As various conflicts abroad drain America’s weapons stockpiles, Camden, Arkansas, has emerged as the epicenter of a defense manufacturing boom currently reshaping global power dynamics.
Arkansas’ role in next-generation missile production doesn’t just boost the economy. It revolutionizes how America defends itself and its allies, as evidenced by the new Precision Strike Missiles rolling out of Lockheed Martin’s Camden facility.
This wave of missile production is crucial for the necessary reinvigorating of the defense industrial base and in making sure that America’s military has what it needs to defend American interests.
President John F. Kennedy once said, “Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action.” Yet, America’s defense production has faltered and now struggles to meet the demands of modern conflicts. The Precision Strike Missile program is a key step toward revitalizing the defense industrial base, especially as the U.S. faces increasing challenges abroad—not least from the economic rise and rapid military buildup of the People’s Republic of China.
The Precision Strike Missile is a next-generation, long-range weapon system designed to accurately hit targets from the ground. It will replace older systems such as the legacy Army Tactical Missile System. Compared to its predecessors, the Precision Strike Missile provides a significantly improved range and precision essential for more effective targeting.
Production of this sort of long-range missile is only possible due to America’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia. For decades, the United States was unable to build this kind of conventional missile due to the treaty, even as China engaged in a massive buildup of similar missiles.
Now, the U.S. Army is fielding these missiles and deploying them to places such as the Philippines to deter China from launching an attack on U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific.
However, the all-time-high demand for these long-range missiles signals something else: America’s stockpiles are dwindling faster than they can be replenished. Thus, increasing production in rural areas is critical.
In war games simulating a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, for example, the U.S. depletes its supply of long-range missiles within the first week.
The increased Precision Strike Missile production in Camden proposed in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act is a step in the right direction, but defense industry leaders have continuously warned Congress it will take years to replace America’s weapons supply.
The U.S. defense industrial base has been atrophying, lacking the readiness and capacity to keep up with global threats, especially as China undergoes what now retired Adm. John Aquilino described as “the most extensive and rapid buildup since World War II.”
Recent successes, like the Precision Strike Missile demonstration that hit a moving target at sea during a Pacific exercise, have helped boost confidence in military advancements and reenergize the defense industrial base in Arkansas, where state leaders have been working hard to attract defense contractors.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., for one, has continuously called for increased munitions production to resupply stockpiles drained by the wars in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Cotton remarked, “the United States’ stockpile of munitions is dangerously low. We must reinvest not only in the munitions critical for the defense of America, but also in a workforce that can build these weapons to ensure our military’s readiness.”
At the opening of Camden’s new missile plant this year, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated that the “world is a whole lot less secure than it used to be,” adding: “But very simply, [Camden’s] facility makes our country and our world safer.”
These efforts, combined with almost $83 million in funding, have ensured defense giants like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon continue investing heavily in the state. The influx in defense spending also brings new life to rural areas often viewed as distant from America’s core defense framework.
The impact can also be felt far beyond the city limits of Camden. The Precision Strike Missile program has even attracted the attention of international allies. Australia, for example, committed $70 million to partner in its development.
This sort of international collaboration both enhances global security and puts Arkansas in the spotlight when it comes to defense manufacturing.
America’s ability to ramp up missile production in places like Camden is a strategic advantage that helps ensure the security of both America and our allies.
For all the excitement around this missile’s potential, however, the broader issue remains: America’s defense industrial base must evolve to match the scale of the threats it faces. It’s currently insufficient to meet the national security challenges facing the United States.
America will need to increase missile production through long-term investment in places such as Camden if we are to revitalize our defense industrial base and ensure a secure and prosperous America.
