The defense technology company said its project corporate investment on the expansion will exceed $25 million.
The Mississippi Development Authority announced Tuesday that General Atomics is expanding its operations in Shannon, the home to the company’s Electromagnetic Systems Group.
The defense technology company said its project corporate investment on the expansion will exceed $25 million.
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems president Scott Forney said the expansion of their production capacity allows them to accelerate production of its advanced weapon systems.
“This investment strengthens our ability to deliver critical capabilities to rapidly support U.S. national defense priorities reliably and at scale,” Forney said.
MDA noted General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems develops advanced product solutions for defense, government and national security customers. To support the production of next-generation defense systems, including Bullseye, a long-range precision-guided strike missile, GA-EMS is updating and expanding its production line in Lee County with new, fully automated computer numerical control machines. The project increases the company’s production capacity and positions it for future competitive U.S. Department of Defense contracts.
In addition, GA-EMS noted that the company has invested $200 million across its companywide facilities to support development of its Long-Range Maneuvering Projectile, which is capable of controlled flight in a jamming environment at ranges of 120 kilometers or more, depending on the caliber of the 155 mm-caliber gun. The company also has invested $35 million in a new dedicated machining center that will utilize robotics to improve efficiency and delivery schedules. Part of the 2026 expansion includes providing larger assembly, integration and testing facilities necessary to support LRMP production as it ramps up.
Governor Tate Reeves said for more than two decades, General Atomics has been a valued part of Mississippi’s defense manufacturing landscape.
“In fact, the company has expanded more than a dozen times in Shannon over the past 20 years — a clear sign that Mississippi delivers for companies that are critical to our national defense,” Reeves said. “This latest investment augments a key defense manufacturing operation, creates new economic activity in Lee County and further positions Mississippi to compete for the defense opportunities of tomorrow.”
The company has operated its Electromagnetic Systems Group in Shannon since 2005.
MDA said the agency is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program while Lee County is also assisting with the project.
-- Article credit to Frank Corder for the Magnolia Tribune --
