Launch tubes produced in Washington by Karman Space & Defense come off the production line. A new West Valley City site will expand on that production. The company already has operations in Ogden and Cedar City. (Courtesy Karman Space & Defense)
A supplier of components for the space and missile defense industries will add 500 jobs in West Valley City over the next few years.
Karman Space & Defense/Systima Technologies Inc., which has manufacturing facilities in Ogden and Cedar City, is projected to invest $28.5 million in the project over the next two decades. One hundred of the new high-paying jobs are tied to a tax credit incentive awarded to the company recently by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity board.
California-based Karman designs, develops and produces next-generation systems for launch vehicle, satellite, spacecraft, missile defense, hypersonic and drone customers. In business for over five decades, Karman has about 1,700 employees at 17 sites. The company serves more than 80 prime contractors supporting more than 130 space and defense programs.
Karman’s Ogden operations produce control actuation systems and warhead components for missiles. Its Cedar City operations design, develop and manufacture solid rocket motors.
In 2021, Karman acquired Systima Technologies, which integrates energetic and mechanical systems into the structural design of space and hypersonic systems. In May 2025, it acquired Industrial Solid Propulsion in Cedar City, which specialized in small-diameter propellants and launch systems used for the drone, drone intercept and rocket-assisted takeoff systems markets.
Josh Embree, general manager of the Advanced Metallics Solutions division for Karman, told the GOEO board that the West Valley City project will serve customers in a pair of primary markets seeing “a significant amount of growth.” One is launchers for munitions and missile markets. The other is nozzles for solid rocket motors for defense and space launch programs.
“This economic incentive makes Utah a preferred location for the company’s UAS (unmanned aircraft system) launcher and nozzle production operation as the company scales its capacity,” GOEO documents say.
Jonathan Springmeyer, economic development director and chief sustainability officer for West Valley City, told the GOEO board that the city is “thrilled … to have Karman select us and join the West Valley City family.”
“Many of their clients and suppliers are already located in the area, several of which are already in West Valley City, so we think they’re going to be a great addition and add to our growing aerospace and defense industry in the city. The jobs they’re going to be bringing to West Valley City are going to provide great opportunities for our residents, and we can’t wait to have them.”
Jesse Turley, chairman of the GOEO board’s incentives committee, lauded the great fit for the company in Utah.
“This is exactly what we are searching for as we look at the key verticals within the state of Utah: Who can we help bring here, who can we help expand, who are their strategic partners that we can help bring to the state of Utah and grow in the state of Utah to help make those key verticals that we’re focused on as a state more successful? And this is a prime example,” he said.
The project is projected to produce new total wages of nearly $165.3 million over 20 years and new state tax revenue of $62.5 million during that time. The state tax credit incentive is for up to $16.25 million over 20 years, tied to the new jobs, expected to pay an average of $120,623.
Among officials with prepared statements related to the project:
• “Strategic incentives like these give Utah an advantage in attracting high-impact projects that establish essential infrastructure and advanced manufacturing in our state,” said Jefferson Moss, GOEO’s executive director. “By supporting long-term investments in sectors like aerospace and defense, we cultivate a resilient economy that offers high-paying job opportunities in fields that are well-positioned for the future.”
• “We are expanding our presence in Utah to increase production for key programs that protect the U.S. and its allies,” said Jonathan Beaudoin, chief operating officer of Karman Space & Defense. “Our new manufacturing hub in the Salt Lake area will place us closer to customers, provide access to a skilled talent pool, and position us for continued growth. We are grateful for the support we have received from Governor [Spencer] Cox, GOEO, EDCUtah (the Economic Development Corporation of Utah) and Mayor [Karen] Lang as our presence in Utah grows.”
• “EDCUtah is proud to support companies that strengthen Utah’s aerospace and defense ecosystem,” said Ryan Starks, the organization’s executive director. “Karman’s systems play an important role in a wide range of space and defense applications, and their presence reinforces the strength of this industry in our state. Many of Karman’s suppliers and customers are already located in the Salt Lake area, and this expansion will further connect and bolster our regional ecosystem. We commend the continued growth of Utah’s aerospace and defense sector and the strong collaboration that makes it possible.”
• “We are excited to have Karman Space & Defense bring their groundbreaking technology to West Valley City,” said Lang. “Companies continue to come to West Valley City because of our strong business community and our easy access location along the Wasatch Front. Karman will add to the growing list of integral West Valley City companies in the aerospace and defense sector. We appreciate this investment in our city by Karman and how it will strengthen our local economy and create new job opportunities for our residents.”
GOEO does not provide upfront cash incentives. Each year that an incentivized company meets the obligations in its contract with GOEO, it will qualify to receive a portion of the new, additional state taxes the company paid to the state.