Diehl Aviation opens Craiova factory as Lockheed Martin expands European missile production

German aerospace supplier Diehl Aviation inaugurated a new manufacturing plant in Craiova, Romania. The facility, located in Craiova Business Park, will initially employ about 75 workers and is planned to grow to roughly 500. It will produce components and sub‑assemblies for commercial passenger aircraft for manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer, representing an investment of several tens of millions of euros.

At the same time, U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin announced a major expansion of its European industrial footprint, adding new centres for missile and HIMARS system production and maintenance. The initiatives, aimed at NATO members, include a partnership with Germany’s Rheinmetall to create a European hub for ATACMS tactical missiles and plans to boost capacity for PAC‑3 Patriot interceptors. Both projects underline a broader strategy to increase defence‑industry capacity and supply‑chain resilience in Europe, with Romania featuring prominently in the new activities.