The defense sector accounts for 19% of Virginia’s economy, with the Old Dominion State receiving $68.5 billion in federal defense spending in fiscal year 2023 (FY23). Neighboring West Virginia, which broke off from Virginia in June 1863, is significantly smaller yet has seen a slow increase in recent years.
The Mountain State is now home to Northrop Grumman’s new advanced production and assembly center in Rocket Center, WV. The government installation is part of the Naval Sea Systems Command and the site of the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL). The new Missile Integration Facility (MIF) is the latest expansion of the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant at ABL, building on the aerospace and defense firm’s ability to scale production and rapidly manufacture critical capabilities for high-rate production programs.
“Northrop Grumman is delivering advanced weapons capabilities at scale today, including missile components like tactical solid rocket motors and payloads, and – with today’s opening – advanced strike missiles,” said Frank DeMauro, vice president and general manager, weapons system, Northrop Grumman. “The cutting-edge Missile Integration Facility expands manufacturing capacity and our team’s ability to deliver for our customers at a critical time. The MIF is the latest shining example of how Northrop Grumman’s $1 billion-plus investment in advanced manufacturing facilities since 2018 ensures we’ve got capacity needed to meet growing customer demand and support a resilient defense industrial base now and in the future.”
Missile Production to Increase
The 113,000-square-foot MIF will consolidate production, assembly, testing, and shipping under one roof, while employing digital manufacturing technologies to help the company deliver up to 300 strike missiles per year, including the U.S. Navy’s extended-range, air-to-ground AARGM-ER.
“Plant 4 and the MIF provide ABL the ability to expand production capacity, which is increasingly critical to national security as the defense industry experiences a surge in demand for advanced weapons and energetic capabilities in response to worldwide events,” Northrop Grumman explained.
The expansion will enable the company to bolster production and increase the output of critical capabilities, thereby replenishing stockpiles that support the U.S. and its allies.
MIF will also expand the manufacturing workforce skill sets in West Virginia, bringing engineering and manufacturing jobs to the region. Moreover, having the production, assembly, testing, and shipping at a single facility could help address issues with delays in the supply chain.
“Expanding our capacity to produce the world’s most advanced munitions is vital to ensuring that our men and women in uniform have the tools they need to deter aggression or prevail in a future conflict,” explained Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.).
“The Allegany Ballistics Laboratory is a crucial part of our defense industrial base, and I’m proud that some of our nation’s most technologically advanced weapons will be built right here at home in West Virginia,” added Senator Capito. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this expansion project on U.S. national security and the state of West Virginia.”
Take Me Home, Country Roads
The opening of Plant 4 at the ABL facility will further expand it to more than one million square feet, including the new and renovated manufacturing space that Northrop Grumman has added in the past seven years. It will also create additional opportunities for residents of the Mountain State.
“Opening this new Missile Integration Facility is an important step in bringing manufacturing back to West Virginia,” said Rep. Riley M. Moore (R-W.V.). “West Virginia is proud to be at the forefront of reindustrializing—bringing critical production back home, creating more jobs, while equipping our men and women in uniform with the tools that they need to deter our enemies. Northrop Grumman’s continued investment in our state is a testament to the vital role we play in securing the future of American defense and rebuilding our heartland.”
