Aurex, Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing

A new aerospace and defense manufacturing facility designed for Aurex (formerly Special Aerospace Systems) supports the company’s mission to deliver advanced technologies for hypersonic strike systems, missile defense, and crewed space flight.

Flexible Aerospace Manufacturing Facility Designed for Emerging Programs

Located in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, the facility was planned to support highly technical aerospace manufacturing and testing while remaining adaptable for future programs and tenants. At the time of design, Aurex anticipated using only about 25% of the building, leaving the remaining space available for future operations that had not yet been defined.

Because of this uncertainty, the building was designed as a highly technical speculative facility, with flexibility built into every major system to accommodate evolving aerospace and defense manufacturing needs.

To support rapidly changing aerospace programs, the facility includes infrastructure that allows new production processes to be installed quickly with minimal disruption.

High-bay spaces are designed with crane-ready structural provisions, allowing heavy manufacturing equipment or assembly operations to be introduced as new programs come online.

Utility systems were also designed for flexibility. Distributed electrical power, compressed air, and nitrogen systems allow equipment and workstations to be connected as needed without major modifications. This plug-and-play approach enables tenants or future programs to scale operations quickly.

Additional infrastructure provisions were integrated beneath the building slab, allowing future utilities and systems to be installed without significant demolition or operational disruption. These forward-looking strategies help reduce fit-out time and allow the facility to adapt as aerospace manufacturing requirements evolve.