Defense contractor to add 288 workers at Roanoke night-vision goggle factory

Texas-based defense contractor Elbit Systems of America will invest $30 million to expand its Roanoke County night-vision googles manufacturing facility, with plans to create 288 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday.

Once the expansion is complete, it will bring the site’s workforce to more than 1,000 employees.

“Elbit America’s continued growth in Roanoke County strengthens America’s defense capabilities and supports our brave service members at home and abroad,” Youngkin said in a statement.

The timeline of the expansion, the square footage of the expansion and more details on whether it would involve a new building or merely renovate an existing building were not provided. Elbit and the governor’s office did not immediately return requests for comment.

A company news release stated that the $30 million investment would fund enhancements, expansion efforts, machinery and tools.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, Elbit America provides high-performance products, systems, technology, and support services for the defense, homeland security, law enforcement, commercial aviation and medical instrumentation markets. It has 16 locations and more than 70 research labs, and a workforce of over 3,300 employees. It is a subsidiary of the Israeli global military technology company Elbit Systems.

“The need for highly sophisticated night vision systems is growing in the U.S. and abroad, as
militaries modernize their technologies to heighten situational awareness and successfully
operate in all conditions,” said Erik Fox, senior vice president and general manager of the warfighter systems division at Elbit America, in a statement. “As one of the few manufacturers who produce image intensification tubes and these military grade systems, we must grow to keep up with demand.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the Roanoke Regional Partnership and the county to secure the project for Virginia. In addition, Youngkin approved a $1.2 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist with the project, as well as a performance-based grant of $300,000 from the Virginia Investment Performance Grant.

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program, which provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs, will support the jobs created through the expansion.