The facility includes engineering laboratories to support the development and integration of new capabilities aimed at advancing future defence technologies. It will allow the company to continue leading the design of naval guns, launching systems, advanced munitions, submarine components, and combat vehicles.
“Our new facility in Minneapolis demonstrates BAE Systems’ commitment to strengthening our engineering workforce and developing products that protect men and women in uniform,” said Jamie Hoyt, senior director of Engineering at BAE Systems. “This state-of-the-art engineering facility will serve as a center for collaboration and innovation and empowers our workforce to develop products that protect our servicemembers and contribute to our national defense.”
The site’s core capabilities include a dedicated engineering lab for all specialties, a modelling and simulation lab, a system integration facility, a product design centre, and a full-service prototyping lab with bays for the development of future products. These functions are intended to strengthen current programmes while enabling new innovations.
BAE Systems’ operations in Minnesota date back to the 1940s, when its Fridley facility produced naval guns for the U.S. Navy during the Second World War. The company’s new facility continues this legacy more than 80 years later, highlighting both its commitment to national defence and the contribution of the state’s skilled workforce.
Construction of the Maple Grove facility began in April 2024 through a partnership with Opus and was completed in August this year. The site is now operational as part of the company’s long-term strategy to expand and modernise its U.S. operations.
