Northrop Grumman Opens Propulsion Innovation Center in Maryland, Expanding High-Tech Jobs
ELKTON, Md. – September 8, 2026 – Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) has inaugurated its new Propulsion Innovation Center in Elkton, Maryland. Spanning 57,000 square feet, this facility will accommodate 250 engineers dedicated to advancing propulsion technologies for U.S. and allied defense programs. The new center enhances Northrop Grumman’s solid rocket motor (SRM) capacity within its propulsion manufacturing network and contributes to the generation of high-tech jobs in the region.
This investment positions Northrop Grumman to meet the rising demand for tactical missile and hypersonic propulsion while bolstering Maryland’s advanced manufacturing economy.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Northrop Grumman leaders, employees, local officials, and industry partners. The event underscored the dual commitment to national security and workforce development in Maryland.
Governor Moore remarked, “Maryland is the best place to build and hire. That’s why we’re proud to have important partners, like Northrop Grumman, who are choosing Maryland – because of everything our state has to offer. Our administration is investing in infrastructure and workforce development to attract major players, lead the nation in innovation, and continue to drive our state forward. We look forward to continuing to work with Northrop Grumman as they serve our nation’s service members.”
Jenna Paukstis, vice president and general manager of weapon systems at Northrop Grumman, stated, “The Propulsion Innovation Center is a critical investment in advanced propulsion that expands the capacity and resilience of the nation’s SRM industrial base. By bringing more engineers and manufacturing capability online in Elkton, this facility accelerates delivery of survivable, solid and air-breathing hypersonic and tactical missile propulsion solutions to the warfighter.”
Expanding Capacity in Elkton
The Propulsion Innovation Center forms part of a broader $100 million investment by Northrop Grumman at the Elkton site to enhance capabilities for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion and solid rocket motors. When combined with ongoing new construction and modernization initiatives at the 550-acre Propulsion Systems & Controls site, this facility will boost on-site SRM design and manufacturing capacity by 25% while also accommodating over 30% growth in staffing.
Northrop Grumman’s Elkton campus is recognized as a leading site for advanced propulsion manufacturing, integrating design, development, manufacturing, and testing in a single location. This facility complements the Northrop Grumman Applied Sciences Laboratory’s aerothermal research and testing capacity in Ronkonkoma, New York, enabling the design and manufacture of both solid and liquid propulsion systems for complex defense and space applications.
Scaling Solid Rocket Motor Production
Northrop Grumman delivers comprehensive production of solid rocket motors and advanced propulsion systems utilized in hypersonic and tactical missile applications, encompassing design, development, integration, and manufacturing. Currently, the company’s solid rocket propellant capacity across six production sites is approximately 30 million pounds annually, with forecasts indicating an increase to nearly 50 million pounds by 2028. In 2024, Northrop Grumman produced around 13,000 motors and aims to elevate its annual output to more than 25,000 by 2029.
Investing in the Defense Industrial Base
Over the past seven years, Northrop Grumman has dedicated over $2 billion to munitions-related technology and facilities, including more than $1 billion toward advanced manufacturing infrastructure across the United States to enhance SRM and missile-component production capabilities. This investment has included tripling tactical solid rocket motor capacity at its West Virginia facility and plans to double production capacity at its large SRM plants in Utah within the next five years.
With nearly 100,000 employees and more than 30 million square feet of manufacturing space, Northrop Grumman maintains the capacity to transition technologies from development into production swiftly. The company continues to invest in U.S. infrastructure, research and development, workforce, and supply chain to address the burgeoning national security demands across a wide range of tactical missile and advanced propulsion capabilities.
Source: Northrop Grumman (2026-09-08T19:22:00Z)
