Lockheed Expansion Signals Growing Machining Demand
Precision machining and automation suppliers in the Grand Prairie area should watch for added demand through 2027.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Manufacturing
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Lockheed Martin is investing $300 million to expand its Grand Prairie, Texas manufacturing facility, adding 100,000 square feet of production space and a 24-machine automated machining cell. The Grand Prairie plant makes components for the PAC-3 MSE, THAAD, PrSM, and JASSM missile programs, supplying final assembly sites in Arkansas and Alabama.
Why it matters
The expansion reflects a push to scale munitions output by automating machining rather than relying solely on added headcount. For manufacturers and suppliers in the region, it signals sustained demand for skilled production labor, precision machining, and automation integration through the end of the decade.
Lockheed Martin plans to hire 6,000 people across the United States, including 2,000 in Texas, and to spend $8 billion to $9 billion through 2030 on munitions production and facility expansion. The Grand Prairie plant, now over 735,000 square feet after the expansion, currently employs nearly 800 production workers and made about 250,000 parts in 2025.
The players
Lockheed Martin
A large U.S. aerospace and defense contractor that produces missile systems and military hardware, with the Grand Prairie plant serving as a key component manufacturing site.
Hadrian
A U.S. manufacturing technology company that supplies automated machining systems used in advanced production environments.
The details
The project converts 85,000 square feet of office space into production areas and adds 100,000 square feet of new manufacturing space. Central to the expansion is a 24-machine automated machining cell developed with Hadrian, a U.S. manufacturing technology company, under a seven-year automation agreement signed in 2025. Lockheed expects to add nearly 100 machines at the site by the end of 2026, with the automated cell expected to become operational in early 2027.
Timeline
2025: Lockheed Martin and Hadrian signed a seven-year automation agreement, and the Grand Prairie plant produced about 250,000 parts.
End of 2026: Lockheed Martin expects to have added nearly 100 machines at the Grand Prairie site.
Early 2027: The 24-machine automated machining cell is expected to become operational.
Through 2030: Lockheed Martin plans $8 billion to $9 billion in munitions and facility spending.
Market Landscape
Lockheed's Grand Prairie expansion, built around a seven-year automation agreement with Hadrian, shows defense primes investing in automated machining to increase munitions output. The plan ties the site to four named missile programs and to final assembly facilities in Arkansas and Alabama.
Suppliers and machining shops in the Grand Prairie area should watch for demand tied to nearly 100 added machines and the new 24-machine cell. Operators should assess whether automation-integration or precision-machining capabilities could position them for work tied to these defense supply chains, and consult qualified advisors before committing capital.
The takeaway
The key operating signal is that defense suppliers are pairing added floor space with automation to raise output without proportional headcount growth. Operators in precision machining and industrial automation should track hiring announcements and supplier-qualification opportunities tied to the Grand Prairie site through 2027.
Further reading
For more on the sector driving this build-out, explore Manufacturing coverage on We are Main Street.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Themachinemaker.
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