Lockheed Martin’s facility in Troy is a major provider of the THAAD missile intecepter. (Photo/Lockheed Martin)
By Troy Turner
President Trump and War Department officials summoned defense industry leaders to the White House earlier this week to emphatically emphasize the importance of increasing munitions production, especially with weapons tied to missile and air defense, and Alabama will be playing a major role to meet that demand.
Lockheed Martin acquired two major contracts this week that involve its facilities in the state, including a more than $35 billion deal for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptors, which are produced in Troy.
Earlier in the week, Lockheed Martin was awarded an $83 million contract modification for the procurement of additional All Up Rounds, or AURs, which are fully assembled missiles tied to Navy and Army work with hypersonic weapon systems. That deal will involve work done at the company’s facility in Courtland.
Producing the THAAD
The big news came Wednesday with the War Department’s announcement of the $35.3 billion deal for THAAD interceptors.
The work will be performed in Troy; Dallas, Texas; Sunnyvale, California; and Camden, Arkansas. The performance period is from March 2026 through June 2032.
The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, is the contracting agency.
“THAAD is the only U.S. system designed to intercept threats both inside and outside the atmosphere, providing a critical layer of missile defense. Its performance has been demonstrated in operations including Operation Epic Fury, where it continues to defend forces and key infrastructure against evolving threats,” Lockheed Martin reported.
THAAD is a highly effective, combat-proven defense against short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. (Lockheed Martin)
The award comes weeks after Lockheed Martin broke ground on a new Munitions Production Center in Troy as part of the company’s more than $9 billion companywide investment through 2030.
Lockheed Martin also recently opened the Next Generation Interceptor facility in Courtland.
Courtland’s role grows
Work on the AUR contract will be performed in Courtland (14%); Denver, Colorado (31%); Magna, Utah (26%); Simsbury, Connecticut (10%); East Aurora, New York (7%); Owego, New York (7%), Sunnyvale, California (2%); and various other locations (less than 1% each, totaling 3%).
Lockheed Martin Space, Littleton, Colorado, is the company sector involved.
The contract is intended to satisfy Army requirements under the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike program.
Work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2029.
Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting agency.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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