The Department of Defense's (DoD) Office of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) has entered into a $215.6 million agreement with Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) to expand and modernize AR's facilities in Camden, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; and Orange County, Virginia, where the company manufactures complex rocket propulsion systems. These systems propel DoD missiles and missile defense interceptors, along with space launch vehicles and national security satellites used in civil and commercial applications. The funds will modernize manufacturing processes at the company's facilities, consolidate production lines, purchase equipment, build systems to process data, and increase production and delivery speed for Javelins, Stingers, and the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). This effort was funded by the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act. The U.S. has provided Javelins, Stingers, and GMLRS rockets to the Ukrainian government, and the modernization of AR facilities will benefit DoD as it replenishes its ammunition supplies.
"The Office of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization is moving forward with appropriate urgency to support strategic industrial sectors crucial to protecting national security. This critical investment will modernize rocket propellant and motor production in the United States, in addition to creating technical and skilled labor jobs at multiple domestic facilities," said Dr. Kathleen Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense.
About the Department of Defense's Defense Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization Office:
The mission of the MCEIP office is to prioritize and address supply chain and industrial challenges identified by the DoD and other stakeholders. The office determines appropriate authorities to address critical shortfalls, and through prioritization, incentivization, and resource allocation, MCEIP supports domestic industry with direct engagements and investments.