Lockheed Martin unveiled its newest Huntsville facility on the afternoon of May 30.

The 122,000-square foot building — located at 1200 Redstone Gateway — will be home to an engineering facility, labs, and a demonstration center.

The company invested $18 million in renovations to an existing space to ensure that the facility will be a state-of-the-art working environment for the hundreds of Lockheed employees who will be based there.

Prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Site General Manager Scott Eichelberger and Director of Army and Air Force Strategy and Business Development Jay Macklin were on hand to introduce visitors to the brand new Lockheed Martin Rotary Wing Innovation Center (RWIC).

“This collaborative space is meant to allow our Army customers to come in and experience the technologies and capabilities that are part of the future of modernized Blackhawks,” said Macklin.

Macklin described Blackhawks as real “workhorses” in the Army division. Blackhawks have proven a reliable platform, with over 15 million flight hours worldwide — 5 million of those hours in combat. In addition to their role in combat zones, Blackhawks are used to save civilian lives during times of natural disaster.

“We all know the battlefield is changing with the introduction of drones and we understand that the Blackhawk has to evolve. The Blackhawk of tomorrow has to be better than the Blackhawk of today,” Macklin continued.

Sikorsky Blackhawk simulators in the RWIC will allow Army customers to experiment with the latest technologies that are modernizing the Blackhawk.

The work that goes on at Lockheed Martin hits close to home for Eichelberger, whose son Christian just graduated from Auburn ROTC. Christian commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant (2LT). He is following in the footsteps of his father, who is still active in the US Army Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC), currently assigned to the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) at Redstone Arsenal.

Eichelberger said that knowing that his son will be flying in aircraft, and utilizing tools, designed and built at Lockheed makes this work incredibly personal to him.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held outdoors under an enclosed white event tent, followed the interactive tour of the Rotary Wing Innovation Center.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Stephanie C. Hill, President of Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, joined with high-level representatives from government, military, and industry to mark the occasion.

Major General Thomas O’Conner, Jr., Commanding General United States Army Aviation and Missile Command, preceded Ivey and Hill.

“You need not look too far into the headlines to recognize that we live in challenging times,” said MG O’Conner. “Efforts like this are truly indicative of a commitment that this community has to ensure that our nation remains the best equipped, the best trained, the best armed, and the best led.”

Stephanie Hill followed MG O’Conner and addressed Lockheed’s response to the growing need for the company’s expertise.

“To meet the rapidly growing demands for the technologies and services our military and government customers need from us, Lockheed has added 1,500 jobs across the state over the past five years, nearly doubling our team. And right here in North Alabama, our team has grown by nearly 70% since 2019,” said Hill.

In addition to creating jobs, Lockheed is refashioning their facilities to deliver twenty-first-century solutions to their customers. Hill said that Lockheed continues to invest in Alabama because of its strategic location, history, and infrastructure. Hill noted that communities like Huntsville — where Lockheed employees are excited to live, work, and play — are a critical component of the company’s success in the region.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey delivered the final remarks of the afternoon. Ivey asserted that Alabama is the most military-friendly state in the nation.

“Lockheed Martin’s presence in our state plays a crucial role in advancing national security, ensuring that our nation remains at the forefront of technological advancement,” said Gov. Ivey. “Lockheed Martin’s continued investment in Alabama is a testament to the strength of our workforce and the strategic importance of Huntsville in shaping the future of defense.”

Ivey told the ceremony attendees that she had plans to test out the Blackhawk simulator as soon as the ribbon was cut.

“Just remember, it’s my first day as a pilot,” quipped Ivey.

Stephanie C. Hill, with Gov. Ivey on her right, did the honors of cutting the ribbon on the new Lockheed facility.

The facility, which has seats for up to 500 workers, is currently at approximately 50% capacity. The goal is to have the site at, or near, 100% capacity in the next year or two. The additional workers will draw from a mix of transfers and new hires.

In addition to Blackhawk modernization, teams at the new facility will support Lockheed’s missile defense command systems, and its modeling and simulation contracts.

Visit Lockheed Martin online at https://www.lockheedmartin.com/.