Anduril Chooses Ohio Location for "Arsenal" Manufacturing Facility to Produce CCAs and Additional Items
Breaking Ground
Silicon Valley's star defense startup, Anduril Industries, has officially picked a site for its groundbreaking "Arsenal" factory. Situated just ten miles south of Columbus, Ohio, the chosen location, neighboring Rickenbacker International Airport, is set to manufacture cutting-edge, economical defense gear like the "Fury" Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force.
The timeline for this endeavor is aggressive, with Chris Brose, Anduril's chief strategy officer, promising that the manufacturing giant will unveil the first batch of products by mid-2026. This deadline is non-negotiable, as Anduril is contractually obligated to commence mass production of certain items by that time.
During a press conference on January 15th, Brose disclosed that Anduril plans to pump "hundreds of millions" of dollars and potentially over $1 billion into the initial site, which encompasses approximately 700,000 square feet of renovated infrastructure. The entire property has the potential to accommodate an impressive 5 million square feet of production space.
The "Arsenal" factory's main objective is to churn out military equipment at a "hyper scale," a crucial key to deterring adversaries such as China. Anduril's vision for the factory involves mass-producing "non-exquisite" autonomous systems for the US military, using workers who require minimal technical training. The workers can easily transition into defense production regardless of their background, such as those with automotive experience.
Among the factory's benefits is its adjacency to Rickenbacker Airport, which doubles as an air cargo hub for the area and serves the Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing. Additionally, nearby rail lines and highways, the presence of other manufacturers, and proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base all contribute to the factory's strategic location. Brose also indicated that the site can accommodate further growth beyond the initial facility.
Ohio's Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced that more details regarding the financial incentives granted to Anduril for establishing the facility in the Columbus area would be shared in the near future. This ambitious project is estimated to generate around 4,000 jobs in the area.
Anduril initially announced plans for the "Arsenal" factory in August, but Brose revealed that the hunt for a location had been underway for roughly a year, with the final decision made in the last few weeks. Prior to this, company officials had hinted at an Ohio location but downplayed the likelihood.
"The site itself couldn't be better," Brose enthused. "We're talking 5 million square feet of production space at scale; a 700,000 square foot facility that exists now that we will be aggressively working to renovate, and build out the space for the immediate defense programs we are delivering right now." The property also offers an additional 500 acres for future expansion.
Located within 45 minutes of the factory, Anduril can tap into a sizable labor market boasting over a million people, many of whom possess automotive and aerospace expertise, making them highly relevant to Anduril’s vision for defense production.
Although the factory primarily concentrates on aerial assets, test activities might be conducted elsewhere, like near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which hosts the Air Force Materiel Command. Columbus, Springfield, and Dayton will collaborate to create a consortium to attract and facilitate defense manufacturing innovation.
Joby Aviation, an electric aircraft manufacturer, is already building its manufacturing facility in Dayton and will utilize the designated test area nearby. Ohio has been actively fostering economic growth in the aerospace and defense sectors, with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base experiencing a significant employment increase from 19,000 to 38,000 in the same sector, positioning the region as a key player in the defense industry.
Brose shared that, at the moment, Anduril has no plans to produce "energetics" or move existing manufacturing operations to Ohio, preferring instead to scale up production capacity without consolidating it. Aside from various unmanned aerial systems, such as the Roadrunner vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and counter-UAS equipment, Anduril's offerings include Lattice software and command-and-control systems, solid rocket motors, and the development of low-cost cruise missiles.
- Anduril Industries will manufacture the Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft and other defense gear at its "Arsenal" factory, situated near Rickenbacker International Airport in Ohio.
- Chris Brose, Anduril's chief strategy officer, confirmed that the factory will unveil the first batch of products by mid-2026, adhering to a non-negotiable deadline due to contractual obligations.
- The initial investment into the "Arsenal" factory will exceed hundreds of millions of dollars, with potential funding surpassing $1 billion, as announced by Brose.
- The main objective of the "Arsenal" factory is to mass-produce military equipment at a "hyper scale", with a focus on autonomous systems for the US military.
- The factory's strategic location offers benefits such as adjacency to an air cargo hub, nearby rail lines and highways, the presence of other manufacturers, and proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
- This project is estimated to generate around 4,000 jobs in the region, and Ohio is actively fostering economic growth in the aerospace and defense sectors, positioning the state as a key player in the defense industry.
