{"id":467154,"date":"2026-10-15T21:05:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T21:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467154\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T21:05:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T21:05:16","slug":"lockheed-martin-grand-prairie-expansion-300m-missile-push","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/467154\/","title":{"rendered":"Lockheed Martin Grand Prairie Expansion: $300M Missile Push"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>                            <img width=\"970\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/MS2013775_000001_Lockheed-Martin.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-post-image\" alt=\"Lockheed Martin ribbon cutting event\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"  \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"featured-caption\">Lockheed Martin held a ribbon-cutting event for its Grand Prairie expansion, which will grow the site\u2019s manufacturing footprint to more than 735,000 square feet. [Photo: Lockheed Martin]<\/p>\n<p>To grow production of critical munitions, Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin announced plans to add 2,000 new jobs in Texas and 4,000 more across the United States. It also will expand advanced manufacturing at its Grand Prairie Missiles and Fire Control campus by 185,000 square feet.<\/p>\n<p>Lockheed is investing $300 million to expand the Grand Prairie manufacturing footprint, with 100,000 square feet of new space and 85,000 square feet of converted office space. The expansion will take the site to more than 735,000 square feet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis expansion is more than just a new facility; it is a stronger supply chain and a more resilient industrial base,\u201d Michael P. Duffey, the Pentagon\u2019s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, said in a statement. \u201cToday in Grand Prairie, American industry is answering the call to support our warfighters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Delivering critical munitions faster<\/p>\n<p>The company also announced that Torrance, California-based Hadrian will deliver a highly automated 24-machine cell to help ramp up production in Grand Prairie. According to the companies\u2019 2025 memorandum of understanding, the cell combines computer numerical control, or CNC, machines with advanced robotics and Hadrian\u2019s AI-powered software stack designed for manufacturing. The combination will allow Lockheed to make the specialized metal components used in its missile systems faster than standard manufacturing processes allow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe warfighter can\u2019t wait on peacetime timelines,\u201d Hadrian CEO Chris Power said in a statement. \u201cHadrian is bringing the automation, software and workforce training from our own factories directly inside Lockheed Martin, so we can produce more, faster.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lockheed Martin production workers will operate the new Hadrian system, which is expected to come online in early 2027.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-293158\" class=\"img-responsive\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/assets_MS2013776_000001_Lockheed-Martin-Hadrian-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"366\" height=\"244\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-293158\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lockheed Martin production workers will operate Hadrian\u2019s 24-machine automated cell in Grand Prairie. [Photo: Lockheed Martin]<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 800 production employees currently work at the Grand Prairie facility, which manufactured 250,000 parts in 2025. The company has installed more than 30 new high-precision machines in recent months and expects to have added nearly 100 new advanced machines across the facility by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The company said it aims to integrate the best of defense and commercial manufacturing into its production lines \u201cto deliver critical capabilities faster.\u201d Another example, Lockheed said, was its June collaboration with GM Defense to apply commercial automotive manufacturing methods to defense production.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLockheed Martin has brought together commercial speed and combat-proven performance because America needs both,\u201d Jim Taiclet, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin, said in a statement. \u201cBy combining advanced technology with the expertise of our American workforce, we\u2019re transforming manufacturing to deliver critical munitions at speed and scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rebuilding munitions stockpiles<\/p>\n<p>The goal is to help Grand Prairie reach record production levels of critical munitions, Lockheed said. The Grand Prairie facility supports all of the company\u2019s Missiles and Fire Control programs. Components from Grand Prairie are delivered to final assembly sites in Camden, Arkansas, and Troy, Alabama, among others.<\/p>\n<p>The latest $300 million investment is part of the company\u2019s commitment to invest $8 billion to $9 billion through 2030 to scale munitions production. It plans to modernize or expand more than 20 facilities across the United States.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month, <a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/lockheed-martin-unveils-next-gen-pac-3-edge-missile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Lockheed debuted the PAC-3 Edge<\/a> missile, a new interceptor designed to counter a wide range of air, missile and hypersonic threats at higher altitudes and longer ranges. It is competing in the U.S. Army\u2019s Future Interceptor program, with testing slated for 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Last month, the Army awarded a contract worth up to <a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/lockheed-martin-rolls-out-germanys-first-f-35a-in-fort-worth-reaches-missile-milestones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">$1.2 billion<\/a> for Lockheed\u2019s Precision Strike Missile Increment 2. The company also announced the first delivery of GM Defense components for the PAC-3 MSE in an \u201cextraordinary 22-day turnaround\u201d made possible by its new <a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/to-speed-defense-innovation-lockheed-martin-opens-rapid-fielding-center-in-north-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Rapid Fielding Center<\/a> in Grand Prairie.<\/p>\n<p>In June, the company was awarded a seven-year contract for up to $35 billion to quadruple production of <a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/lockheed-martin-awarded-up-to-35b-to-speed-production-of-missile-defense-interceptors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">THAAD interceptors<\/a>. In late March, Lockheed announced that its Missiles and Fire Control\u00a0division is <a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/as-war-rages-lockheed-martin-to-quadruple-precision-strike-missile-production-at-north-texas-plant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">quadrupling its production of Precision Strike Missiles<\/a> that made their combat debut during the war with Iran. <\/p>\n<p>\tR E A D\u00a0\u00a0 N E X T\t<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/defense-startup-covenant-exits-stealth-with-grand-prairie-missile-factory-and-250m-raise\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792098314_920_anthem-in-flight.jpg\" class=\"attachment-rp4wp-thumbnail-post size-rp4wp-thumbnail-post wp-post-image\" alt=\"Anthem missle\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Washington, D.C.-based company is ramping production of its Anthem long-range cruise missile in North Texas. Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, 8VC, Aleph and Lightspeed Venture Partners.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/lockheed-martin-unveils-next-gen-pac-3-edge-missile\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/lockheed-pac3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-rp4wp-thumbnail-post size-rp4wp-thumbnail-post wp-post-image\" alt=\"Rendering of PAC-3 Edge missle\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Lockheed is developing the PAC-3 Edge in Grand Prairie, designing it to reach farther, fly higher and maneuver faster than today\u2019s PAC-3 interceptor missiles. The company plans to begin testing the missile in 2027 and deploy it by 2031.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/dallasinnovates.com\/lockheed-martin-rolls-out-germanys-first-f-35a-in-fort-worth-reaches-missile-milestones\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"970\" height=\"464\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f35-front-view-lockheed.jpg\" class=\"attachment-rp4wp-thumbnail-post size-rp4wp-thumbnail-post wp-post-image\" alt=\"Front view of F35 Fighter\"  \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>International conflicts are helping propel Lockheed Martin\u2019s aircraft program in Fort Worth and missile program in Grand Prairie.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Lockheed Martin held a ribbon-cutting event for its Grand Prairie expansion, which will grow the site\u2019s manufacturing footprint&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":467155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[158988,150,152,151,5196,158989,158990,158991,4020,15275,36698,158992],"class_list":["post-467154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arlington","tag-aerospace-defense","tag-arlington","tag-arlington-headlines","tag-arlington-news","tag-expansion","tag-gm-defense","tag-hadrian","tag-jim-taiclet","tag-lockheed-martin","tag-manufacturing","tag-partnerships","tag-robotics-automation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=467154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/467154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/467155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=467154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=467154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=467154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}