GA-Miss. to expand 11th time

JACKSON, Miss. – General Atomics’ Electromagnetic Systems advanced defense manufacturing operations in Shannon will increase capacity to accommodate a new product line. The project is a $50M corporate investment that will create 75 jobs over five years. The expansion was announced during the 2019 International Homeland Defense and Security Summit. GA’s expansion, the 11th in 14 years at Shannon, enables the firm to increase some of its defense manufacturing operations. This project will add a new 100,000 square-foot facility to GA’s existing 552,000-square-feet of production space at the Tupelo Lee Industrial Park South. GA workers will work in state-of-the-art advanced CNC machining and electronic assembly centers to manufacture components, products and systems that meet exact specifications and conform to quality and compliance standards. (The CNC machining manufacturing process - pre-programmed computer software that dictates the movement of factory tools and machinery can be used to control a range of complex machinery.) “We are a proud member of the community and look forward to expanding operations to provide game-changing technologies that will support our war-fighters well into the future,” said Scott Forney, president of GAES. Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for building renovations and workforce training. Lee County is providing property tax exemptions. Based in San Diego, the GAES Division is a Navy contractor. Since locating in Mississippi in 2005, the company has invested some $100M and created more than 300 jobs at its Shannon location. (Source: MDA media release 03/26/19) GA Notes: Alabama's fast-growing aerospace industry received another boost March 27 when GE Aviation announced it will invest $50M in an expansion of its Auburn facility. GE Aviation's Auburn facility is the aerospace industry's first site to mass produce a jet engine component – a fuel nozzle tip for a jet engine - using 3-D printing technologies. With the expansion, the plant will begin producing a second part, a 3-D printed bracket for another engine program.