Northrop Grumman Invests in Factory of the Future for Missile Production (Video)

Video Transcript

Northrop Grumman last year announced a 113,000-square-foot factory in West Virginia. The defense giant will use the new plant to increase capacity to meet current and future weapon production demands. Mary Petryszyn, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Defense Systems, says the new building is a "factory of the future,” created to cost-effectively make a large number of missiles.

According to Petryszyn, Northrop has invested in expanded manufacturing capacity, new digital techniques, and emerging technologies to get products into the field sooner. The missile integration factory is scheduled to open in 2024 and is designed to produce 600 strike missiles annually.

Unlike traditional missile facilities, the factory of the future won’t be limited to making one type of missile. Instead, Northrop invested in several flexible manufacturing processes to easily pivot and modify production to suit various programs. The first production run will be the second bunch of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range low-rate initial production.

The facility will also utilize the newest digital manufacturing techniques, like automation, intelligent manufacturing equipment, and modular work cells. According to the company, the change in manufacturing approach will help better quality, lower costs, and increase production capacity.

The facility will bring new jobs to West Virginia, where Northrop Grumman is already one of the state’s largest manufacturing employers. According to Industry Select, the company is the fourth largest manufacturing employer in the state, behind pharmaceutical maker Viatris, poultry processor Pilgrim’s, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing. Overall, Northrop Grumman has some 90,000 employees.