Defense Speak Interpreted: Is There Still a CHIPS Act?
Beyond the Board: Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Innovators in Electronics
The Government Circuit: Trump’s Trade War Disrupts the Electronics Ecosystem
Lockheed Martin Unveils Intelligent, Flexible Factory at the Skunk Works in Palmdale, California
August 11, 2021 | Lockheed MartinEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Lockheed Martin has completed construction of an advanced manufacturing facility at its Palmdale, California, campus and headquarters to the Skunk Works.
The 215,000 square foot intelligent, flexible factory has digital foundations to incorporate smart manufacturing components, embrace the Internet of Things and deliver cutting edge solutions rapidly and affordably to support the United States and its allies. This is one of four transformational manufacturing facilities Lockheed Martin is opening in the U.S. this year.
This new building incorporates all three of Lockheed Martin's advanced production priorities: an intelligent factory framework; a technology enabled advanced manufacturing environment; and a flexible factory construct to support customer priorities with speed and agility while bolstering manufacturing capability in the United States.
"For more than 100 years, Lockheed Martin has been proud to call California home," said Jeff Babione, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. "Our partnership with the state has helped us remain competitive and has positioned us for long-term growth. The technology in our new Palmdale facility lets us go beyond manufacturing optimization to the next digital revolution, driving innovation and preserving California's leadership in the aerospace industry."
Merging the power of human and machine, manufacturing artisans will work with digital tools to execute operations with maximum efficiency. The incorporation of robotics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality reduces the need for hard tooling, elevating the human experience to drive rapid innovation, a hallmark of the Skunk Works.
In addition to manufacturing, the facility includes office and break spaces to accommodate more than 450 employees. The company has created over 1,500 new jobs for California since 2018.
This project is the cornerstone of over $400 million in capital investments being made across Lockheed Martin's Palmdale campus to address growth in support of its customers' missions.
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is responsible for many aerospace firsts, including the United States' first jet fighter (P-80), the world's first stealth fighter (F-117) and the world's first 5th generation fighter (F-22). With a proven way of working based on 14 simple rules, the Skunk Works is known for rapidly solving urgent national needs. With eight Collier trophies and a National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded from the office of the President of the United States, the Skunk Works continues to define what is next in aerospace.
RELATED STORY: Spirit AeroSystems Joins Lockheed Martin Skunk Works to Unveil Digital Engineering Transformation
Share on:
Suggested Items
Another Lockheed Martin-Built GPS III Satellite Lifts Off into Orbit
06/02/2025 | Lockheed MartinThe eighth GPS III space vehicle—designed and built by Lockheed Martin—successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. It achieved signal acquisition shortly thereafter.
Lockheed Martin, Fujitsu Strengthen Japan Industry Collaboration with SPY-7 Supplier Selection and Strategic Agreements
05/23/2025 | JCN NewswireLockheed Martin, a global leader in the development and delivery of cutting-edge radar solutions, and Fujitsu Limited, a Japanese multinational leader in information and communications technology and digital services, announced the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing Fujitsu as a source for the SPY-7 Subarray Suite Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit (PS LRU). Purchase orders in support of the Aegis System EquippedVessel program are anticipated later in 2025.
Lockheed Martin Expands Industrial Cooperation in Spain with New PAC-3 MSE Agreement
05/19/2025 | Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin subsidiary Lockheed Martin España S.A. signed a significant industrial cooperation agreement with the Spanish Ministry of Defense, providing the Spanish defense industry with increased engineering and production capability.
Lockheed Martin Completes Orion Development for Artemis II Moon Mission
05/05/2025 | Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin has completed assembly and testing of NASA's Orion Artemis II spacecraft, transferring possession to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team.
Eighth Lockheed Martin-Built GPS III Satellite Arrives in Florida for Final Launch Preparations
04/08/2025 | Lockheed MartinThe eighth Lockheed Martin-designed and -built Global Positioning System (GPS) III space vehicle (SV08) for the U.S. Space Force has successfully arrived in Florida to begin final preparations for a launch in late spring 2025.