The American Center for Manufacturing & Innovation has broken ground on the Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub near Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division. The hub is intended to modernize how the United States develops, tests and scales critical technologies and energetics production for the military.
The project is backed by an initial $50 million award from NSWC Indian Head Division. ACMI said the hub is expected to catalyze more than $200 million in additional private investment.
The Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub will include multiple new state-of-the-art buildings outside the gates of NSWC Indian Head Division. The site will host companies and research institutions working on U.S. military priorities.
The hub will focus on eight priority innovation areas. These include energetics for uncrewed systems, next-generation propulsion systems, manufacturing automation and other capabilities needed to strengthen the U.S. munitions industrial base.
“This is a generational investment. ACMI is helping America become faster at moving from ideas to production – faster to innovate, faster to manufacture, and faster to scale the technologies that strengthen our national defense,” said John Burer, Founder and CEO of ACMI.
“MEIH brings together the infrastructure, capital, and private-sector talent needed to rapidly advance new producers and technologies. By leading the effort to recruit and convene top defense technology companies around NSWC Indian Head Division’s priority mission areas, ACMI is creating a new kind of industrial ecosystem designed to accelerate collaboration, compress timelines, and turn breakthrough innovation into operational capability at unprecedented speed,” Burer said.
ACMI also announced that Energetics Technology Center and Applied Research Associates will serve as inaugural tenants and partners. The organization said it is in active talks with several leading defense technology companies about expanding to the hub.
The groundbreaking ceremony brought together military leaders, elected officials, industry executives, academic partners and manufacturing stakeholders. Participants included representatives from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, National Nuclear Security Administration, National Defense Industrial Association, Parsons, Leidos and Rafael-USA.
“This initiative ensures that NSWC Indian Head Division remains at the forefront of energetics innovation, scale-up, and production,” said Captain Steve Duba, NSWC IHD Commanding Officer.
“By bringing together government and industry partners in a collaborative environment, we can accelerate the development and fielding of critical capabilities that strengthen the Navy’s Arsenal and the larger munitions industrial base,” Duba said.
“Southern Maryland has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s energetics enterprise, and the Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub builds on that strong foundation,” said William Durant, CEO and President of ETC.
“ETC is excited to work alongside ACMI and NSWC Indian Head Division to advance critical technologies and support the next generation of capabilities for the nation’s warfighters,” Durant said.
“Local manufacturing is critical to our economy and our workforce. The new Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub is an important investment in supporting local manufacturing and will further cement our state’s leadership in this critical space,” said U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.
“This trailblazing facility will help strengthen our national security, create good-paying jobs, and drive economic growth here in Indian Head,” Van Hollen said.
“Today’s groundbreaking for the Maryland Energetic Innovation Hub marks a crucial and exciting step in supporting Indian Head’s mission, expanding off base partnerships, and improving our nation’s military readiness,” said U.S. Representative Sarah Elfreth.
“The Naval Surface Warfare Center at Indian Head is already at the cutting-edge of energetics research for the Department of Defense. This new partnership will only broaden their horizons and solidify Maryland’s role at the forefront of innovation in this ever-evolving global arena,” Elfreth said.
“I’m grateful to see funding and partnerships like these that not only bolster our national security, but invest in our communities,” Elfreth added.
“The Western Charles County Technology Corridor continues to strengthen its position as a competitive hub for defense, energetics, and advanced technology industries,” said Jim Chandler, Director of the Charles County Economic Development Department.
“We are seeing growth in partnerships, investment, and innovation that are expanding opportunities for both new and existing businesses while reinforcing Charles County’s long-term economic competitiveness. The groundbreaking of the Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub marks an important milestone,” Chandler said.
The Maryland investment builds on ACMI’s regional manufacturing campus model. ACMI said the model is designed to revitalize U.S. manufacturing capacity through shared infrastructure, advanced production ecosystems and public-private partnerships.
Earlier this year, ACMI broke ground on its 1,100-acre National Security Industrial Hub in Indiana. That defense manufacturing campus is backed by an initial $75 million award from the Department of War.
ACMI said the Maryland and Indiana hubs together represent more than $1 billion in investment in the defense industrial base. Initial operations at the Maryland Energetics Innovation Hub are expected to begin in 2027 as phased construction advances.
The hub is expected to create high-quality jobs, attract additional private investment and support the growth of domestic manufacturing capabilities critical to national security. ACMI said it will also help accelerate defense manufacturing modernization and expand domestic energetics capacity.
ACMI is an industrial group focused on revitalizing the U.S. manufacturing base by building infrastructure and supporting manufacturers as they scale. NSWC Indian Head Division is a Naval Sea Systems Command field activity focused on ordnance, energetics and explosive ordnance disposal solutions.
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