Autonomous systems and weapons company Anduril announces plan to build massive manufacturing facility in Ohio

Defense manufacturing company Anduril announced plans to build a massive facility in the Buckeye State, promising that the site will be capable of swiftly pumping out products for the U.S. and allies.

Some of the defense company’s products include autonomous aircraft and underwater vehicles.

“Anduril, a leader in autonomous systems and weapons manufacturing, today announced it has selected Columbus, Ohio as the location of Arsenal-1, its first hyperscale manufacturing facility,” the company declared in a post on its website.

AI-POWERED ATTACK DRONES TAKE FLIGHT

“Arsenal-1 will redefine the scale and speed that autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for the United States and its allies and partners. This is a monumental and essential step toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, strengthening America’s warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising international threats,” Anduril continued.

The company indicated that it is investing almost $1 billion of its own funds towards the project.

The site’s location next to the Rickenbacker Airport allows access to two 12,000-foot runways, according to Anduril.

OPENAI UNVEILS PLANS TO PROTECT US MILITARY PERSONNEL FROM LETHAL DRONE ATTACKS

“At full scale, the facility will span 5 million square feet and produce tens of thousands of military systems annually. Looking ahead, with more than 500 acres available for future expansion, Arsenal-1 is primed for long-term scalability and will manufacture and produce most of Anduril’s autonomous weapons, sensors and systems at full rate production,” the company declared. 

“Pending approvals, construction on the facility will begin immediately and the first products will be manufactured beginning in July 2026,” Anduril noted.

The company already has facilities around the U.S., and a factory in Australia.

“Arsenal-1 in Ohio will join Anduril’s other factories including our solid rocket motor factory in Mississippi, our robotic submarine facility in Rhode Island, our launched effects factory in Georgia, our XL-AUV factory in Australia and production facilities in California,” the organization noted.

ARCHER, ANDURIL TO DEVELOP NEXT-GEN DEFENSE AIRCRAFT

Anduril founder Palmer Luckey is the “designer of the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality head-mounted display, and the Founder of Oculus VR, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $2.3b,” according to his biography on the company’s website.

The company emphasizes the importance of software.

“The next generation of military technology will depend less on advances in shipbuilding and aircraft design than on advances in software engineering and computing,” Anduril’s website asserts. “Unlike traditional defense contractors who focus primarily on hardware, Anduril’s core system is Lattice OS, an autonomous sensemaking and command & control platform that serves as the core platform for our suite of capabilities.”