U.S. Department of War promotes defense manufacturing expansion
Key Points
- United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth concluded the first phase of the Arsenal of Freedom tour with visits to General Dynamics and L3Harris facilities in Arkansas promoting faster domestic defense production.
- The Department of War used the nationwide tour to emphasize strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base and expanding workforce support tied to missile and advanced weapons manufacturing.
United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth concluded the first phase of the Department’s nationwide “Arsenal of Freedom” tour on Feb. 27, 2026, with visits to defense industry facilities operated by General Dynamics and L3Harris in Camden, Arkansas, where he delivered remarks focused on expanding production capacity and accelerating weapons manufacturing.
The tour, organized by the United States Department of War, is intended to demonstrate federal support for the defense industrial base while urging industry and workforce leaders to increase output of military systems and modernize manufacturing practices supporting U.S. warfighters.
Speaking before more than 1,500 employees at the L3Harris facility, Hegseth highlighted the role of defense workers in sustaining military readiness.
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“Thank you for being the backbone of our department and our great nation [and] for having the backs of our warfighters because what you build right here in Camden is absolutely central to the 21st-century arsenal of freedom,” Hegseth said.
He added that the technologies produced at the site directly support advanced weapons programs.
“The technology that you build for our missiles, interceptors and hypersonic weapons is what allows the War Department to achieve peace through strength, and that mission comes with a nonnegotiable mandate from the War Department [and] straight from the Resolute Desk and President [Donald J.] Trump,” he said.
According to remarks released during the visit, Hegseth emphasized innovation and faster production timelines as core priorities of the tour. He encouraged industry partners to increase manufacturing tempo while maintaining technological advancement across defense programs.
(Photo by Alexander Kubitza)
The secretary also addressed long-standing concerns about inefficiencies within the defense industrial base, arguing that production culture must shift toward faster delivery cycles. Praising L3Harris operations in Camden, he said the company had “set the pace” for industry performance through rapid production practices.
“For far too long, our defense and aerospace industry was a giant swamp, much like Washington. … Those companies moved at a snail’s pace, led by CEOs who cared more about their stock options and golden parachutes than delivering for those on the front lines,” Hegseth said.
He further criticized earlier trends toward outsourcing defense production overseas, stating that domestic manufacturing remains central to national security priorities.
“Well, let them tell that to these great workers and these great patriots at L3,” Hegseth said during the event.
According to the Department of War, the Arkansas stop marked the conclusion of a seven-and-a-half-week first phase of the Arsenal of Freedom tour, which began Jan. 5 with a visit to a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. The tour included additional stops in Texas, California, Rhode Island, Maine, Missouri, Florida, and Colorado.
As part of each visit, Hegseth has administered enlistment oaths to new service members. During the Arkansas stop, he swore in 40 recruits, bringing the total number of enlistees participating in ceremonies during the tour to more than 260.
(Photo by Alexander Kubitza)
The Department said the enlistment ceremonies are intended to link industrial workforce contributions with military service, underscoring the connection between manufacturing capacity and operational readiness.
In practical military terms, the facilities visited in Camden contribute components and systems supporting missile production, interceptor technologies, and hypersonic weapon development. These systems form part of layered defense architectures designed to counter aerial threats and maintain deterrence capabilities.
The Arsenal of Freedom initiative draws its name from the historical “Arsenal of Democracy,” the large-scale industrial mobilization undertaken by the United States prior to and during World War II, when domestic manufacturing was expanded to supply military equipment to Allied forces.
