U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries is preparing to construct a vast, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in central Ohio, a project expected to bring 4,000 new jobs to the region’s rapidly expanding high-tech industry, state officials revealed on Thursday.
The defense technology company, based in Costa Mesa, California, plans to begin building what it calls “Arsenal 1” as soon as it receives the necessary state and local approvals.
The facility, covering 5 million square feet (464,515 square meters), will be situated on a 500-acre (202-hectare) site near Rickenbacker International Airport in rural Pickaway County, approximately 16 miles (26 kilometers) southeast of Columbus.
According to Christian Brose, Anduril’s chief strategy officer, production of military drones and autonomous air vehicles is slated to commence in July 2026.
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine hailed the project as the largest single job creation and payroll initiative ever announced in the state.
He emphasized that securing Anduril’s manufacturing plant further strengthens Ohio’s legacy in aviation, a history that dates back to the Wright brothers and has continued to expand around the Dayton-area Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“We are an aerospace state,” DeWine remarked, adding that Ohio is “the brains of the Air Force.”
In a joint statement, DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, and JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef highlighted the state’s strong, diverse aerospace workforce, which they said played a key role in attracting the highly competitive deal.
They also noted that Ohio is equipped with a network of job training centers, colleges, and universities designed to prepare workers for advanced manufacturing roles.
“Ohio has literally built a strategy around this kind of project, and so we are perfect for them,” Husted stated.
Ohio’s aerospace sector includes major players such as GE Aerospace’s global headquarters and Joby Aviation, which is opening a new manufacturing facility near Dayton to produce electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft starting this year.
Anduril sees the Ohio facility as a critical component of its mission to “Rebuild the Arsenal” of U.S. military weapons and platforms by “hyperscaling” manufacturing through advanced software and production technologies.
This project adds to what is increasingly being referred to as Ohio’s “silicon corridor.” The state is already home to Intel’s $20 billion chip factory under construction just east of Columbus and a $3.5 billion battery plant being developed by Honda and LG Energy Solution in nearby Fayette County, which the automaker plans to use as its North American electric vehicle hub.
Additionally, Ohio State University announced plans in 2023 to build a $110 million software innovation center to complement these initiatives.
At upcoming state meetings, the Anduril project will seek a job creation tax credit from the Ohio Department of Development and a $70 million investment from the All Ohio Future Fund, which was created by the DeWine administration and lawmakers to help local governments prepare sites for economic development projects.
JobsOhio also intends to provide a significant grant for the project, the amount of which will be disclosed once agreements are finalized, along with talent acquisition services.