U.S. Manufacturing at Breaking Point: Lockheed Martin Partners with GM for Critical Weapons

Recent developments indicate that American manufacturing is under severe strain as Lockheed Martin, one of the world’s premier aerospace and defense manufacturers, has entered into a strategic partnership with General Motors (GM) to source weapons parts—a move signaling a turning point in U.S. industrial capacity.

The decision to involve a company primarily focused on automobiles in replenishing missile systems underscores the scale of the nation’s weapon stockpile depletion. The Department of Defense has actively facilitated this memorandum of understanding between the two firms, granting Lockheed Martin access to GM’s high-rate manufacturing capabilities.

President Trump’s invocation of the Defense Production Act to accelerate weapons production highlights a critical issue: American manufacturing cannot meet modern warfare demands, as evidenced by the depletion of weapons stockpiles in this year’s conflict with Iran.

The term “Arsenal of Democracy,” coined by President Roosevelt in 1940, once denoted the immense defense industrial complex that produced ships, fighter aircraft, tanks, and weapons decisive in World War II. Today, while American manufacturing remains robust, its edge has been significantly eroded over decades through policies that outsourced capabilities abroad.

As factories relocated to foreign countries for cost efficiency, so did specialized knowledge and support infrastructure. Increasing defense spending is a step in the right direction, but rebuilding the ecosystem requires reviving the network of professionals and suppliers. Training a skilled workforce and expanding domestic production capacity will likely take years.

This challenge contrasts sharply with China and Russia, which have prioritized self-sufficiency in weapons production. During its war against Ukraine, Russia has demonstrated that large-scale arms manufacturing remains central to modern warfare, with state-owned conglomerates such as Rostec and the Kalashnikov Group continuously scaling output. Meanwhile, China has spent decades building near-complete self-sufficiency in defense, establishing itself as the world’s leading manufacturing superpower.

The U.S. government is now refocusing procurement efforts on domestic capabilities, recognizing that reliance on foreign suppliers creates strategic vulnerabilities. American industry must no longer assume that jobs and economic growth are the only factors to consider; owning critical supply chains is essential for national resilience.

Innovations within the United States offer potential solutions: Rocket Lab has adopted greater vertical integration to reduce dependency on fragile supply networks. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is expanding its portfolio of affordable, autonomous defense systems, preparing for asymmetric warfare scenarios where traditional U.S. capabilities have been suboptimal against Iran. Hadrian Automation is advancing machining by addressing skilled labor shortages through software, automation, and AI—significantly shortening training times.

Lockheed Martin has already integrated technologies from companies like Hadrian into its missiles and fire control operations, supporting the PAC-3 and THAAD advanced air defense systems.

The United States has overcome enormous challenges before. With the right combination of public initiative and private collaboration, rebuilding or strengthening its skilled workforce, supplier networks, and industrial base will be possible—but time is critical.

Above all else, America’s greatest advantage has always been its people’s ability to build. To rise to the challenges of a new era of competition and warfare, the United States must become a builder again.