Northrop Grumman Inaugurated Advanced Missile Integration Facility in West Virginia
In a significant move to bolster U.S. defense capabilities, Northrop Grumman has inaugurated a state-of-the-art 113,000-square-foot Missile Integration Facility (MIF) at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in Rocket Center, West Virginia. This facility is designed to enhance the production of advanced strike missiles, including the U.S. Navy’s AARGM-ER (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range), a high-speed, extended-range air-to-ground missile. The MIF consolidates production, assembly, testing, and shipping operations under one roof, with an annual delivery capacity of up to 300 missiles.
The establishment of the MIF is part of Northrop Grumman’s broader strategy to expand its manufacturing footprint and meet the increasing global demand for advanced defense systems. Since 2018, the company has invested over $1 billion in advanced manufacturing facilities, including the expansion of ABL to more than 1 million square feet. This investment aims to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and ensure the capacity to deliver critical weapons systems efficiently and at scale.
The new facility is expected to create numerous engineering and manufacturing jobs, reinforcing Northrop Grumman’s role as one of West Virginia’s largest manufacturing employers. This expansion not only contributes to the local economy but also supports the broader goal of reindustrializing the United States and bringing critical production back home.
The opening of the MIF has garnered bipartisan support from U.S. lawmakers. Senator Shelley Moore Capito emphasized the importance of expanding the capacity to produce advanced munitions to ensure that military personnel have the necessary tools to deter aggression and prevail in future conflicts. Representative Riley M. Moore highlighted the facility’s role in bringing manufacturing back to West Virginia, creating more jobs, and equipping the armed forces with essential tools to deter adversaries.
Northrop Grumman plans to further enhance its missile production capabilities. The company aims to nearly double its solid-rocket motor production rate by 2029, with projections to increase from 13,000 per year in 2024 to 25,000 per year. This expansion is driven by the increasing demand for tactical solid-rocket motors and hypersonic airbreathing propulsion systems, reflecting the evolving needs of the U.S. military and its allies.
✍️ This article is written by the team of The Defense News.