Lockheed Martin announced the opening of a 16,000‑sq‑ft laser powder‑bed fusion additive manufacturing facility at its Missiles and Fire Control plant in Grand Prairie, Texas. The new space houses some of the largest multi‑laser machines in the industry, along with heat‑treatment and inspection equipment designed to produce high‑performance, thin‑walled components for aircraft, hypersonic systems and electric propulsion platforms.
The facility is expected to shorten the design‑to‑flight timeline by enabling rapid prototyping and production of complex parts that traditionally required costly casting, forging or machining. By building components layer‑by‑layer, Lockheed can reduce lead times, lower tooling costs and improve thermal management—critical for high‑temperature aerospace applications.
This capability supports Lockheed’s production ramp for key platforms such as the PAC‑3 missile and the F‑35 sustainment program. Faster, more efficient manufacturing can improve margin conversion on its record backlog and accelerate delivery to the U.S. Department of Defense, positioning the company to meet growing demand for advanced defense systems.
Management emphasized the strategic importance of additive manufacturing. “We continue to invest in AM technology to provide value for our customers in a way that empowers our engineers to innovate and rapidly integrate new product designs and capabilities to the production floor,” said Tom Carrubba, VP of Production Operations at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “AM lives in the digital world and this allows us to support our customers in a far more nimble and responsive fashion than if we were using traditional design and manufacturing methods,” added Brian Kaplun, a Lockheed Martin fellow. Hector Sandoval, another fellow, noted that AM is implemented as a “technical risk reduction tool” and offers “improved product performance, as well as reduced development and lead time.”
The facility’s opening follows Lockheed’s Q1 2026 earnings, which highlighted margin compression and negative free cash flow. The new additive manufacturing capability is part of the company’s broader “AM Forward” initiative, aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains and accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing by domestic suppliers. By investing in this technology, Lockheed is positioning itself to maintain a competitive edge in the defense sector while addressing short‑term financial headwinds.
The 16,000‑sq‑ft expansion, completed in late 2024, now represents a fully operational, advanced manufacturing hub that will play a critical role in meeting the company’s backlog and future demand for high‑performance defense platforms.
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