Northrop Grumman announces expansion in Huntsville to support US Air Force Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has opened a new facility in Huntsville to support the U.S. Air Force’s Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, adding new jobs to the region and expanding its role supporting critical national security and civil space programs in the state.

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Rendering of a GBSD launch (Picture source: Northrop Grumman)

The newly renovated facility is located in a revitalized area of the historic Cummings Research Park where employees will support development of the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

“We are excited to grow our GBSD team in Alabama and leverage the dynamic aerospace talent in the Rocket City to support this critical strategic deterrent capability for our country and allies,” said Greg Manuel, vice president and general manager, strategic deterrent systems, Northrop Grumman. “Huntsville’s rich expertise and legacy in command and control systems will help our nationwide team deliver a safe, secure and effective capability to the U.S. Air Force on time and on cost. We look forward to continuing our strong community partnerships and delivering 21st century innovation for our customer missions.”

In total, Northrop Grumman continues strong growth in the region with more than 2,000 employees currently in Alabama supporting numerous Department of Defense and NASA customer missions.

“I’m thrilled that Northrop Grumman will be building on its already large presence in Huntsville while also advancing a strategic national defense priority,” said Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama. “By selecting Alabama’s ‘Rocket City,’ Northrop Grumman has picked the ideal location to carry out this important national security mission, and the company’s growth plans represent welcome news for Huntsville and for all of the state.”

“Northrop Grumman is a valued partner in Huntsville’s preeminent role in the defense of our nation and armed forces across the globe,” said Tommy Battle, Mayor of Huntsville. “They are another great example of our community’s ability to deliver great expertise in aerospace, rockets, propulsion and defense.”

GBSD is a U.S. Air Force program to modernize the land-based leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear triad. Northrop Grumman was awarded the prime contract for GBSD in September 2020 and is leading a nationwide team to develop the system and deliver an initial operational capability by 2029. The company’s GBSD headquarters is in Roy, Utah.

In addition to GBSD, key programs in Huntsville include the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) and the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) programs, the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS), as well as hardware integration and test support for NASA missions. Northrop Grumman also supports numerous STEM organizations including Alabama School for Cyber Technology and Engineering, U.S Space and Rocket Center, CyberPatriot, and Madison County Schools WiFi Business Program.