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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

AeroVironment Expands Albuquerque, New Mexico, Manufacturing Operations

03/08/2026
American defense and aerospace technology company AeroVironment, Inc. plans to expand its operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The $30 million project is expected to create more than 450 jobs over the next ten years.

The investment will include the modernization of the company’s existing defense manufacturing campus, increasing production capacity for laser systems, space payloads and advanced defense electronics.

“The growth we’re driving in Albuquerque goes beyond our own business,” said AV Chairman, President and CEO Wahid Nawabi. “It’s about strengthening the domestic defense industrial base, creating high-quality American jobs and partnering with New Mexico to continue to develop a durable innovation and manufacturing hub that can deliver when it matters most.”

The project is being supported by $5 million from the State of New Mexico and $1 million from the City of Albuquerque through Local Economic Development Act funding (LEDA). The LEDA agreement ties state and city support to performance-based milestones for job creation and capital investment.

“This is exactly how economic development is supposed to work,” noted Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Rob Black. “We invested in BlueHalo, it delivered growth and high-paying jobs, and now AV is expanding again, showing why we’re reinvesting in a proven operation that strengthens our economy and our national security.”

AeroVironment, Inc. designs, manufactures, and deploys unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), loitering munitions, and advanced robotic systems for military and government customers. The company’s products including systems like Puma, Raven, Wasp, and Switchblade are used by U.S. and allied forces for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strike missions.

“This is a smart reinvestment in proven growth,” added City of Albuquerque Economic Development Director Max Gruner. “AV Defense is scaling production in Albuquerque, and LEDA keeps the focus on results, jobs and capital investment.”

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