On Thursday Anduril announced it is building its massive weapons factory, Arsenal-1, in Columbus, Ohio, confirming TechCrunch’s earlier reporting. In a blog post, the company said that it will invest close to $1 billion of its own money into the project and that the factory will be five million square feet. The post also claims it will bring 4,000 jobs to the area.
The factory is a huge step for the defense tech startup, founded by Palmer Luckey, Trae Stephens, and others, allowing it to scale production of its autonomous systems for surveillance and weapons.
Part of Ohio’s appeal was the proximity to Rickenbacker International Airport, where the company will have access to 12,000-foot runways, as well as ample land, as the company will have 500 acres nearby for potential expansion, it said.