providing the military with flexible, rapidly deployable homeland defense capabilities wherever they're needed.

More than a combat system, Aegis serves as a blueprint for how advanced technology can be adapted and expanded across domains, helping the military respond to evolving threats while transforming how the battlefield is understood and managed.

That scalability continues to grow. In April, the U.S. government awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to develop, integrate and test the ability to launch a PAC-3 missile from the Aegis Combat System. The integration expands Aegis' capability, capacity and flexibility to counter increasingly advanced threats while building on its proven foundation. 

Together, these advancements strengthen the defense industrial base and ensure Aegis continues to evolve alongside the needs of today's warfighter.

Behind the Mission

While production and groundbreaking milestones often earn the largest headlines, people make them possible.

Engineers, technicians, manufacturing specialists, supply chain professionals and program teams work every day to transform advanced technologies into mission-ready capabilities that support defense through deterrence.

Manufacturing teams ensure critical systems are delivered with reliability. Supply chain professionals strengthen the industrial network that keeps production moving. Engineers and sustainment teams apply innovative solutions to complex challenges, traveling to the epicenter of the fight to work side-by-side with the warfighter. Supply chain professionals strengthen the industrial network that keeps production moving. Together, the people behind the mission ensure the U.S. and our allies have the tools to deter aggression and defeat threats in every domain and support the Arsenal of Freedom.