Palmer Luckey says the coolest thing about Anduril expanding to Long Beach is the fighter jets

Anduril Expands Presence in Southern California with New Long Beach Campus

Defense technology company Anduril has announced its plans to expand its Southern California presence with a major campus in Long Beach. The coastal town holds special significance as it is where founder Palmer Luckey grew up. The expanded campus is set to eventually support approximately 5,500 new jobs, with Luckey confirming that these will not be transfers from other operations.

The company’s headquarters is currently located in Costa Mesa, California, with a large manufacturing facility in Ohio. The upcoming Long Beach campus will span 1.18 million square feet across six buildings, housing office space and industrial areas dedicated to research and development. The completion of the campus is expected by mid-2027.

Long Beach was chosen as the location for the expansion due to its status as a major aerospace hub in close proximity to Anduril’s headquarters. Luckey emphasized that the hiring plan for the new campus will mirror that of the existing operations, encompassing manufacturing workers, technicians, engineers in various disciplines, as well as roles in logistics to support global distribution.

While the job creation aspect of the expansion garnered attention, Luckey expressed particular excitement about the prospect of manufacturing autonomous fighter jets directly from the Long Beach facility. These jets are designed to take off and fly to their destinations autonomously, offering a cutting-edge solution for military applications.

Anduril’s Innovation in Autonomous Military Technology

Anduril specializes in the development of autonomous military drones and aircraft for land, air, and sea operations. In 2025, the company unveiled the Fury fighter jet, which is designed to operate autonomously with AI technology, eliminating the need for human pilots. The Fury successfully completed its first test flight in California on October 31, marking a significant milestone in Anduril’s pursuit of next-generation fighter drone integration.