AeroVironment announced a $20.2 million government-backed expansion of its Huntsville, Alabama, facility to scale production of its Next-Generation Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System Missile, known as Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1). The investment will increase manufacturing capacity for low-rate and future full-rate production, positioning the site as a central hub for system integration and rapid delivery to meet US Army operational needs.

The expansion adds 24,000 square feet and supports broader efforts to accelerate production timelines for interceptors designed to counter high-volume aerial threats. Company leaders said the move strengthens integration with the Army’s air and missile defense ecosystem and improves the ability to rapidly iterate and scale production.

Freedom Eagle-1 is a low-cost interceptor designed to target drones and other aerial threats, with several development milestones already achieved, including live-fire testing and rocket motor demonstrations. The Huntsville expansion builds on prior contracts and reflects a broader strategy to expand domestic manufacturing capacity for defense systems across multiple US sites.