Industry · Munitions
Lockheed to bring Hadrian automation into its Texas munitions plant
Lockheed workers will run a 24-machine cell, expected to start operating in early 2027, as the company expands its Grand Prairie manufacturing operation.
Lockheed Martin announced Oct. 14 that Hadrian will bring a highly automated machining cell inside its Grand Prairie, Texas, facility. Lockheed expects the 24-machine cell to begin operating in early 2027 and add dedicated capacity for critical defense components.1
Hadrian will bring a highly automated machining cell to the Grand Prairie facility
Lockheed Martin's Grand Prairie operation
Expected to be operational in early 2027
operated by Lockheed Martin's production workforce
Source: Lockheed Martin, Oct. 14, 2026
Sources
Lockheed's production workforce will operate the cell. Hadrian CEO Chris Power said his company would bring automation, software and workforce training from its own factories into Lockheed to produce more, faster. The announcement follows a seven-year agreement the companies signed in 2025.1
The cell will join a broader expansion at Grand Prairie, where Lockheed is investing $300 million and increasing its manufacturing footprint to more than 735,000 square feet. Across the facility, Lockheed expects to have added nearly 100 new advanced machines by the end of 2026. The release does not specify the Hadrian arrangement's value or commercial terms, who funds the cell, or which components or programs it will machine.1
Also announced: Lockheed plans to create 6,000 jobs across the United States, including 2,000 in Texas, as it expands advanced manufacturing capacity for critical munitions.1
Grand Prairie supports all of Lockheed's Missiles and Fire Control programs, including PAC-3 MSE, THAAD, PrSM and JATM. Lockheed expects the expansion and Hadrian partnership to help Grand Prairie reach record production levels and deliver components to final-assembly sites including Camden, Arkansas, and Troy, Alabama.1
Sources (1)
- Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin Expands Advanced Munitions Manufacturing in Texas, Driving Thousands of New American Jobs (Oct. 14, 2026) news.lockheedmartin.com