Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS) announced the completion of its Indiana Payload Integration Facility (IPIF) for hypersonic systems in Crane, Indiana, ahead of schedule.

The $50 million facility spans 68,000 square feet and is designed for manufacturing, integration, and testing of experimental hypersonic payloads. According to the company, the facility's engineering team can simultaneously integrate, test, and prepare up to six experimental payloads for hypersonic vehicles, including those supporting the Multi-Service Advanced Capabilities Hypersonic Testbed (MACH-TB) program.

The facility is expected to create more than 100 jobs, with an estimated average annual wage exceeding $80,000. The company said significant hiring is already underway.

Mike Johns, Vice President of Kratos SRE, said, "The IPIF investment in southern Indiana brings online a national asset and critically needed infrastructure to rapidly scale the cadence of hypersonic testing in the United States."

Dave Carter, President of Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services, said the facility is part of a broader strategy to build an advanced defense hub in southern Indiana, near the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.

The information above is based on a statement from Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.