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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

BAE Systems Plans Major Expansion at Huntsville, Alabama, Campus

07/17/2018
Global defense contractor BAE Systems will invest $45.5 million to expand its operations complex and create hundreds of jobs at its campus in Huntsville, Alabama.

BAE Systems said the multi-phase growth plan includes the immediate expansion of its offices at Discovery Drive in Huntsville and the development of a state-of-the-art manufacturing and office space facility in the Cummings Research Park.

Work at the facility will consist of new programs and existing business, including the design, development, and manufacturing of precision munitions and aircraft survivability technology. The increased capacity will enable the company to execute on its commitments to customers while positioning it to address surging demand for key products.

“Our expansion in Huntsville provides us a great opportunity to establish a closer working relationship with our critical customers in the U.S. Army and the Redstone Arsenal community,” said Paul Markwardt, Vice President and General Manager of Survivability, Targeting, and Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems.

“Huntsville is a good location to attract the key talent needed to develop and deliver important new capabilities to our customers.”

BAE Systems is working to build its new 83,000-square-foot facility, which will include engineering development space, manufacturing space, and Department of Defense lab space. A 20-acre site for the building will provide expansion room for phased growth in the future. Construction of the new building will begin this year and is expected to be complete in 2019.

“Huntsville’s expansive capabilities in the aerospace industry make it the ideal location for BAE Systems’ growth plans in the United States,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“There’s simply no better place to conduct the critical defense work that provides vital protection to our nation and our allies in unsettled times,” he added.

“BAE Systems’ decision to carry out this significant expansion project in Huntsville is a powerful testament to the expertise that makes Alabama’s ‘Rocket City’ an aerospace hub,” said Governor Kay Ivey, who is attending the air show with a state business development team.

“Huntsville has once again proven itself to be the location of choice for companies looking to do cutting-edge R&D, engineering, and manufacturing all in one location,” Mayor Tommy Battle said. “After our recent string of wins in advanced manufacturing, we made the strategic decision to renew our focus on Cummings Research Park and the knowledge-based jobs that have given Huntsville its positive reputation for innovation.

“BAE Systems is a company we have worked with for a number of years. They will develop new technologies to keep our soldiers and allies safe for decades to come. Huntsville is proud to play a key role in BAE Systems’ mission,” Battle added.

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