Avio USA Breaks Ground on Virginia Solid Rocket Motor Plant
Avio USA has broken ground on a 900,000-square-foot solid rocket motor factory in Hurt, Virginia, the first US facility of its kind for the Italian propulsion group. Lockheed Martin published the announcement on September 29, 2026.
The plant is being built at the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park. Avio USA said construction should finish by late 2028 and production should start in early 2029, turning out thousands of motors a year for US tactical missile programmes.
Avio USA Hurt, Virginia Plant Details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Avio USA (subsidiary of Avio S.p.A.) |
| Location | Southern Virginia Multimodal Park, Hurt, Virginia |
| Size | 900,000 square feet |
| Output | Thousands of solid rocket motors a year for US tactical missiles |
| Construction | Began September 29, 2026; completion expected late 2028 |
| Production start | Early 2029 |
| General contractor | HITT Contracting |
| Security arrangement | DCSA Special Security Agreement |
“We are building an American company and workforce that can bring Avio’s proven propulsion expertise to the U.S. defense market,” said Avio USA CEO James Syring. Tim Cahill, president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said the step strengthens the supply chain for solid rocket motors critical to national defence.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger highlighted the partnership between companies, the skilled workforce and local partners.
Why Solid Rocket Motors Are the Constraint
Missile production surges depend on motors as much as on seekers and warheads. Only a small number of US suppliers make solid rocket motors at scale, and the Pentagon has pushed new entrants into the market. A second source for tactical missile motors would ease one of those pressure points. That reading is analysis, not a company claim.
The same supply-chain squeeze shows up in this week’s PAC-3 seeker agreement and the $20.7 billion AMRAAM contract.
| Item | Avio USA | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Site | Hurt, Virginia | 900,000 square feet |
| Customers named | Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control | Tactical missile programmes; specific missiles not named |
| Timeline | Construction to late 2028 | Production early 2029 |
Avio Company Profile
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Avio S.p.A., Italy |
| Business | Rocket and space propulsion |
| Known products | Solid rocket motors for the Vega launcher family |
| US subsidiary | Avio USA, operating under a DCSA Special Security Agreement |
Avio USA Plant FAQ
Where is the plant?
Hurt, Virginia, in the Southern Virginia Multimodal Park.
How big is it?
900,000 square feet.
When will production start?
Early 2029, with construction finishing by late 2028.
Who is building it?
HITT Contracting is the general contractor for Avio USA.
Who is Avio?
An Italian rocket and space propulsion company; Avio USA is its US subsidiary.
- Lockheed Martin – “Avio USA Breaks Ground in Virginia on First U.S. Solid Rocket Motor Facility” (September 29, 2026): news.lockheedmartin.com
- Wikipedia – Avio (company data)
