BAE Systems to open Iowa facility for mission-critical GPS work

Illustration: BAE Systems

BAE Systems is investing more than $100 million to build a state-of-the-art facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, expected to be completed in 2022. The facility will support the company’s newly acquired Navigation & Sensor Systems business, which makes mission-critical military GPS products.

The new building will bring the company’s local design and production employees from multiple locations into a single center of excellence with modern manufacturing, engineering and office space.

“Our world-class military GPS business is built on the rich talent pool in Greater Cedar Rapids,” said John Watkins, vice president and general manager of Precision Strike & Sensing Solutions at BAE Systems. “This investment will provide our high-tech engineering and manufacturing experts with a world-class workspace and the tools to enhance operational excellence.”
The facility will improve operational efficiency, optimize production, and enhance the company’s ability to deliver high-quality military GPS products to the warfighter.

The 278,000-square-foot research and development center will be located on a 32-acre site. The building will include a large factory; several hundred offices, workstations, and flexible work spaces; and classified and unclassified labs. The building was designed for growth, with the ability to add 50,000 square feet of additional space.