Governor Braun strengthens Indiana defense, powering innovation, jobs and national security

Indiana Governor Mike Braun is strengthening the state’s robust defense and national security sector, attracting new defense installations and testing sites while supporting growth and job creation at Hoosier businesses serving the warfighter.  

The state’s defense sector has attracted $2.5 billion in committed capital investment by defense companies since 2020 and has achieved a 24% increase in defense contracts during that same period. This momentum continues to build, and Gov. Braun is taking growth to record levels, marking the following defense industry wins and announcements in 2026:  

Defense Installations and Assets 

Gov. Braun Announces Plans to Bid on U.S. Space Academy 
At the Indiana Economic Development Corporation board meeting in September, Gov. Braun announced that the state will compete for the new United States Space Academy, which was established by the federal government this summer to develop the next generation of American aerospace leaders. The Space Academy is expected to serve 1,200 students, eventually increasing to 4,000, with graduates expected to go into the Space Force, to NASA or the civilian sector.  

Indiana’s bid, which is being developed in partnership with Purdue University, builds on the state’s strengths in aerospace, engineering, defense and advanced manufacturing. If selected, construction would begin in 2027, bringing new jobs to the state, creating a long-term pipeline of skilled talent, and solidifying the state’s leading role in shaping the future of aviation and defense.  

Advanced Nuclear Microreactor Deployment on Deck for NWS Crane 
In September, the Department of War announced the planned installation of the state’s first advanced nuclear Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) at Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Crane. The installation, which is expected no later than September 2028, is central to the country’s efforts to advance national security and reinvigorate the nuclear industrial base by restoring American nuclear leadership globally, removing barriers to innovation and rebuilding the domestic nuclear workforce.  

The overall project is being executed jointly by the Army's Janus Program, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment, the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)), and the State of Indiana. Together, these partners will secure continuous power for one of the nation's most important defense technology and weapons installations, create highly skilled American jobs, strengthen the American nuclear supply chain, and rebuild the industrial capacity required for national defense. 

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Indiana Designated as Official FAA UAS Test Site 
In January, Indiana was officially designated as one of only nine Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Sites by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct advanced flight testing, research and evaluation of commercial and public drone technologies. The Midwest UAS Test Site is focused on advancing industry innovation and commercialization. With established partnerships with existing military ranges and academic test facilities as well as strong support from the state’s manufacturing sector, the Midwest UAS Test Site provides the commercial sector with access to a design-build-test environment.  

Job & Wage Growth 

Rolls-Royce Celebrates $1B Investment Completion, Powering Indiana Defense  
Gov. Braun cut the ribbon on Rolls-Royce's $1 billion, decade-long investment in its Indiana manufacturing assembly and test facilities in August. The investment is the largest the company has made in the U.S. and marks a significant commitment to creating high-quality jobs in Indiana for years to come while reinforcing the state’s strength in advanced manufacturing and defense.  

The company invested in two Indiana operations, modernizing advanced manufacturing across its Indianapolis campus and adding full-engine test capability and an altitude test facility in West Lafayette. The modernization project cements Rolls-Royce's Indianapolis operation as one of the most advanced engine manufacturing and test campuses in the world and accelerates next-generation technologies, positioning the company for long-term growth in Indiana.  

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Kratos Breaks Ground on Expansion at Daviess County Campus 
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. celebrated a joint groundbreaking at its Odon campus this fall that will deliver two new facilities, advance the company’s defense capabilities and innovation, and contribute to the long-term growth of Indiana’s defense ecosystem.  

Kratos broke ground on its Indiana operation in early 2025 and completed its first facility – a $50 million state-of-the-art hypersonic systems payload integration facility – in July. Now the company is adding two new facilities: the Helios Arc Jet & Laser Facility to advance next-generation directed energy technologies and the Indiana Radar Integration Complex (IRIC) to support the U.S. Navy’s AN/SPY-1 radar system. These facilities represent a significant step forward in advancing defense capabilities, innovation, and the long-term growth of the state’s defense ecosystem. 

The company’s initial hypersonic facility is expected to create more than 100 high-tech jobs, while Kratos’ continued investment in its Indiana campus is expected to create up to 628 total high-wage jobs by the end of 2029.  

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Defense Contractor GovParts Announces Fort Wayne Expansion 
Indiana-based GovParts, a defense contractor and manufacturer, is expanding its operations in Fort Wayne, investing more than $3.4 million to move into a larger facility. The expansion, which is expected to create up to 20 new, high-wage jobs, positions the company for long-term growth in northeast Indiana and increases its ability to support the warfighter.  

Founded in 2017, GovParts is part of a robust and growing defense sector in Indiana, which has marked $2.5 billion in committed capital investment since 2020 and has achieved a 24% increase in defense contracts during that same period.  

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Med-Mizer Announces Multi-Million-Dollar, Defense-Driven Expansion in Batesville 
In October, Med-Mizer, an Indiana-founded medical device company, announced plans to expand its operations in Batesville, investing $9 million to increase production of innovative hospital beds and safe patient handling solutions, which serve patients and caregivers across hospitals, hospice, long-term care, rehabilitation facilities and home care settings. The company’s expansion is being driven in part by a recently awarded five-year, sole-source contract with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs through its partner, DiSorb Systems, to provide at-home hospital beds, support surfaces and related accessories for Veterans.  

The company’s expansion is expected to create up to 73 new, high-wage jobs with new positions offering average wages 135% of the Ripley County average.  

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Redwire Celebrates New State-of-the-Art Research and Manufacturing Facility 
Gov. Braun cut the ribbon on a new 30,000-square-foot facility for Redwire Corporation, a global leader in space and defense technology solutions, in Georgetown in July. The company, which acquired Indiana-founded Techshot in 2021, has more than 40 years of spaceflight heritage in southern Indiana and is home to the world’s most prominent space manufacturing and biotechnology platforms.  

Now complete, the facility will manufacture innovative capabilities that enable NASA to advance human spaceflight, accelerate life-changing discoveries for leading pharmaceutical companies and unlock the potential for commercial space stations. The facility also serves as a key operational site for Space Microgravity Development LLC (SpaceMD), Redwire’s venture company focused on leveraging the microgravity environment to create new innovations in biotech and other fields. 

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New Munitions Campus Taking Shape in Indiana 
Prometheus Energetics, a U.S.-based merchant supplier of solid rocket motors (SRMs), and the American Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Innovation (ACMI), a modern industrial group, are constructing a new energetics, SRM and munitions production facility in Bloomfield near NSW Crane. Prometheus will anchor a new 1,100-acre National Security Industrial Hub (NSIH) and Munitions Campus developed and led by ACMI with funding support from the U.S. government to expand domestic munitions production capacity and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base.   

Prometheus was established last year as a partnership between Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. and RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., which have committed an initial $175 million investment to launch the company and establish its headquarters and production facility on 600 acres in Indiana. The company has established its initial operations in Bloomington, Indiana, including office space and early hiring activities, while construction of the manufacturing campus is underway. Initial SRM production is projected to begin in 2027, and Prometheus expects to support 375 workers in Indiana by the end of 2032. 

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