Karman Space & Defense (NYSE: KRMN) announced a $2.7 million investment to expand its Horsham, Pa. facility, increasing production capacity for advanced technologies that support U.S. Navy and allied defense operations.

The expansion builds on Karman's acquisition of Seemann Composites and Materials Sciences and is intended to accelerate development, testing, and qualification of advanced material technologies. The facility will focus on coatings and survivability treatments for LCAC100 class propulsion system components and other surface Navy applications.

The company said the expansion is expected to create approximately 20 new high-tech jobs and retain 40 existing positions at the Horsham location.

Karman cited existing work on platforms including the Nulka Active Missile Decoy and Hellfire Dual-Rail Launcher Systems, as well as a collaboration with Ideal Aerosmith on its Troublemaker long-range unmanned aerial system, as part of the growth context for the investment.

"This investment expands our integrated capabilities, enabling us to transition advanced technologies from development to production faster, while strengthening the defense industrial base," said Jon Rambeau, chief executive officer of Karman Space & Defense.

Karman, headquartered in Huntington Beach, Calif., supplies defense and space programs across more than 80 prime contractors.