Electro Optic Systems has secured a new facility in Huntsville, Alabama, for US expansion of its space, missile defence and weapon system businesses.
According to EOS Group CEO Ben Greene, the new facility is required as a result of strong demand for EOS Defence Sector’s next-generation defence products.
“The new Huntsville facility will serve as a base for intensified engagement with US defence programs, which are expanding with new funding under recent budget appropriations. Huntsville is home to the missile Defence Agency [MDA] and other civil and defence space agencies well known to EOS.”
Current orders will require the full capacity of the recently-opened development and production facility in Hume, ACT, by mid-2019 and Greene said additional production capacity must be added to allow more orders to be accepted.
EOS Space Sector also requires US facilities for production, sales and support from 2019 for new space situation awareness [SSA] and missile defence products. The lease executed by the company for the site in Huntsville is for an 80,000 square foot state-of-the-art aerospace facility.
EOS Defense Systems [USA] President Phil Coker said EOS has long ties to the Huntsville defence community.
“In 1989 the first EOS weapon control system was tested by the US Army at Huntsville’s famous Redstone Arsenal, where many subsequent live-firing tests have been performed; the new EOS facility is adjacent to Redstone Arsenal.”
He added EOS' practice of historically producing substantial numbers of remote weapon systems in Huntsville through contactors will be resumed on a larger scale in its own facility.”
Greene said the Alabama facility will add capacity while reducing risk to EOS production of remote weapon systems; it is also ideally located with excellent access to the EOS US supply chain and weapon test facilities.
“The new EOS plant in Hume, ACT, is on schedule to achieve a monthly production capacity of $20 million in early 2019, but this capacity is fully committed to current contracts. Huntsville will come on line from 2019 to meet added demand and balance load.”
“Beyond initial establishment costs of $3 million required across 2018 and 2019, costs for the establishment and operation of the new facility will be met from the production contracts to be serviced from the facility. Production establishment is expected to be expedited by access to proven processes and documentation from current operations,” Dr Greene added.