JAMES CITY COUNTY — At the Sept. 24 James City County (JCC) Board of Supervisions business meeting, County Administrator Scott Stevens addressed questions that have been raised since the announcement that Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace would build a missile manufacturing facility in the county.
“A $70M investment, 180 jobs, $80,000 average wage — really a great win for our community,” Stevens stated, “It really represents JCC’s support of our military.”
Addressing concerns about public safety, Stevens said, “they (Kongsberg) assemble the missile, and it is very high tech, they do not arm it in James City County. That will go to a military installation, most likely the Naval Weapons Station, and be armed there.”
Stevens noted the location of the facility has yet to be announced.
“In a couple of years, they should be up and running — still working on their site. We have been asked a few times ‘where is it?’ Proximity to Naval Weapons Station is important to them, and as they get the site finalized, we will be happy to share that,” noted Stevens.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on Sept. 17 that Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace Inc., a global provider of defense and aerospace systems, would invest $71 million to establish a 150,000-square-foot facility in James City County.
It will invest an additional $30 million in other costs, including engineering and software.
Virginia successfully competed with two other states for the project, which will create more than 180 new jobs.
“Following our productive meetings in Europe, Kongsberg’s decision to establish its first U.S. defense assembly facility in Virginia reaffirms our status as America’s top state for business,” said Youngkin. “Not only will this investment create more than 180 new jobs, but it will also showcase our strategic location to attract global leaders in defense industries. We are proud to welcome them to the Commonwealth and look forward to supporting their growth.”
At a press event held on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in James City County, Congressman Rob Wittman said, “Today is a great symbol of partnership and how incredibly important partnerships are. Great teamwork here in the county to make sure you provided what was necessary for Kongsberg to make this decision to invest here.”
James City County brought the right combination of assets to the table, according to Heather Armentrout, president and general manager of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace, Inc., Kongsberg’s U.S. subsidiary.
“The decision to choose James City County, Virginia, was heavily influenced by the continuous availability of well-trained and highly skilled workers coming from the various military installations in the region,” Armentrout explained. “That combined with the livability of the area and the tremendous support offered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Hampton Roads Alliance and the James City County Economic Development Agency, made it clear that this is where we need to be.”
“I want to congratulate and thank Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for choosing James City County,” added chair of the James City County Board of Supervisors Ruth Larson. “Our skilled workforce, industry-leading manufacturing companies, and community assets combine to make James City County a world-class destination for businesses and residents alike. I am pleased that our economic development staff, the Hampton Roads Alliance, and VEDP were able to collaborate to attract this investment and 180-plus high-paying jobs to James City County.”
Founded in 1814, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is the defense and aerospace division of the Kongsberg Group, an international technology company that supplies high-technology systems and solutions to customers in the merchant marine, defense, aerospace, offshore industries, and renewable energy sectors.
The new facility in James City County will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for two state-of-the-art cruise missiles being procured by the Department of Defense.
This is Kongsberg’s first production facility in the U.S. and it will expand domestic suppliers, building capacity and redundancy for these critical capabilities worldwide.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with James City County and the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia.
“I think Kongsberg is a great addition to our manufacturing community. They are a phenomenal company and they have been great to work with on a local level. It is really exciting to have them here in James City County,” said Scott Stevens, James City County Administrator.
Gov. Youngkin approved a $1.5 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist James City County with the project. The Governor also approved a performance-based grant of $750,000 from the Virginia Investment Performance Grant, an incentive that encourages continued capital investment by existing Virginia companies.
