Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. broke ground on a new facility in Odon, Ind., on March 18, 2025. The company announced the start of construction for the Indiana Payload Integration Facility (IPIF) at WestGate@Crane Technology Park, located near the Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane Division. According to the company, the $50 million investment will construct and equip a 68,000-square-foot building designed to support hypersonic launch programs, including the Multi-Service Advanced Capabilities Hypersonic Testbed (MACH-TB). The Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed up to $9 million in incentive-based tax credits to support the project.
What it means
The IPIF will provide full-scale environmental testing capabilities for defense systems. Kratos is the prime contractor for the MACH-TB 2.0 program under Task Area 1, and this facility supports that work. “The Indiana Payload Integration Facility represents a strategic investment in our nation’s hypersonic capabilities and workforce,” said Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos. Operational readiness is expected by the end of 2026.
The announcement includes broader expansion plans for the state. Kratos announced a joint venture, Prometheus Energetics, to establish an energetics, solid rocket motors, and munitions production facility on a roughly 550-acre site in Bloomfield, Ind., at the American Center for Manufacturing & Innovation’s National Security Industrial Hub. Based on long-term growth plans, Kratos said it intends to invest more than $456 million and create up to 628 new jobs in Indiana by the end of 2029. The initial Odon facility is expected to create more than 100 high-tech jobs with average annual wages exceeding $80,000. The IEDC incentives are performance-based and become eligible once Hoosiers are hired. Regional support for the project comes through the IEDC’s READI program, spearheaded by Regional Opportunity Initiatives, while local support is provided by the Daviess County Council and Economic Development Corporation. The Uplands Science & Technology Foundation, led by CEO Bryant Niehoff, is leading the physical development of WestGate@Crane.
Key facts
- $50 million initial investment for the Indiana Payload Integration Facility in Odon
- 68,000-square-foot facility size
- End of 2026 expected operational readiness date
- More than 100 initial high-tech jobs with average wages exceeding $80,000
- Up to $9 million in IEDC incentives ($7 million regional development tax credits, $2 million conditional structured performance payments)
- Prometheus Energetics joint venture facility planned for Bloomfield on a 550-acre site
- More than $456 million total planned investment by end of 2029
- Up to 628 new jobs planned by end of 2029
Source: Indiana Economic Development Corporation news release