Anduril Industries, the defense technology firm co-founded by tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, has announced a massive expansion plan that will see the construction of a new manufacturing and research campus in Long Beach, California. The Costa Mesa-based company confirmed on Thursday, January 22, 2026, that it intends to develop a sprawling 1.1 million-square-foot facility at the Douglas Park business complex, situated just north of the Long Beach Airport. This move solidifies the city’s growing reputation as “Space Beach,” a hub for aerospace and advanced manufacturing that already hosts industry heavyweights like Rocket Lab.

The new campus represents a staggering investment in the region, with the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce valuing the project at over $1 billion. The development will feature six distinct buildings, creating a dedicated ecosystem for high-tech defense production. Approximately 750,000 square feet will be allocated for office space to house software developers and administrative teams, while another 435,000 square feet will be strictly designated for research and development. The facility is designed to support the mass production of autonomous weapons systems and surveillance technology, sectors where Anduril has rapidly become a market leader.

Anduril Long Beach Expansion: Factsheet

Company: Anduril Industries

Location: Douglas Park, Long Beach/Lakewood, California

Total Project Value: >$1 Billion (estimated by Chamber of Commerce)

Total Facility Size: 1.1 Million sq. ft.

Office Space: 750,000 sq. ft.

R&D Space: 435,000 sq. ft.

Job Creation: ~5,500 new jobs (software, flight test, research)

Construction Timeline:

Start: 2026

First Building Completion: End of 2027

Developer: Sares Regis Group

Key Figures:

Palmer Luckey: Co-founder

Rex Richardson: Mayor of Long Beach

Recent Contracts: $23.9 Million US Marine Corps drone contract (Jan 2026).

Company Valuation: >$30 Billion

Construction is scheduled to commence later this year, with the first building expected to come online by the end of 2027. The site is being developed in partnership with real estate firm Sares Regis Group, which previously managed the buildout for Rocket Lab’s nearby headquarters. While the specific cost of the land acquisition remains undisclosed, a company spokesperson indicated that the construction costs alone would run into the “hundreds of millions” of dollars. The expansion serves as a major homecoming for Palmer Luckey, a former California State University, Long Beach student who rose to fame as the inventor of the Oculus Rift before pivoting to defense technology.

Economic Impact and Strategic Growth

The economic implications for Long Beach are profound, with the project expected to generate approximately 5,500 new jobs. These roles will span a variety of disciplines, including software engineering, flight-test operations, and specialized research, alongside thousands of temporary construction jobs required to build the campus. City officials have highlighted that the influx of high-skilled labor will be supported by workforce development programs in collaboration with the Long Beach Unified School District and local colleges, ensuring that the benefits of this “major vote of confidence” are felt across the local community.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson characterized the announcement as a pivotal moment for the city’s economic strategy, which has aggressively courted advanced manufacturing and aerospace firms. “Today, the next generation of companies is choosing to build and hire here again,” Richardson stated, linking the move to a broader resurgence in local industrial activity. The announcement follows news that Pentland Brands, the parent company of Speedo, is also relocating its North American headquarters to Long Beach, further validating the city’s efforts to improve its business climate and expand its tax base.

“That combination of history, talent, and industrial infrastructure makes Long Beach a natural place for Anduril to continue scaling its operations,” the company noted in its statement—a massive expansion unfolding even as the $10 billion Google-backed data center project in Imperial Valley, Southern California, causes friction over water and zoning disputes. This expansion comes on the heels of a successful 2025, where the company reached a valuation of over $30 billion and secured significant government contracts, including a recent $23.9 million deal to supply weaponized drones to the U.S. Marine Corps.