Lockheed Martin Breaks Ground on New Missile System Integration Lab

On Monday, Lockheed Martin officially broke ground on its Missile System Integration Lab (MSIL) at its Huntsville campus. This building, slated to open in Q3 of 2023, will support development, testing, and integration for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program. 

The $16.5 million facility, designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood and to be built by Doster Construction, will provide nearly 25,000 sf. of space, including about 16,300 sf. of lab space, and will house approximately 30 employees running day-to-day operations in support of the NGI program. 

The building is designed with the capacity to house other programs in the future as Lockheed Martin continues to partner with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and other customers. 

A number of dignitaries attended the groundbreaking ceremony, including Governor Kay Ivey, Senators Tom Butler and Tommy Tuberville, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Madison County Chairman Dale Strong, and UAH Interim President Charles Karr. 

According to Lockheed Martin Next Generation Interceptor Vice President Sarah Reeves, this celebration reflected the future of both the company and Huntsville.

“It represents what motivates me every day as I lead my team in support of this critical missile defense mission. In fact, I relocated here from the west coast to lead this program, and I’ll tell you, it was a fantastic decision to be able to work amongst this team every day and to be a part of this amazing community,” she said. 

“For you, it reflects what I see as a positive continued growth for this community. Alabama is thriving, Huntsville is growing, our people have exciting career opportunities. And for Lockheed Martin, today demonstrates how our company is growing too while ushering in the future of missile defense capability development.” 

The company currently employs over 2,700 people in the state and is expected to grow by over 200 employees at the Huntsville and Courtland, AL sites this year. 

An additional benefit of this new addition, according to Reeves, is that the NGI engineers will be co-located with the missile defense team in order to perform integration and test work, making it easier to apply the technical rigor to do the job efficiently and effectively. 

Reeves also noted that this summer, the NGI program is employing 59 interns from colleges in Alabama and across the country as well as six high school interns from the local schools.

“Our engineering interns will be providing critical support to the program by processing and analyzing data, executing simulations, and more,” she stated. 

Lockheed Martin Space Vice President & General Manager of Strategic & Missile Defense Dr. Sarah Hiza stressed the company’s deep connection with the Huntsville community and the meaning ascribed to the work they do.

“Our employees are mission driven and have a passion for protecting what matters most. For us, that means bringing together our deep knowledge of our customers’ missions, our technical expertise, and next generation technologies to ultimately serve the goal of bringing people home, and the growth we are here to celebrate today will help us to do just that,” she said. 

“We have a long, dedicated presence in Alabama and we see this community as one in which we can collaborate with key suppliers, academic organizations, and partners to deliver on some of the nation’s most important missions,” Hiza continued. 

In his address to the audience, Senator Tuberville recognized the company’s contributions to North Alabama and to national security. Tuberville also pinpointed China as the nation’s greatest military competitor, emphasizing the rapid development of its weapons and the need for the United States to further build its military capabilities. 

Tuberville used the ongoing missile attacks on Ukraine as an example of the importance of a more robust missile defense system, stating that the NGI is “critical to defending our homeland.” He promised to push for the production of additional interceptors, stating that the cost of production can be brought down with volume.

“That’s how it works,” he said. 

“It’s a great day here at Lockheed Martin and it’s a great day for the State of Alabama, and in fact it’s a great day for the United States of America,” said Governor Ivey. “Lockheed Martin is a critical arm of our country’s defense system. This expansion here in Huntsville will provide major support for the Missile Defense Agency.” 

“Folks, I’ll say this–when our country needs us, Alabama is ready to answer the call. Today is another great example of Alabama doing just that. And Lockheed Martin is reminding the world of Alabamians’ willingness and ability to step up to the plate,” Ivey said. “It’s an honor to be with you today and I certainly look forward to the continued growth here at Lockheed Martin and all that’s to come.”

For more information, please visit Lockheed Martin’s website here.

Images provided by Dawn Suiter, the Huntsville Business Journal.