
● Availability of raw materials: West Virginia manufacturers provide the defense industry access to raw materials such as aluminum, alloys, metals, and composites.
● Access to labor: West Virginia’s proximity to major metropolitan areas makes it an excellent location to produce military and defense products and technologies.
o West Virginia’s network of highways, railways, and rivers connect it to surrounding states.
o The Mountain State is within a day’s drive of 34% of the top domestic purchasing sectors, defense contractors, and federal agencies.
o West Virginia’s proximity to Washington, D.C. makes it a prime location for defense centers close to the nation’s capital.
● West Virginia is currently home to more than 50 companies involved in the defense industry including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace, Leidos, and Pratt & Whitney.

Explore the October 2024 Issue
Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.
Latest from Defense and Munitions
- Hive Systems Defense Solutions achieves C3PAO authorization
- Shield AI, L3Harris team for breakthrough in autonomy
- You can still register for March’s Manufacturing Lunch + Learn!
- Leonardo DRS receives $45 million U.S. Navy commitment to bolster US submarine industrial base
- Teledyne FLIR Defense wins $15 million contract for Black Hornet 4 Nano-Drones
- Walter HELITRONIC MINI PLUS tool grinding machine + Studer favoritCNC grinding machine
- How to Reduce First Article Inspection Creation Time by 70% to 90% with DISCUS Software
- Kopin awarded $4 million orders for Pilot Helmet Augmented Reality (AR) Display Systems