AeroVironment is opening a new advanced manufacturing facility in Utah to build Switchblade loitering munitions. (AeroVironment Inc)
AeroVironment has established a new advanced manufacturing facility in Salt Lake City, Utah, the company announced in a statement on 13 February. Dubbed FreedomWerx, the facility is part of AeroVironment's “distributed production strategy”, the statement said.
The facility is intended to strengthen AeroVironment's ability to “ensure uninterrupted delivery of precision-strike autonomous systems”. The 200,000 sq ft (18,580 m 2 ) facility will expand production of AeroVironment loitering munitions, such as the Switchblade and Blackwing, the company said.
Distributed production, with “multiple, strategically located production sites”, mitigates the risks of natural disasters, security threats, and geopolitical disruptions, strengthening supply chain resilience and operational readiness, according to the statement.
The FreedomWerx facility is located near Salt Lake City International Airport, providing “strategic access to key transportation hubs, [and] optimising logistics and supply chain efficiencies”, the statement said. The facility is expected to create “more than 500 high-paying jobs”, according to AeroVironment.
The facility is expected to begin production in the second half of 2025, “further scaling the company's manufacturing capacity to meet evolving defence requirements”, the statement said. AeroVironment called the expansion “a strategic investment in next-generation autonomous capabilities, ensuring US and allied forces remain equipped with advanced, precision-strike solutions built for modern conflicts”.
“This facility represents a critical step in our mission to expand manufacturing capacity,” Wahid Nawabi, chairman, president, and CEO of AeroVironment, said in the statement.
FreedomWerx is the result of a collaborative effort between AeroVironment, the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, Utah Inland Port Authority, and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, the statement noted.
AeroVironment had not responded to Janes
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