COLUMBUS, OH — Anduril Industries is taking a major step toward launching operations at its massive Arsenal-1 manufacturing facility in Central Ohio as the company’s first group of employees prepares to return home and begin setting up production.
In 2025, Anduril hired the first employees who will eventually make up a workforce of 4,000 at Arsenal-1. That initial group, known internally as the “Fury Launch Team,” has spent the past several months training at Anduril’s headquarters in California, learning how to build the company’s cutting-edge autonomous aircraft and immersing themselves in the company’s culture.
This month, the team will begin relocating back to the Columbus area to prepare Arsenal-1 for full operations. Production of the YFQ-44A Fury, an AI-powered autonomous fighter jet, is targeted to begin later this year, marking a significant milestone in bringing advanced manufacturing and high-skill defense jobs to the region.
Company officials say the Fury Launch Team was carefully selected and reflects the talent that drew Anduril to Central Ohio.
“This group is elite,” Anduril leadership said in a statement. “They are hardworking, exceptionally talented, and represent exactly why Central Ohio was chosen as the home for Arsenal-1.”
The company recently held a celebration honoring the team’s progress and recognizing the families and partners who remained in Ohio while employees trained out of state.
The Fury Launch Team is responsible for laying the groundwork for mass production of the YFQ-44A Fury, an autonomous “loyal wingman” aircraft developed for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The Fury is designed to operate alongside manned fighter jets and represents a shift toward affordable, scalable, AI-driven combat systems.
Arsenal-1 is envisioned as a software-defined, hyperscale manufacturing facility capable of producing thousands of autonomous systems. The returning team will oversee facility setup, production processes, and the transition from development to full-scale manufacturing.
Production at Arsenal-1 is expected to begin in 2026, with the Fury Launch Team playing a central role in establishing operations and setting the pace for future expansion.
