Lisa Brown (center) Northrop Grumman vice president and Mesa site operations lead, cuts the ribbon to officially open the company’s new facility. The 36,000 square foot building combines production and warehousing into one location, nearly doubling the production capability for the division that produces the world renowned Bushmaster line of medium caliber cannons. (pictured left-right: Kevin Sullivan, executive vice president, Arizona Commerce Authority; David Luna, Mesa vice mayor; John Giles, Mesa mayor; Dan Olson, Northrop Grumman armament systems vice president; Lisa Brown, Northrop Grumman vice president and Mesa site lead; Sally Harrison, CEO, Mesa Chamber of Commerce; Rudy Cota, Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs staff, constituent service representative; Bill Jabjiniak, Mesa director of economic development; Chris Keeler, Northrop Grumman deputy director Mesa operations.)
“The city of Mesa is proud that Northrop Grumman chose to expand in the Falcon District,” Mesa Mayor John Giles said. “This new facility will bring more high-tech jobs to Mesa’s growing aerospace and defense industry.”
The Mesa-based operation produces the world-renowned Bushmaster® family of medium caliber cannons that provide the U.S. military and its allies with proven, highly reliable weapons for air, land and sea combat platforms. The company has either installed or is on contract to provide its cannons to more than 50 nations globally.
“This expansion will help us meet today’s surging demand for our cannons while also addressing future growth requirements as U.S. and allied militaries are increasing their current defense capabilities in response to worldwide threats,” said Lisa Brown, vice president, site operations, Northrop Grumman.
The Mesa-based operation employs more than 200 full time employees and since the project’s groundbreaking in March has begun the hiring of an additional 50 to 60 new engineering, program management and manufacturing technicians as a result of the company’s increased production capacity.