Defense, aerospace multi-national announces $101M facility in Virginia

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace Inc. is getting $2.25 million from the Commonweath of Virginia to go toward its $101 million project to build a new assembly facility in James City County.

The state money is coming in the form of a $1.5 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund and a performance-based grant of $750,000 from the Virginia Investment Performance Grant, both of which were approved by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The project will create an estimated 180 jobs in James City County.

“Following our productive meetings in Europe, Kongsberg’s decision to establish its first U.S. defense assembly facility in Virginia reaffirms our status as America’s top state for business,” Youngkin said. “Not only will this investment create more than 180 new jobs, but it will also showcase our strategic location to attract global leaders in defense industries. We are proud to welcome them to the Commonwealth and look forward to supporting their growth.”

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is the defense and aerospace division of the Kongsberg Group, an international technology company that supplies high-technology systems and solutions to customers in the merchant marine, defense, aerospace, offshore industries, and renewable energy sectors.

The new facility in James City County will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for two state-of-the-art cruise missiles being procured by the Department of Defense.

This is Kongsberg’s first production facility in the U.S.

“The decision to choose James City County, Virginia, was heavily influenced by the continuous availability of well-trained and highly skilled workers coming from the various military installations in the region,” said Heather Armentrout, president and general manager of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace Inc.

“That combined with the livability of the area and the tremendous support offered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Hampton Roads Alliance and the James City County Economic Development Agency, made it clear that this is where we need to be,” Armentrout said.