The Department of War signed three major framework agreements Wednesday to accelerate U.S. weapons production across missiles, munitions components, and missile defense systems, as the Trump administration moves to place the defense industrial base on a “wartime footing.”
Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the push, officials say, following months of concern that production rates have failed to keep pace with military demand. The effort has been branded the “Arsenal of Freedom.”
“Our strategy is to provide the long-term demand signals that unlock private investment, and this half-billion-dollar commitment from Honeywell Aerospace demonstrates we are succeeding,” said Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we are building the deep and dominant Arsenal of Freedom our nation requires by ensuring our entire industrial base can deliver at speed and scale.”
The moves come after the United States struck more than 9,000 targets in Iran and after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January barring defense contractors from stock buybacks and dividend payments until they ramp up production. That order cited contractor underperformance as a direct threat to national security.
The first deal, with Lockheed Martin, focuses on the Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, a long-range weapon capable of hitting targets between 60 and 499 kilometers out. Under the agreement, Lockheed will invest in tooling upgrades, factory improvements, and testing equipment to reduce production delays. The arrangement opens the door to a multi-year contract of up to seven years, pending congressional approval.
A second agreement with Honeywell Aerospace targets a surge in critical munitions components: navigation systems, actuators, and electronic warfare technologies. The deal is expected to unlock a $500 million investment by Honeywell to expand and modernize its manufacturing capacity.
The third deal, with BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin, is aimed at quadrupling production of the seeker component used in THAAD missile defense interceptors. That component tracks and destroys incoming missiles traveling at up to 17,000 miles per hour. The THAAD system is a cornerstone of U.S. homeland and allied missile defense architecture.
All three agreements fall under the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy and the Munitions Acceleration Council, which was established to remove production bottlenecks across the defense supply chain.
