Florida Becomes Hub as Northrop Grumman Builds America’s Global Power
- Ritambhara K
- Nov 17
- 3 min read
From the Emerald Coast to the Paradise Coast, defense manufacturing has long powered Florida’s economy. As defense spending in the state continues to rise, new innovations are accelerating industry growth.
Leading this momentum is Northrop Grumman, whose extensive footprint spans 17 sites and 1.3 million square feet of manufacturing space—equivalent to nearly 23 football fields, including Raymond James, Hard Rock and Everbank Stadiums.From sixth-generation aircraft to world-class microchips, Northrop Grumman’s work in Florida is shaping the future of American manufacturing.
Force-Multiplying Aircraft: The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye
Northrop Grumman’s E-2 production line—now based in St. Augustine—is the longest-running production line in naval aviation history. Established in 1994, the facility processes more than 30,000 parts at one end and rolls out a fully built aircraft at the other. Over 31 years, the site has evolved into a manufacturing hub that incorporates virtual environments and augmented reality.
Engineering and design are carried out at Northrop Grumman’s Melbourne site, supporting the nearly 70-year legacy of the E-2 platform. As a cornerstone of command-and-control operations in complex and contested environments, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye continues to be modernized for both U.S. and international customers.
Race to Space: Booster Fabrication Facility
A pioneer in spaceflight—having built the historic Lunar Module—Northrop Grumman today supports major launch systems at the Kennedy Space Center. Through its Booster Fabrication Facility, company and NASA engineers manufacture, upgrade and assemble the forward and aft sections of the twin solid rocket boosters powering NASA’s Space Launch System for Artemis missions.
The site also conducts critical component inspections, ensuring climate-controlled readiness. These boosters burn six tons of propellant per second, delivering 3.6 million pounds of thrust to carry astronauts into space.
More Power, Less Size: The Rise of Mighty Microelectronics
At the Apopka facility near Orlando, Northrop Grumman is transforming microelectronics through a state-of-the-art Micro-Line. This advanced production line processes, tests and bumps microchips for vertical chip stacking—an approach that increases speed and performance by layering chips instead of placing them side by side. Since its 2020 launch, the Micro-Line has doubled its output, establishing Northrop Grumman as one of the few companies capable of packaging chips domestically at this scale.
From the Screen to the Flight Line: Digital Aircraft Design
The B-21 Raider program set a new benchmark in digital engineering. Using advanced digital modeling, Northrop Grumman seamlessly linked design requirements, data, and supplier networks to validate designs before metal fabrication.
The B-21 effort, initiated in Melbourne, Florida, allowed engine runs just five days after fueling—compared to the industry norm of several weeks. Between 2016 and 2022, the company expanded from six to 17 buildings in Melbourne, reflecting fast-growing demand for digital design capabilities that reduce time and cost during development, testing and production.
A Lasting Economic and Community Impact
Northrop Grumman’s nearly 8,000 employees in Florida generate $4.4 billion in annual economic output, according to recent studies. In 2024, the company and its workforce contributed $1.6 million to support STEM education, workforce development, and military and veteran communities. Employees also volunteered over 17,000 hours across schools and nonprofits—strengthening local communities and business ecosystems across the state.
Igniting American Innovation
From safeguarding national security to advancing aerospace, microelectronics, and digital engineering, Northrop Grumman’s Florida workforce is pushing boundaries that elevate both national defense and technological discovery.
With nearly 100,000 employees and over 30 million square feet of U.S. manufacturing space—more than 500 football fields—Northrop Grumman combines scale, talent, and advanced infrastructure to accelerate innovation. Through major investments in infrastructure, R&D, workforce development, and supply chain capacity, the company is delivering the national-security capabilities required today and for the future.
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