Leonardo DRS Opens Advanced Naval Power and Propulsion Facility in Charleston, South Carolina
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Electric propulsion uses electrical energy to produce thrust or turn a vehicle’s drive system instead of burning conventional fuel, covering technologies from electric motors in cars and ships to electric thrusters on satellites. Investors care because it can sharply reduce fuel and maintenance costs, lower emissions, and extend operational life—similar to swapping a gas engine for a much more efficient electric one—which can change profit margins, capital needs, and regulatory risk for companies involved.
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Power generation systems are the machines and setups that produce electricity from a fuel or natural resource — for example turbines driven by steam, gas, wind, or moving water, and arrays of solar panels. Investors care because these systems determine how much electricity can be sold, how much it costs to produce, how reliable supply will be, and which regulations or fuel prices affect profits; think of them as a factory that makes the product a company sells.
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A steam turbine system is a set of equipment that converts high-pressure steam into mechanical rotation and then electricity, like a water wheel where fast-flowing steam spins blades instead of water. For investors, its importance lies in how efficiently and reliably it produces power: better efficiency lowers fuel and operating costs, higher reliability reduces downtime and repair bills, and its emissions and technology affect regulatory exposure and long-term competitiveness.
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A hybrid electric drive is a vehicle propulsion system that combines an internal combustion engine with one or more electric motors and a battery so the two sources share or alternate work to move the vehicle. For investors, it matters because this setup can cut fuel costs, reduce emissions, and change maintenance and component demand—similar to a tool that uses both battery power and a plug-in option to save energy and lower running costs over time.
Investment Underscores Continued Commitment to Support U.S. Navy and Defense Industrial Base
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) today announced the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art naval power and propulsion manufacturing and testing facility in the Charleston, South Carolina region. The more than 140,000-square-foot facility is a major investment to expand domestic production capacity in support of U.S. Navy submarine and shipbuilding programs, including systems for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program.
Leonardo DRS Naval Power and Propulsion facility, Charleston, South Carolina.
The purpose-built facility provides advanced manufacturing, final assembly, integration, and testing space dedicated to large components for Leonardo DRS’s naval electric power and propulsion systems. In addition to electric propulsion and power generation systems, the site supports naval steam turbine system design, manufacturing, and testing.
“This strategic investment is a national asset and represents our commitment to supporting the U.S. Navy’s efforts to increase production capacity across the submarine and shipbuilding industrial base,” said Jon Miller, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems business unit. “This advanced multi-purpose facility enables us to increase production capacity, streamline our production processes, and rapidly respond to evolving fleet requirements.”
John Baylouny, president and CEO of Leonardo DRS, added: “The Department of War has been clear about the need to strengthen and expand the defense industrial base, and this investment answers that call. By increasing capacity and modernizing our manufacturing infrastructure, we are ensuring the U.S. military has reliable access to the critical capabilities it needs, when and where they are needed.”
As the Navy fields more power-intensive weapons, sensors, and computing systems, scalable integrated power architectures are essential to mission success. The Charleston facility positions Leonardo DRS to deliver those architectures at scale and with the schedule reliability required for next-generation surface combatants and submarines.
Leonardo DRS designs and delivers advanced power and propulsion solutions engineered for the world’s most demanding maritime and battlefield environments. Our technologies enable the U.S. Navy and allied forces to support advanced sensors, directed-energy systems, high-performance computing, and propulsion across surface ships, submarines, and ground platforms. From Columbia-class submarine power and propulsion systems to hybrid electric drive and onboard power solutions, Leonardo DRS is designing and delivering proven, reliable, and cost-effective capabilities backed by decades of operational performance.
About Leonardo DRS
Leonardo DRS Inc. (Nasdaq: DRS) is at the forefront of developing transformative defense technologies using its proven agility and delivering innovative solutions for U.S. national security customers and allies worldwide. We specialize in rapidly providing high-performance, multi-domain capabilities across next-generation advanced sensing, network computing, force protection, and electric power and propulsion. Our reputation as a trusted provider is built on a continuous focus on practical innovation, delivering quality, and meeting our customers’ most demanding mission requirements. For further information on our complete range of capabilities, visit www.LeonardoDRS.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Those statements reflect current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements which include contract values, contract performance and our development and production of products are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements.
