Lockheed Martin disclosed a $300 million investment to enlarge its missile‑components manufacturing complex in Grand Prairie, Texas, a move that will boost local employment and strengthen the city’s role in national defense supply chains, according to The Machine Maker.
The expansion will raise the plant’s total footprint to more than 735,000 sq ft. It includes 100,000 sq ft of new manufacturing space and the conversion of 85,000 sq ft of existing office space into production areas. The facility, which employed nearly 800 production workers and produced roughly 250,000 parts in 2025, will add nearly 100 new machines by the end of 2026.
Lockheed Martin’s hiring plan calls for up to 2,000 new positions in Texas, contributing to a broader corporate goal of creating 6,000 jobs nationwide as part of an $8‑$9 billion spend through 2030 to expand munitions production and modernise more than 20 U.S. sites.
A centerpiece of the project is a 24‑machine automated machining cell built with Hadrian, a U.S. manufacturing‑technology firm. The cell is slated to become operational in early 2027, and the added automation is expected to increase production capacity and improve efficiency for missile components.
The Grand Prairie site supplies critical parts for several U.S. missile programs, including the PAC‑3 Missile Segment Enhancement, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), Precision Strike Missile, and Joint Air‑to‑Surface Standoff Missile. Finished components are shipped to final‑assembly facilities in Arkansas and Alabama, reinforcing the city’s strategic importance to the nation’s defense industrial base.
What’s next: Recruitment for the new positions is set to begin later this year, with construction and equipment installation scheduled through 2026. Residents can expect increased economic activity as the automated machining cell comes online in early 2027, further solidifying Grand Prairie’s role in supporting U.S. defense capabilities.
Sources: themachinemaker.com
