Business
AV Partners with City of Albuquerque and State of New Mexico in Defense Manufacturing Expansion
$6 million incentive package tied to job creation milestones as AV commits more than $30 million in local investment and workforce growth ALBUQUERQUE,
About this update from Aerovironment, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n$6 million incentive package tied to job creation milestones as AV commits more than $30 million in local investment and workforce growth\n\n\n ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nAeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in advanced defense and aerospace solutions, today announced plans to invest more than $30 million to significantly expand its manufacturing operations in Albuquerque, New Mexico.\n\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303298928/en/AV’s LOCUST™ directed energy system is manufactured at the company's Albuquerque, New Mexico facility, where advanced manufacturing and precision engineering come together to deliver scalable, speed-of-light defense capabilities for counter-UAS missions.\nSupported by an initial $5 million from the State of New Mexico and $1 million from the City of Albuquerque through the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA), the investment will expand AV’s manufacturing operations across its three existing manufacturing sites in the Sandia Science & Technology Park while supporting major capital equipment purchases and workforce growth.\n\n\n“The growth we’re driving in Albuquerque goes beyond our own business,” said Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer at AV. “It’s about strengthening the domestic defense industrial base, creating high-quality American jobs, and partnering with New Mexico to continue to develop a durable innovation and manufacturing hub that can deliver when it matters most.”\n\n\nThe investment will further establish a vertically integrated, next-generation manufacturing campus expected to generate more than $670 million in economic impact over the next 10 years, boost production of mission-critical defense and space technologies, create more than 450 high-wage jobs, and strengthen New Mexico’s role in the U.S. defense industrial base by enabling scaled domestic production of directed energy systems and space-grade components that support national security and resilient supply chains.\n\n\nAs part of the expansion, the State of New Mexico and City of Albuquerque have approved a $6 million performance-based incentive package, structured as cash reimbursements tied to verified hiring milestones. The incentive reflects AV’s long-term commitment to New Mexico’s ...