Giant defense plant coming to Ohio [Video]

COLUMBUS, Ohio — U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries is preparing to build a massive advanced manufacturing facility in central Ohio, adding a planned 4,000 jobs to the area’s burgeoning high-tech sector, state officials announced Thursday.

The Cosa Mesa, California-based defense technology company plans to begin construction of what it’s calling “Arsenal 1” as soon as state and local approvals are secured. The 5 million-square-foot (464,515-square-meter) facility will be located on a 500-acre (202-hectare) site near Rickenbacker International Airport in rural Pickaway County, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) southeast of Columbus.

Production of military drones and autonomous air vehicles would begin in July 2026 under the plan, said Christian Brose, Anduril’s chief strategy officer.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said it is the largest single job creation and payroll project that Ohio has announced. The governor said winning Anduril’s manufacturing plant marks a continuation of Ohio’s history of advanced aviation, which began with the Ohio-born Wright brothers and …