Raytheon Jobs Surge After $117M US Navy Missile Contract Win

Raytheon jobs are set to expand significantly following a $117 million U.S. Navy contract modification for Standard Missile-6 production. The defense giant’s workforce growth comes as the Navy plans to increase missile procurement from 125 to 300 units annually by 2028, requiring substantial manufacturing capacity expansion.

Additionally, Raytheon’s recent groundbreaking of a $115 million facility expansion at Redstone Arsenal will create 185 new positions, demonstrating the company’s commitment to workforce growth. As a result of the Department of Defense contracts, multiple locations across the United States, including Tucson, Arizona, and East Camden, Arkansas, will see immediate staffing increases to support the production of the versatile SM-6 missile system – the only missile capable of performing anti-air warfare, ballistic missile defense, and anti-surface warfare missions.

Raytheon Secures $117M Navy Contract for SM-6 Missile Production

The Department of Defense announced a $117 million contract modification for Raytheon to accelerate production of the versatile Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) systems. This latest award strengthens the company’s position as a premier defense contractor and expands its recruiting needs across multiple states.

Contract Details Reveal Multi-Year Production Timeline

The U.S. Navy has established an ambitious procurement strategy for the SM-6 missile system, with plans to increase annual production from 125 to 300 units by fiscal year 2028. Though lawmakers denied the Navy’s request for multiyear procurement authority during the fiscal year 2024 budget cycle, the service remains committed to acquiring up to 825 SM-6 Block IA missiles between FY-24 and FY-28.

The SM-6 contract represents part of a broader defense procurement strategy, with production work expected to conclude by 2027. Nevertheless, if all options are exercised, the cumulative value could reach $908.1 million.

“SM-6 has a proven performance, and this contract is an important step for providing this urgently needed weapon to our armed forces,” stated Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. Indeed, the system has demonstrated its capabilities through successful intercept missions, most recently in March 2024 when an SM-6 intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target during at-sea testing.

Five US Locations to See Immediate Workforce Expansion

In response to growing demand, Raytheon has initiated substantial infrastructure investments that will consequently generate hundreds of new defense industry careers. Most notably, the company recently broke ground on a $115 million, 26,000 square-foot expansion of its Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility in Huntsville, Alabama.

This expansion will increase the factory’s production space by more than 50% and create approximately 185 new jobs. Furthermore, the project will grow RTX’s employee footprint in Alabama to more than 2,200 people when completed in 2025.

Beyond Alabama, the SM-6 production work spans multiple facilities nationwide:

Tucson, Arizona (primary missile assembly)
Huntsville, Alabama (integration facility)
Andover, Massachusetts (component manufacturing)
Dine, New Mexico (specialized systems)
East Camden, Arkansas (additional production support)

“This important investment in the Huntsville region will help us meet the growing needs of our military customers and service members,” explained Raytheon President Phil Jasper. The Redstone facility currently handles integration of nine variants of the Standard Missile family and will soon accommodate additional defense programs.

Overall, the contract reflects the Department of Defense’s strategic prioritization of missile defense capabilities amid evolving global security challenges, while simultaneously creating substantial employment opportunities throughout America’s defense industrial base.

Defense Industry Careers Boom Across Multiple Specializations

The defense sector employment landscape is experiencing remarkable expansion, with the aerospace and defense industry climbing to 2.21 million employees in 2023. This workforce surge represents a 4.8% growth from 2022 to 2023, substantially outpacing the national average growth rate of 1.7%.

Engineering Positions Lead the Recruitment Drive

At the forefront of defense hiring, engineering roles remain the most sought-after positions. Alongside the SM-6 missile production, Raytheon routinely maintains over 300 available Tucson-area job postings online, primarily for engineering specializations. To attract top talent in a competitive market, the company offers sign-on bonuses reaching $40,000 for key senior engineering positions. Moreover, Raytheon has implemented an innovative internal engineering apprenticeship program that pairs early-career professionals with senior mentors, effectively addressing the experience gap wherein 36% of employees have been with the company for less than three years.

Manufacturing and Assembly Roles Create Blue-Collar Opportunities

Beyond engineering, the defense industry has generated substantial blue-collar employment opportunities. The U.S. currently has approximately 30 million jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree yet pay an average of $55,000 annually. In particular, nearly 60% of aerospace and defense industry positions are directly linked to the supply chain, translating to roughly 1,298,036 jobs. For those seeking alternative career paths, vocational training costs around $15,440 for skills like welding—compared to $175,000 for an undergraduate degree—with journeyman welders earning starting wages of $36,480.

Quality Assurance and Testing Specialists in High Demand

Given the critical nature of defense products, quality assurance has become an essential specialization. Quality managers ensure compliance with stringent standards including AS9100, ISO 9001, NADCAP, FAA, and DoD requirements. These specialists oversee inspections, manage supplier quality, conduct audits, investigate nonconformances, and implement risk mitigation strategies. Correspondingly, Quality Assurance Manager positions at defense companies offer competitive base pay ranges between $100,000-$125,000 annually.

Project Management and Administrative Support Needs Grow

Program management professionals are equally vital in the defense ecosystem. These roles require coordinating complex activities across entire project lifecycles to enable defense capability delivery. Project managers must possess both technical understanding and exceptional stakeholder management skills. Notably, the average labor income per job in the aerospace and defense industry amounts to $112,000—approximately 50% above the national average—reflecting the highly skilled nature of this workforce.

Job Seekers Find New Pathways into Defense Manufacturing

With defense manufacturing positions expanding rapidly, Raytheon is creating innovative pathways for job seekers to enter the industry. Recent data shows the aerospace and defense sector facing significant talent shortages, with 75% of companies struggling to find qualified candidates.

Raytheon Careers Portal Launches Specialized Recruitment Campaign

Raytheon has transformed its careers portal to address the growing demand for skilled workers across its expanding missile production facilities. The company recently implemented a specialized Job Exploration Tool that allows candidates to match their skills with appropriate positions throughout the RTX enterprise. According to industry analysis, the number of active job postings in the aerospace and defense sector reached 52,596 in January 2024. Specifically, Raytheon maintains hundreds of engineering positions across various specializations, including systems engineering, software development, and RF design.

“We unite teams across our businesses to spark innovation from within,” states Raytheon’s recruitment platform, highlighting opportunities for both technical and non-technical roles. The company’s digital recruitment strategy includes virtual career fairs, specialized landing pages for critical positions, and a streamlined application process designed to capture talent from both traditional and non-traditional backgrounds.

Skills Translation Guide Helps Veterans Enter Civilian Defense Roles

In response to the technical expertise gap, Raytheon has developed comprehensive resources to help military personnel translate their service experience into defense industry careers. The Department of Defense values these transitions, offering veterans several preference categories that can place them ahead of non-veteran applicants for civilian positions.

For instance, the DoD SkillBridge Program provides active-duty service members opportunities to participate in industry training programs while transitioning from military service. Veterans can also access the Employment Fundamentals of Career Transition workshop, a one-day foundational course that introduces essential tools for evaluating post-separation career options.

Key strategies for successful military-to-civilian translation include:

Quantifying military achievements with concrete metrics
Emphasizing transferable leadership and technical skills
Simplifying military terminology for civilian employers
Focusing on results rather than duties

These targeted initiatives ultimately serve both veterans seeking meaningful post-service careers and the growing defense industrial base.

Department of Defense Contracts Fuel Regional Economic Growth

Regional economies across America are experiencing significant growth from Department of Defense investments, with Raytheon’s expanded missile production creating prosperity hubs in several states.

Tucson Facility Becomes Epicenter of Aerospace Innovation

Raytheon’s economic impact in Arizona has grown markedly, now exceeding $2.6 billion annually—an increase of more than $500 million in just three years. As the largest missile facility owned by the world’s largest missile maker, the Tucson operation has become a cornerstone of the state’s economy. With nearly 13,000 employees now working in Arizona, Raytheon maintains a robust network of over 500 Arizona suppliers.

“Raytheon is one of our state’s most valuable assets,” stated Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. “This high-tech powerhouse is a major jobs creator, and its products help to defend freedom around the globe”. Hence, Arizona now ranks 10th among states receiving Department of Defense spending, with approximately $15 billion in annual defense contracts.

East Camden Plant Expands Production Capacity

Meanwhile, East Camden, Arkansas, is witnessing substantial growth through a new Raytheon-Rafael Area Protection Systems (R2S) missile production facility. Initially announced as a $33 million investment, company officials subsequently increased the commitment to $63 million. The facility will produce Tamir missiles for the Iron Dome Weapon System and its U.S. variant, the SkyHunter missile.

Jeff Shockey, head of Global Government Relations for RTX, noted the plant will ultimately produce “1,000 to 2,000 missiles annually”. Upon completion, this facility will represent “the first all-up-round production facility in the U.S. to help support the Armed Forces and allies across the globe with this highly-capable air defense missile”.

Smaller Communities See Ripple Effects from Supply Chain Demands

Defense contracts primarily benefit smaller communities through extensive supply chain networks. Presently, more than half of Raytheon’s 500+ Arizona suppliers are located in the Phoenix area, demonstrating how defense spending extends beyond primary facilities. The company reports spending more than $100 million annually with these Arizona suppliers.

Economic benefits to smaller communities include:

Job creation across multiple skill levels
Increased tax base for local municipalities
Growth in supporting service industries
Technology transfer to local manufacturing sectors

“All businesses add value to the state, but the local service providers don’t have any services to provide if we don’t have employment coming in from these big guys,” explained Dennis Hoffman, director of the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University. Ultimately, this network of defense suppliers creates an economic multiplier effect throughout regional economies, extending well beyond direct defense industry employment.

Conclusion

Raytheon’s substantial contract wins and facility expansions signal remarkable growth for America’s defense manufacturing sector. The $117 million SM-6 missile contract, coupled with the company’s $115 million Redstone Arsenal expansion, demonstrates significant confidence in Raytheon’s capabilities. These developments create ripple effects throughout regional economies, particularly benefiting communities in Arizona, Alabama, and Arkansas.

The defense giant’s strategic focus extends beyond infrastructure investments. Through specialized recruitment campaigns and veteran transition programs, Raytheon actively addresses the industry’s talent needs. Consequently, job seekers find numerous pathways into defense careers, whether through traditional engineering roles or specialized manufacturing positions.

The economic impact proves particularly noteworthy as Raytheon’s expanding operations strengthen local supply chains and create employment opportunities across multiple skill levels. Therefore, communities hosting these facilities experience sustained growth through increased tax revenues and development of supporting industries. This combination of defense contract wins, workforce expansion, and regional economic development positions Raytheon as a cornerstone of America’s defense industrial base, while ensuring continued technological advancement in missile defense capabilities.