As New Mexico’s space economy continues to blast off, Northrop Grumman is investing in that sector's future with a new facility.
The Virginia-based company, which has a focus on defense, security and aerospace, announced today that it is building a 25,000-square-foot facility in Albuquerque. The stand-alone building will be part of the future Max Q multi-use development located near Kirtland Air Force Base.
“This expansion will enhance our ability to support our customers’ missions as their national security space needs evolve,” Troy Brashear, VP of national security systems for Northrop Grumman, said in a press release. “In addition to creating new aerospace jobs, we look forward to working alongside our local customers as Albuquerque flourishes as a hub for advanced space technology initiatives to protect our country.”
Northrop Grumman’s facility will support not only Kirtland but also “customers across the company’s enterprise in space system mission management and operations and cybersecurity," the release stated. Northrup Grumman expects construction to be finished in February 2023.
The company currently leases a 21,000-square-foot facility near the Albuquerque International Sunport, with 24 full-time employees. That site also frequently hosts Northrop Grumman employees visiting from other locations. Northrop Grumman will continue to operate out of that building. A spokesperson for Northrop Grumman said the new Max Q project "will require the creation of an undetermined number of new jobs."
The Max Q campus, which is being developed by Thunderbird Kirtland Development LLC, is managed by Kevin Yearout. Max Q made headlines at the end of March when BlueHalo announced it no longer planned to expand there. BlueHalo redirected its expansion efforts to the former Raytheon office buildings.
