To prepare for projected business growth, BAE Systems, the third-largest defense contractor globally, announced on Feb. 4 that it will expand operations into Manchester, New Hampshire.
The company’s new 200,000-square-foot campus will add to its New Hampshire presence, which includes facilities in Hudson and Nashua and more than 6,000 people at multiple facilities across the state.
The campus will house up to 800 employees primarily focused on supporting the company’s electronic warfare programs.
“Our investment in the new Manchester campus will enable us to tap into the talented local workforce to expand our capacity and improve our ability to deliver high-quality products to the warfighter,” said Ray Brousseau, deputy general manager at BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems sector.
This division of the company has experienced considerable growth and last year hired nearly 2,000 people. This division has 3,100 employees in 16 states.
Over the past several years, the sector has invested more than $100 million to expand manufacturing capacity to meet increasing production rates. That investment, along with the new Manchester expansion, will enable the company to “enhance manufacturing efficiency, improve overall cycle time, and build additional capabilities for future growth,” the company said.
Outside of New England, the company’s Electronic Systems sector continues to expand its operations in Austin, Texas and Huntsville, Alabama. The company is also expanding and investing in its Combat Vehicles manufacturing network in Aiken, S.C.; Anniston, Ala. Elgin, Okla. York, Penn.
