Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told defense workers in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday that American manufacturing is about more than missiles and tanks — it builds the middle class. Speaking at Sierra Nevada Corporation on the Pentagon's "Arsenal of Freedom" tour, Hegseth argued the United States should produce its own military equipment at home rather than outsource it, saying domestic manufacturing strengthens national security and creates stable, well-paying jobs for American families — and that the Pentagon itself would be run "like a business, not a bureaucracy."
Hegseth toured SNC's Aviation Innovation and Technology Center and was briefed on the next-generation Survivable Airborne Operations Center — the aircraft meant to keep the president in command during a national emergency — along with connectivity upgrades for the Air Force's KC-46 fleet and technology that lets pilots see through dust, fog and snow. He then addressed about 400 Dayton-area employees, with his remarks streamed to nearly 5,000 SNC personnel across the country, alongside Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. "We live on timelines today that require speed and scale," Hegseth said.
"I will not mortgage the future of my kids and grandkids hoping that some other country or some other leader takes charge of our defenses." — Secretary Pete Hegseth
The message was a direct challenge to the way the Pentagon has bought weapons for decades. "The Department of War is kicking the door wide open for commercial disruptors, nontraditional innovators and venture-backed builders," Hegseth said. "We are actively creating the next generation of defense prime contractors." The old acquisition culture is finished, he added: "Those days of legacy connections and lobbyists building contract connections because they knew the guy who used to run that department are fundamentally over." He urged contractors to invest in new factories, equipment and workers, promising longer-term orders for companies that expand production and deliver faster, pointed to the administration's proposed $1.5 trillion military investment, and said the department would complete a full audit before 2028. Looking ahead, he warned: "Whoever controls subsea and cislunar is going to control the next fight."
SNC's leadership welcomed the direction. CEO Fatih Ozmen said Hegseth's acquisition priorities reflected principles the company had followed for decades, arguing that open architectures, shared data rights and the right to repair would "unlock innovation and strengthen national security" and build "a stronger and more resilient industrial base." Hegseth arrived in Ohio straight from U.S. Central Command, where he had met the pilots, refueling crews and maintainers working the Iran mission — "They are out there on the front lines, doing historic work in ensuring that Iran never has a nuclear weapon" — and he closed with the workers in front of him: "We're all part of the same fight, truly shoulder to shoulder. While our warriors are the tip of the spear, you are the ones who help sharpen them."