Public officials join Lockheed Martin executives in a ceremonial groundbreaking for the company’s new production facility in Courtland. (contributed)
COURTLAND-Lockheed Martin today announced plans to make North Alabama its flagship location for work on hypersonics programs, with plans to open a new production facility and hire nearly 275 people, including engineers.
The move means 72 new jobs in Courtland and 200 new positions in Huntsville over the next three years. Additional job growth is expected.At a groundbreaking ceremony, Lockheed Martin said it will add two buildings at its Courtland facility for the assembly, integration and testing of hypersonics programs. The company said it will locate the management and engineering workforce for these programs in Huntsville.
“The decision to bring hypersonic manufacturing to this region would not have been possible without the support of the State of Alabama, our local partners 
including Lawrence and Madison counties, the cities of Courtland and Huntsville and Tennessee Valley Authority as well as those elected representatives in Congress,” said Scott Keller, vice president and general manager for Strategic and Missile Defense for Lockheed Martin.
“On behalf of Lockheed Martin, we are honored to expand our presence in northern Alabama and watch as the next cohort of innovators take advanced defense technology to levels we once thought were impossible,” Keller said.
During an official ceremony in Courtland, Marillyn Hewson, chairman, president and CEO for Lockheed Martin, was joined by Sen. Richard Shelby, Gov. Kay Ivey and Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Space for Lockheed Martin, among others.
Officials representing the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy were on hand in Courtland to mark the occasion at the site of the next hypersonic production facility.
An illustration depicts a missile traveling at hypersonic speed, which means at least five times the speed of sound. Lockheed Martin’s hypersonics programs will be based in the Alabama cities of Huntsville and Courtland, the company announced today. (contributed)
Lockheed Martin’s Ambrose will host an event later today in Huntsville to celebrate the increased workforce expansion as part of this effort.
Long-lasting ties
Lockheed Martin’s strong partnership with the state of Alabama dates back several decades and includes research and development on rockets and space launch vehicles, tactical missiles, space exploration, and air and missile defense targets.
The company employs more than 2,000 people in Alabama. Earlier this year, it announced an expansion at its missile production facility in Pike County.
“Lockheed Martin has a longstanding relationship with the state of Alabama, and I am proud to see that strengthen even more as they make our state the flagship location for their hypersonic programs,” Ivey said.
“Both Courtland and Huntsville will gain new jobs, which is always welcome news. I am proud and confident that Alabamians will help advance Lockheed Martin’s goals as we begin working toward the advancements of the future,” she said.
Media Release/Jerry Underwood
Made in Alabama
Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04) today made the following remarks at the groundbreaking
Robert Aderholt
for the Lockheed Martin Groundbreaking for Hypersonic Programs in Courtland, Alabama. The Courtland expansion will bring two new buildings in support of Lockheed Martin’s portfolio of hypersonics programs. This decision brings 72 new jobs to Courtland and 200 new jobs to Huntsville over the next three years with additional job growth expected.
“I can say, that thanks to the important work by people at Redstone Army commands and research labs, such as SMDC, and AMRDEC, I was aware of the importance of hypersonic weapons way before it became trendy, and I pushed hard every year for funding for this long-range strike weapon.
“The folks at Redstone, with their industry partners, as well as partners at the Sandia National lab and elsewhere, made important advances – building upon previous work by the Air Force. With funding amounts of less than $100 million a year, they achieved a successful flight of the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon, or AHW.
“The U.S. military seeks to be excellent in all things. Some of our adversaries seek to be excellent in one or two things. Our presence here today is important because it shows that in our own military work, we are moving out from the research and pioneering work of the AHW to a broadly applied, offensive-weapon capability.
“ I want our adversaries to be terrified by the hypersonic weapons they will soon face from the U.S. Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. If our enemies are terrified, they will hesitate to start wars, and that of course, is exactly what we prefer.
“But if a war is started, the work being done by this civilian and military partnership in Alabama, as seen here today, will help us make it a short war, and one which ends on our terms.
“I look forward to continuing my support, and thanks to all of you for your work defending our country. “
