Hanwha Defense USA plans to invest about $2.2 billion in a munitions manufacturing campus at the U.S. Army’s Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas. The facility will produce 155mm propellant charges and base bleed units and is expected to create close to 400 jobs over seven years.
The company opened an administration headquarters at the arsenal on Monday to oversee its local operations. Hanwha said the office represents the first step in its plan to establish the Advanced Manufacturing Campus.
Hanwha Defense USA was awarded a lease solicitation for the campus in January 2026. The planned facility will establish domestic manufacturing capacity across key stages of munitions production.
The investment is intended to increase U.S. production capacity and modernize the national munitions industrial base. It also expands Hanwha’s manufacturing presence in the United States through cooperation with the Army.
“Hanwha remains committed to supporting the American defense industrial base by bringing our manufacturing strength to the U.S. and creating up to 400 jobs in Arkansas,” said Hanwha Defense USA CEO Michael Coulter. “By opening our new office in Pine Bluff that will oversee local operations, Hanwha plans to invest around $2.2 billion in our new Advanced Manufacturing Campus that will transform domestic munitions industrial base and further strengthen America’s arsenal of freedom.”
The Army expects the eventual lease to generate revenue, create jobs and expand its organic industrial base. Lease proceeds can be reinvested in infrastructure supporting soldiers, civilian employees and their families.
“The eventual lease will create revenue for the Army, bring in new jobs for the local community, and enhance our organic industrial base,” said Jordan Gillis, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. “By leasing underutilized land, the Army can reinvest the consideration into critical infrastructure to support quality of life of Soldiers, civilians, and their family members — delivering lasting value for both the Army and the region.”
The project also represents a significant industrial investment in Arkansas and the surrounding Delta region. State and local officials expect it to support employment and economic activity around Pine Bluff.
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton said the investment would reinforce Pine Bluff Arsenal’s role as a national security asset. “This project will bring in billions in investment and hundreds of jobs for Arkansans, all while making Americans safer.”
Arkansas officials worked with Hanwha for 18 months through site visits, meetings with executives in Korea and discussions at the Paris and Farnborough air shows. Hanwha Defense USA is a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace and is expanding its U.S. footprint through internal growth, industrial partnerships and selected acquisitions.