COLUMBUS, OHIO, 19 March 2026 — U.S. defence technology firm Anduril Industries is set to begin production of its high-speed FURY autonomous combat drones in the coming days at its newly built manufacturing facility in Ohio, marking a significant expansion in next-generation unmanned military systems.
The company’s US$1 billion Arsenal-1 autonomous systems campus, located about 20 miles south of Columbus, is expected to employ more than 4,000 workers over the next decade, with approximately 250 staff by the end of this year.
The production launch comes as U.S. military interest in unmanned aircraft accelerates, driven by battlefield developments in regions such as Ukraine and Iran, where drones have played an increasingly decisive role.
New Manufacturing Approach to Defence Systems
Anduril co-founder and chief operating officer Matt Grimm said the company is taking a fundamentally different approach to defence manufacturing compared to traditional contractors.
Rather than designing systems first and addressing production later, Anduril integrates manufacturability from the outset, using commercial materials such as aluminium instead of titanium, incorporating composite techniques from the recreational boat industry, and selecting a commercial business jet engine for the FURY programme due to its established supply chain and maintenance ecosystem.
“From the very first prototype, we’ve been working with our engineers on every single build, thinking, how do we design it for production?” Grimm said.
Part of US Air Force Next-Gen Strategy
The FURY drone is Anduril’s entry into the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme, which aims to develop a new generation of systems where unmanned aircraft operate alongside human pilots.
These “loyal wingman” drones are designed to support crewed fighter jets and enhance operational capabilities through coordinated missions.
In addition to FURY, Anduril said it plans to manufacture several other systems at the Ohio facility by year-end, including the Roadrunner interceptor, the Barracuda cruise missile family, and a classified programme.
Expanding Defence Tech Footprint
Anduril is part of a growing cohort of emerging defence firms seeking to secure Pentagon contracts by offering faster, more cost-efficient solutions compared to traditional defence giants.
The company already operates production facilities across the United States and internationally, including in Mississippi, Rhode Island, Colorado, North Carolina, Southern California and Australia.
The expansion reflects broader efforts by U.S. policymakers to modernise defence manufacturing by leveraging innovative private-sector players capable of rapidly deploying advanced technologies.
