Raytheon commenced a $115 million expansion of its Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility in Huntsville, Ala., Tuesday, April 23, 2024. (Alabama Governor Kay Ivey/X)
(Tribune News Service) — Raytheon commenced a $115 million expansion of its Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility in Huntsville Tuesday.
When the 26,000-square-foot project is finished, it will increase the factory’s space by more than 50% and bring an estimated 185 new jobs.
Construction is scheduled to conclude next year.
Raytheon’s Redstone facility is the final integration point for many missile programs for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Navy, and other defense customers.
Huntsville handles integration of nine varieties of the Standard Missile family, including Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6, and will produce additional defense programs, such as the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), which takes on hypersonic glide vehicles.
The Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility first opened in 2012.
“This important investment in the Huntsville region will help us meet the growing needs of our military customers and service members,” Raytheon President Phil Jasper said. “It will also ready our operations to accelerate delivery of our vital counter-hypersonic solution.”
Gov. Kay Ivey, attending the groundbreaking, said watching the company’s Huntsville “growth and evolution fills me with immense pride for our state.”
“Alabama has always been a beacon for innovation across all industries, especially in the realm of defense,” she said. “With our rich history in aerospace and flight, it comes as no surprise that Raytheon has once again chosen Alabama — and specifically, Huntsville — for this expansion. Some people call it the ‘Rocket City.’ I’ll raise that and say: the brightest minds in aerospace and defense call it home.”
Raytheon and its parent company RTX in Alabama employ more than 2,200 people.
“Raytheon’s missile integration center, its Huntsville employees and the innovative products that are assembled at the facility are important national assets,” Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair said. “The security of our country could one day depend on these technologies, and I’m proud that they come to life in Alabama.”
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