Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 19, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 25 INSIGHTS: Economy Central Mass. powers military production From missiles to fighter pilot optics, local manufacturers prove vital in the defense supply chain BY SUSAN GONSALVES Special to WBJ A dvanced military defense systems are manufac- tured in Marlborough, precision optics for fighter pilots are made in Westborough, and military headsets are produced in Worcester. From major defense contractors to small manufacturers producing spe- cialized components, Central Massa- chusetts companies play critical roles in the nation's military supply chain. ose manufacturers are espe- cially important as the U.S. govern- ment seeks to replenish stockpiles of weapons and military equipment to pre-Iran War levels, according to Kathie Mahoney, president of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP), a nonprofit part of a national network that supports small and medium-sized companies in the industry. Mahoney emphasized the impor- tance of the local defense industry supply chain, including the entities her organization supports with upskilling programs, process improvement and technology implementation. Its APEX program, funded by the U.S. Department of War, helps manufacturers and other businesses navigate the procurement and certifi- cation processes. In Massachusetts, the defense sector comprises more than 130,000 jobs, or about 8%, and generates $48.6 billion in annual economic output, according to MassMEP. Worcester County had 35,100 peo- ple in the (nonfarm) manufacturing workforce (including all manufactur- ing), representing 9.8% of all local jobs as of August 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Patriot missile production "ere are 4,000 parts in a Patriot missile," Mahoney noted. "If any one of those parts is delayed or doesn't meet quality standards, then pro- duction gets impacted. at's where the supply chain comes into effect, contributing to the whole. Because all those parts are critical to the mission." Among the region's largest defense contractors is Raytheon, subsidiary of RTX, which has operations in Marl- borough. Last year, the U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon a $536.75 million contract for AN/SPY-6(V) air and missile-de- fense radar integration and production support, with the potential value of $2.886 billion if options are exercised. Raytheon would do 56% of that work at its Central Massachusetts location. In February this year, the U.S. Army awarded Raytheon Marlborough a $22.8 million contract through 2031 to maintain and support SMART-T continues on page 26 Kopin Corp. in Westborough develops and manufactures micro-displays and application-specific optical solutions. PHOTO | COURTESY OF KOPIN CORP.

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