The American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) has announced a major expansion of its National Security Industrial Hub and Munitions Campus near Crane naval base.
The project has grown from about 1,100 acres to more than 1,500 acres.
Two new tenants were announced as part of the expansion: SPINNER North America, an advanced manufacturer, and iRocket, a developer of rocket motors and reusable rockets.
The expansion also includes an increase in the planned site for Prometheus Energetics, another manufacturer of rocket motors. The company will now occupy about 700 acres, up from the 600 acres originally planned. ACMI is constructing Prometheus' headquarters and production facilities at the site.
The National Security Industrial Hub broke ground in February. The project is backed by a $75 million federal Munitions Campus Pilot Program award and is intended to bring defense manufacturers together on a shared campus to produce munitions and other defense technologies.
"The United States has no shortage of innovation, what it lacks is production capacity at scale and that's what we are delivering on with this expansion," ACMI Founder and CEO John Burer said in a statement. "This rapid expansion reflects the compounding demand for modern manufacturing infrastructure."
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Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana said the expansion "will bolster critical munitions production and create good-paying jobs that support our national security."
Republican Rep. Mark Messmer, whose district includes Crane, said the project will generate millions of dollars in economic activity while strengthening the nation's defense industrial base.
According to ACMI, the 1,527-acre campus is designed to lower startup costs for defense companies by providing shared infrastructure and manufacturing space, allowing firms to move more quickly from research and development into production.
