Red River Army Depot in Hooks, Texas, is moving forward with drone production thanks to legislative approvals, community partnerships, and millions of dollars in federal and state funding. The depot has been supporting the warfighter for 85 years by rebuilding, overhauling, and remanufacturing military vehicles for the U.S. Army.
Expansion and Funding
The Altech company, based in Texarkana, Texas, was recently awarded a $13 million federal contract to begin transforming the depot into a leading hub for unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones. Additionally, the U.S. Army awarded an $80 million contract to Hadrian Automation to establish the advanced manufacturing of weapons systems, including drones, at the depot.
TexAmericas Center, a 12,000-acre industrial park that borders the depot, is expected to benefit from the expansion. Scott Norton, TexAmericas Center CEO, stated that modernizing the depot’s facilities should bring more jobs to the region and attract new businesses and industries as the depot expands its mission and workload.
Texarkana College is also developing specialized curriculum and courses focused on drone production to support the operational ramp-up at the depot. The project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2027.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
