In this essay for The Atlantic, Elliot Ackerman visits Lockheed Martin’s facilities in East Camden, Arkansas, to examine how America’s defense-industrial base is responding to the war in Ukraine.
From HIMARS launchers and M270 systems to GMLRS rockets, Ackerman shows how military aid to Ukraine is also rebuilding manufacturing capacity inside the United States.
Ukraine and the Defense-Industrial Base
Ackerman explores the strain placed on American defense production after decades of atrophy, asking whether factories can expand quickly enough to meet the demands of a high-intensity war.
HIMARS, M270, and GMLRS Production
The essay follows workers building and refurbishing rocket systems in Arkansas, revealing the precision, labor, supply chains, and time required to increase weapons production.
The Arsenal of Democracy
At its center, the piece connects Ukraine aid to a broader national-security question: whether the United States can revive its arsenal of democracy before future conflicts test it further.