CRAWFORD, Miss. (Apr. 3, 2026) — Firehawk Aerospace is expanding the nation’s defense manufacturing capacity with the opening of a 636-acre rocket system integration facility in Lowndes County, marking a significant investment in domestic propulsion production and advanced energetics.
The new campus will serve as the company’s primary rocket system integration hub, supporting assembly, validation, and delivery of next-generation rocket systems for U.S. and allied defense programs. The project will create more than 100 jobs and positions Mississippi as a growing player in the defense industrial base.
The facility’s launch was celebrated with federal, state, and local leaders, including U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, underscoring the project’s national security significance.
Scaling U.S. Rocket Production Capacity
Strategically located on 636 acres, the Crawford site is designed to rapidly scale production to meet rising global demand for rocket systems. Initial capacity targets approximately 3,000 rockets per month, with plans to expand beyond 10,000 per month by 2028.
Firehawk leadership emphasized that the facility is built for immediate impact—delivering production capability today while supporting long-term expansion.
The site integrates advanced manufacturing processes with the company’s proprietary energetics technology, enabling faster production cycles and greater efficiency compared to traditional propulsion manufacturing.
Building a Fully Integrated U.S. Supply Chain
The Mississippi facility represents a key component of Firehawk’s broader strategy to establish a vertically integrated domestic rocket manufacturing network. The company’s growing footprint includes:
- Research and development operations in Texas
- Propellant manufacturing operations under development in Oklahoma
- Static fire and flight-testing infrastructure in West Texas
Together, these assets create a distributed but coordinated production ecosystem designed to accelerate development timelines and strengthen supply chain resilience.
Advancing Defense Manufacturing in the Southeast
For Mississippi, the project reinforces the state’s expanding role in advanced manufacturing and defense-related industries, leveraging available land, workforce capacity, and a favorable business environment.
The Crawford facility is purpose-built to support high-volume production and rapid deployment, aligning with federal priorities to modernize the defense industrial base and increase domestic manufacturing capability.
By combining large-scale site development with next-generation propulsion technology, Firehawk’s investment highlights a broader shift toward speed, scalability, and innovation in U.S. defense manufacturing.
