In a strategic move to transform American defense production, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Hadrian have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The collaboration aims to significantly accelerate the pace and enhance the value of advanced manufacturing within Lockheed Martin’s operations, directly addressing the need for a more resilient and scalable industrial base.
The core of this partnership will see Hadrian implement its innovative factory-as-a-service model directly at a Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control facility. This involves embedding a scalable, automated machining and inspection cell designed for flexible production. The cell integrates computer numerical control (CNC) machines, advanced robotics, and Hadrian’s proprietary manufacturing execution software platform. This combined technological arsenal is intended to rapidly and efficiently increase production rates for a wide array of precision machined parts. Key defense systems slated to benefit include the PAC-3 MSE®, THAAD, the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), and GMLRS.
“Partnering with Hadrian allows us to deploy next-generation automated technology, strengthening our manufacturing agility and supply chain robustness,” said Tom Carrubba, Vice President of Production Operations at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This initiative is a crucial step in expanding our production capacity to meet the accelerating demand for vital munitions from our customers.”
The partnership is framed as a blueprint for modernizing defense industrial capabilities. “This alliance demonstrates how innovative and established leaders can combine forces to build faster, more adaptable defense production,” stated Chris Power, CEO of Hadrian. “Integrating Hadrian’s advanced manufacturing systems with Lockheed Martin’s unparalleled defense expertise allows us to streamline production for critical current programs and establish a replicable model for future collaboration across the sector.”
Ultimately, this union of cutting-edge manufacturing technology with proven defense production expertise seeks to create a new kind of production ecosystem. The goal is to foster a manufacturing environment that is not only more resilient and responsive to immediate needs but is also inherently designed to scale and adapt, growing more capable as demand increases and new challenges arise. This partnership represents a tangible step toward re-architecting the foundation of national security supply chains for the future.
