THIS IS AN OPINION
We'd also like to hear yours.
Tweet us @ArkBusiness or email us
Defense is a billion-dollar-plus industry in Arkansas, and several developments in the last few months highlight its continuing importance in the state.
Late last month, the U.S. Army announced that Hanwha Defense USA of Arlington, Virginia, plans to invest about $1.3 billion to build and operate a new munitions facility at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, creating about 200 jobs.
It’s not a done deal. It awaits final lease negotiations, which are expected to conclude in a few months. But it would mean jobs in a part of the state that desperately needs them.
The Army said the project “directly enhances the performance, safety, and lifespan of crucial munitions, including 155 mm artillery shells.”
And within the last few months, Lockheed Martin has announced new deals with the Defense Department to increase production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and to triple production of Patriot air-defense missiles.
That’s good news for Lockheed Martin’s plant in Camden, where construction has begun on a Munitions Acceleration Center that “will prepare the workforce of the future to build THAAD, PAC-3 and other capabilities using advanced manufacturing, robotics and digital technologies,” the company said.
Arkansas’ role in the nation’s defense appears likely to grow.
Sign up for Daily E-news
