America’s largest defense contractor is responsible for both the PAC-3 (Patriot) and THAAD missiles, and is scaling up production in the Natural State.

Aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin is set to expand its footprint at its missile manufacturing facility in Camden, Arkansas, which produces Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor missiles, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, and Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM).

The world’s largest defense contractor will make a $420 million capital investment in its Camden campus, creating upwards of 650 new full-time jobs over the next five years—adding to the approximately 1,100 personnel employed there.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission announced the expansion earlier this week. The 2.2 million-square-foot facility was opened in 1979 and currently supports seven major United States Department of Defense (DoD) programs. In addition to the three missiles, Lockheed Martin produces the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) at the facility.

How Lockheed Martin Hopes to Replenish Depleted US Stockpiles

The expansion also follows a previously announced initiative at the site’s Munitions Acceleration Center (MAC), which broke ground earlier this year. Once completed, Lockheed Martin will scale up THAAD interceptor output at the MAC, increasing estimated production capacity from 96 to 400 annually. The MAC is also designed to develop and prepare the workforce that will build the next generation of PAC-3, THAAD, and other platforms, utilizing a variety of advanced manufacturing techniques including robotics and digital technologies.

“Lockheed Martin is investing at unprecedented speed and scale to expand manufacturing capacity and deliver the critical capabilities our warfighters need, faster,” said Adam Bailey, Camden site general manager at Lockheed Martin. “For more than four decades, Camden has played a vital role in strengthening our nation’s defense, and this investment marks another significant step in accelerating production, advancing next-generation manufacturing and creating 650 new jobs.”

Camden is on track to play a critical role in replenishing depleted US stockpiles of the interceptors, which have been supplied to aid Ukraine in its ongoing conflict as Russia has ramped up strikes on the besieged nation’s critical infrastructure. The US military has also expanded vast quantities of ordnance in its war with Iran, with demand vastly outpacing supply.

About the PAC-3 and THAAD Missiles

The PAC-3 and THAAD missiles are two of the most advanced missiles in America’s arsenals. Both are ground-to-air “interceptor” missiles, requiring them to hit rapidly moving targets in midair—a far more daunting challenge than a simple cruise missile that can be programmed to strike static coordinates on the ground.

The PAC-3 is the United States’ premier high-velocity, hit-to-kill surface-to-air missile interceptor used by America and its global allies to destroy advanced ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and enemy aircraft. Unlike older versions that detonated near a target, the PAC-3 lacks an internal explosive; it destroys threats via direct body-to-body kinetic impact, which does catastrophic damage to enemy projectiles at high speeds.

Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury earlier this year, the US and its regional allies—notably Saudi Arabia and Kuwait—fired thousands of PAC-3 interceptor missiles to shoot down incoming Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. Though the missile had a high success rate, the war has sharply drained US stockpiles, leading to concerns that other global theaters have gone undersupplied.

The THAAD missile is an exo-atmospheric defense system that was developed to intercept short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the very edge of the Earth’s atmosphere. It provides a much broader area of protection than the shorter-range Patriot system.

Before the start of the conflict with Iran, the US military held around 452 THAADs in its global inventory. However, US forces have expended a significant portion of that pre-war inventory of THAAD missiles to intercept high-altitude Iranian ballistic threats.

Arkansas Is Betting Big on Aerospace Technology

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission highlighted the role that the Camden region and the Natural State now plays in the US and even global defense industrial base.

“Camden, Arkansas is globally recognized as a key defense manufacturing hub, driven by investments from industry leaders like Lockheed Martin,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “For decades, Lockheed Martin has grown in Arkansas, and they are still growing as a result of our experienced workforce, strong business environment, and a supportive community. This is a win for Lockheed Martin, the State of Arkansas, and the Camden area, that will have a major impact for many years to come.”

Aerospace and defense is now Arkansas’s top export sector, generating more than $1.8 billion per year for the state’s economy and supporting over 14,000 high-paying jobs. The Natural State is home to more than 150 aerospace and defense companies, which operate industrial and manufacturing facilities.

“Industry is growing all across Arkansas, but there’s no place seeing faster growth for a better purpose than Camden as it helps rebuild America’s defense industrial base,” said Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “Lockheed Martin is relying on South Arkansas to supply American warfighters and our allies all across the world, and Arkansans are answering the call. We could not be prouder to say that we are the Arsenal of Freedom, and I look forward to Lockheed continuing its expansion in our state and creating hundreds more Arkansas jobs.”

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. He has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism, including Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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