Defense Expansion: Lockheed Martin Puts $420 Million Into Camden Manufacturing

Lockheed Martin is pouring $420 million into its Camden facility to expand missile production. The company expects to create 650 new full-time positions over the next five years.

The money will go toward increasing output for the PAC-3, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, and Precision Strike Missile platforms. Adam Bailey, the general manager for the Camden site, said the company is investing at a scale designed to deliver capabilities to warfighters faster.

"We are investing at unprecedented speed and scale to expand manufacturing capacity and deliver the critical capabilities our warfighters need, faster," Bailey said. He noted that Camden has supported national defense for more than four decades.

The facility sits on 2,427 acres in the Highland Industrial Park. It covers 2.2 million square feet of manufacturing space. Since it opened in 1979, the site has produced seven different Department of Defense programs. Those include ATACMS, GMLRS, HIMARS, and the M270 rocket system.

The company has already delivered more than 700,000 missiles and rockets from this location. It currently employs about 1,100 people in the area.

James Lee Silliman, executive director of the Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development, welcomed the announcement. "Lockheed's continued commitment to the local facilities and the state of Arkansas is a game changer for the Calhoun and Ouachita County area's economy," he said.

This expansion follows a move in January 2026 when Lockheed Martin broke ground on a Munitions Acceleration Center. That project aims to quadruple the annual production of THAAD interceptors from 96 to 400 units. The new center will use robotics and digital technologies to prepare workers for building these advanced platforms.