Defense Manufacturing Ramps Up in Capital Region
Boeing AH-64E Apache. Courtesy Boeing.
Capital Region manufacturers are playing a greater role in supplying raw materials, parts, and advanced technologies for military aircraft, vehicles, vessels and weaponry. In fiscal 2024, top-tier defense contractor obligations to local subcontractors climbed to a six-year high. Now, several of those defense subcontractors are either preparing to expand or ramp up production at their Capital Region facilities.
In FY2024, U.S. Department of Defense primary contractor commitments to subcontractors in the eight-county Capital Region for products totaled $32.6 million, up 5 percent from the previous year and the most since FY2018, according to a Center for Economic Growth (CEG) analysis of usaspending.gov data.
Submarines, surface vessels, and helicopters are emerging as major drivers for defense-related manufacturing facility upgrades or expansions in the Capital Region Examples include Ducommun Aerostructures in Coxsackie, Espey Mfg. & Electronics in Saratoga Springs, GlobalFoundries in Malta, and Barton in Glens Falls.
Facility Upgrades
Ducommun Aerostructures has spent the past several months transitioning AH-64 Apache rotor blade production to its facility in Coxsackie from its program from its shuttered Monrovia, California plant. In an investor conference call this month, Ducommun executives said full-scale production of AH-64 Apache rotor blades began in October, following approvals from, Boeing, the attack helicopter’s original equipment manufacturer. On Nov. 1, Ducommun hosted an on-site job fair in Coxsackie.
Last April, Espey Mfg & Electronics announced the completion of a 24,000-square-foot Magnetics Center of Excellence, where it will manufacture large transformers. Last month, Espey announced full-scale production and testing operations were underway at this new facility. That expansion was supported through a 2023 award of $7.4 million, which was associated with a Navy investment to improve and sustain the Surface Combatant Industrial Base. Last December, Espey was awarded an addition $3.4 million under that Navy initiative for “continued facility and capital equipment upgrades for testing and qualification” for the U.S. Navy. Espey expects to complete those facility upgrades in fiscal year 2026.
GlobalFoundries
Earlier this year, GlobalFoundries announced plans to develop a $575 million advanced packaging and photonics center by Fab 8 in Malta. The center will serve GF’s defense and aerospace customers with advanced packaging, bump, assembly, and testing. The center will also feature advanced packaging, assembly and testing for GF’s differentiated silicon photonics platform.
The Glens Falls-based Barton’s garnet abrasives, made at its North River site, were used to refurbish both the USS George Washington and USS John C. Stennis Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. Last November, Barton received the Adirondack Park Agency’s approval for an expansion that will allow it to continue mining operations in Warren County through 2096.
Sample Defense Projects
Below are examples of military programs in which Capital Region manufacturers have been or are involved as subcontractors, based on USAspending.gov contract information and company announcements.
|
Contractor Info |
Related Aircraft/Vehicle/System |
|
Subcontractor: Ducommun Aerostructures New York
Primary: Boeing
|
 AH-64E Apache
|
|
Subcontractor: Ducommun Aerostructures New York
Primary: Sikorsky Aircraft
|
 CH-53K. Courtesy Sikorsky. |
|
Subcontractor: Ducommun Aerostructures New York
Primary: Sikorsky Aircraft
|
 UH-60 Black Hawk. Courtesy Sikorsky. |
|
Subcontractor: Ducommun Aerostructures New York
Primary: Bell-Boeing
|
 V-22 Osprey. Courtesy Bell. |
|
Subcontractor: Barton Mines
Primary: Huntington Ingalls
|
 Nimitz-class aircraft carrier (USS George Washington). Courtesy HII. |
Primary: BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair
|
 Wasp-class amphibious assault carrier (USS Essex). Courtesy U.S. Navy photo by Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Jeremy Faller. |
|
Subcontractor: Espey Mfg. & Electronics
Primary: Electric Boat Subcontractor: DK Machine
Primary: Electric Boat
|
 Columbia-class submarine. Courtesy General Dynamics. |
|
Subcontractor: Espey Mfg. & Electronics
Subcontractor: Albany Valve & Fitting
Primary: Electric Boat
Subcontractor: Package One Industries
Primary: Electric Boat
|
 Virginia-class submarine. Courtesy General Dynamics. |
|
Subcontractor: Ames Goldsmith
Primary: EaglePicher Technologies
|
 Hawk missile system. Courtesy Raytheon |
|
Subcontractor: Gurley Precision Instruments
Primary: Lockheed Martin
|
 F-35. Courtesy Lockheed Martin.
|
|
Subcontractor: VPS Control Systems
Primary: BAE Systems Land & Armaments
|
 Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). Courtesy BAE. |
CEG INITIAIVES
As a New York State MEP center, CEG’s Manufacturing Solutions helps Capital Region defense contractors and other manufacturers increase their productivity by providing a menu of technical support services, such as Lean Enterprise Training, ISO Certification Assistance, Technology-Driven Market Intelligence, and CoreValue benchmarking assessments.
CEG is the sponsor of several Registered Apprenticeship Programs for the following manufacturing trades: industrial maintenance technician, nanotechnology engineering technician, CNC machinist, and welder. Participating manufacturers include GlobalFoundries, NY CREATES, Plug Power, Ross Precision Machining, Meridian Manufacturing, Greno Industries, Jenks Manufacturing, and Espey Mfg, and Electronics.
CEG also drives the Manufacturing Solutions Network a network brings together Capital Region manufacturers to learn from experts on industry relevant topics, participate in thematic roundtables, discuss common issues, and expand their network.
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