Arkansas

Swarm Aero announced the opening of its Advanced Manufacturing Center on Feb. 17, 2026, at Drake Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas, marking the launch of an 80,000-square-foot facility designed to produce large uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms, the company said during a ribbon-cutting event attended by Congressman Steve Womack. According to the company, the Arkansas facility will have the capacity to produce thousands of UAVs and is expected to create hundreds of high-skill aerospace jobs over the next decade. The site represents Swarm Aero’s primary manufacturing hub for large uncrewed aircraft systems and associated swarm command-and-control software integration. “We looked at over 20 states before deciding to put down manufacturing roots in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We chose Northwest Arkansas because of the exceptional talent and partners, and we’re thrilled to continue our growth here,” said Danny Goodman, chief executive officer and co-founder of Swarm Aero. “Large UAVs are the future of armed conflict. When paired with our swarm command and control software, they can achieve major combat objectives by cooperating with superhuman dexterity while being several times cheaper than traditional aircraft. This is one of the most consequential developments in modern conflict and we have built an exceptionally talented engineering team to bring this vision to life.” The company is developing what it describes as the first swarming Group 5 UAV designed to cost less than the MQ-9 Reaper while delivering comparable operational capability, an area receiving active interest from the Pentagon as it evaluates lower-cost autonomous airpower concepts. Group 5 UAVs represent the largest category of unmanned aircraft, typically capable of long-endurance missions at high altitude and carrying substantial payloads. Swarm Aero was co-founded by three executives with backgrounds spanning defense technology, policy, and advanced aerospace engineering. Danny Goodman previously served as co-founder and chief technology officer of Vannevar Labs. Oliver Parker formerly led China and Taiwan portfolio groups inside the U.S. Department of War. Peter Kalogiannis previously led development of the Vahana electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft platform at Airbus. Swarm Aero develops large uncrewed aircraft designed to operate in coordinated swarms using proprietary command-and-control software. The company said its production approach focuses on composite airframe manufacturing techniques that allow higher-volume output than traditional aerospace fabrication methods. The Advanced Manufacturing Center will support end-to-end aircraft assembly, systems integration, and composite structure production. As noted by the company, its approach to composite airframes enables manufacturing volumes not seen since World War II, reflecting an industrial-scale model tailored to autonomous air systems. (Swarm Aero pic) “Swarm's decision to open their manufacturing facility in Northwest Arkansas reinforces what we know to be true: our region is a destination for advanced manufacturing and next-generation aerospace innovation,” said Nelson Peacock, president and chief executive officer of the Northwest Arkansas Council. “Swarm’s presence here will create meaningful, high-quality jobs while opening new pathways for collaboration with our universities, technical schools, and workforce programs. Just as importantly, Swarm’s mission strengthens the role our region can play in supporting technologies that are critical to America’s national security and industrial resilience. We are proud to welcome Swarm to Northwest Arkansas and look forward to supporting their growth as part of our community.” The company stated that its mission is to renew American air power by producing large uncrewed aircraft capable of supporting U.S. and allied defense operations without placing pilots at risk. The Fayetteville site is intended to serve as the foundation for scaling production and expanding engineering capacity. Swarm Aero said it plans to double its aircraft team in 2026 and is actively hiring across multiple disciplines to support manufacturing and engineering growth tied to the new facility.

Arkansas

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Arkansas

Swarm Aero opens large drone production hub in Arkansas

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About The Defence Blog