Italy’s Avio shortlists three US states for new rocket motor factory

ROME — Italian propulsion firm Avio is a few weeks away from naming the U.S. state where it plans to build a factory employing up to 1,500 to satisfy growing demand for a solid rocket motors.

“There are several states under active consideration, we are in the final stages of due diligence,” said retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. James Syring, CEO of Avio’s American unit Avio USA.

Syring served as director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency from 2012 to 2017.

“We are weighing the incentive packages offered by the individual states,” Syring told Defense News, adding the firm had a shortlist of three states and planned to make a decision in “the next few weeks.”

Last year Avio signed with Raytheon to become a second source supplier of the Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor which is used in the Standard Missile.

Work on the motors is expected to start at Avio’s Italian facility ahead of the opening of its U.S. site in 2028.

This week it also announced a deal with Lockheed Martin on second source work, which will likely focus on army systems.

Avio has said that both Raytheon and Lockheed Martin “will have preferred access to a share of the Avio plant production capacity to meet future demand.”

Syring said, “We are not aligned to either of the prime contractors exclusively,” adding he hoped for “long-term strategic relationship with both.”

Syring said he expects ground breaking on the U.S. facility in the first quarter of 2026 with ambitions to build a 1,200 acre site which would employ 1,500 at full strength, and produce up to 2,000 tons of propellant a year.

“The initial capacity will around 700 tons,” he said.

Demand for missiles in the U.S. and globally, coupled with the consolidation of suppliers in the United States, has prompted Avio to move into the U.S. market.

“There are two incumbents for solid rocket motors for tactical defense motors - Aerojet under L3, and Northrop Grumman which bought ATK. They supply all defense motors in the United States. The demand has increased so much for missiles there is a lack of capacity in the U.S. supply base,” said Syring.

Last month Avio announced a €400 million ($466 million) capital increase and stated that 80% of the sum - €320 million - would be used to build the U.S. facility.

Avio’s current defense work makes up 20% of its revenues, with the remainder deriving from civil work including satellites. The firm has said that by 2035 it expects defense work to rise to 60% of revenues.

Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.

罗马——意大利推进系统公司 Avio 将在几周内公布其计划在美国哪个州建造工厂，该工厂将雇用多达 1500 名员工，以满足日益增长的固体火箭发动机需求。

“我们正在积极考虑几个州，目前正处于尽职调查的最后阶段，”美国海军退役中将、Avio美国分公司Avio USA的首席执行官詹姆斯·西林表示。

Syring 于 2012 年至 2017 年担任美国导弹防御局局长。

Syring告诉《防务新闻》：“我们正在权衡各个州提供的激励方案。”他还补充说，该公司已经筛选出三个州，并计划在“未来几周内”做出决定。

去年，Avio 与雷神公司签约，成为标准导弹所用的 Mk 104 双推力火箭发动机的第二供应商。

预计电机的研发工作将在 Avio 位于意大利的工厂启动，之后 Avio 位于美国的工厂将于 2028 年开业。

本周，该公司还宣布与洛克希德·马丁公司达成第二供应商采购协议，该协议可能主要集中在陆军系统方面。

Avio公司表示，雷神公司和洛克希德·马丁公司“将优先获得Avio工厂的部分产能，以满足未来的需求”。

Syring表示，“我们并非只与其中任何一家主承包商合作”，并补充说，他希望“与两家公司都建立长期的战略合作关系”。

Syring表示，他预计美国工厂将于2026年第一季度破土动工，目标是建造一个占地1200英亩的工厂，满负荷运转时将雇用1500名员工，每年生产多达2000吨推进剂。

“初期产能约为700吨，”他说。

美国和全球对导弹的需求，加上美国供应商的整合，促使 Avio 进军美国市场。

“目前战术防御用固体火箭发动机领域有两家主要供应商——L3旗下的Aerojet公司和收购了ATK的诺斯罗普·格鲁曼公司。它们供应美国所有的国防发动机。由于导弹需求激增，美国供应链的产能已经不足，”西林说道。

上个月，Avio 宣布增资 4 亿欧元（4.66 亿美元），并表示其中 80%（3.2 亿欧元）将用于建设美国工厂。

Avio公司目前的国防业务收入占其总收入的20%，其余收入来自包括卫星在内的民用业务。该公司表示，预计到2035年，国防业务收入占比将上升至60%。

汤姆·金顿是《防务新闻》驻意大利记者。