Made in America: Lockheed completes successful test of U.S. military’s new tactical missile system, made in Camden

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Made In America,” a round-up of state and global manufacturing news. 

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LOCKHEED COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL TEST OF U.S. MILITARY’S NEW TACTICAL MISSILE SYSTEM, MADE IN CAMDEN
Lockheed Martin’s first modernized Tactical Missile System (TACMS) missile, produced at the defense giant’s Precision Fires Production Center in Camden, Arkansas completed a successful first flight test on Tuesday (Nov. 8) at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

The missile was launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher at a target area more than 130 kilometers away, precisely hitting the target with a proximity sensor-enabled detonation. All test objectives were achieved. The TACMS (formerly ATACMS) modernization process disassembles and demilitarizes previous-generation submunition warheads that do not comply with the international Convention on Cluster Munitions, replacing them with new unitary warheads. The modernization process also resets the missile’s 10+ year shelf life, company officials said.

GM ANNOUNCES PLANS TO INVEST $900 MILLION IN KEY U.S. MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS
U.S. auto giant General Motors announced initiatives on Wednesday (Nov. 9) to strengthen and align its production output at key U.S. manufacturing operations. The plans include investing more than $900 million in three facilities — Toledo Transmission Operations in Ohio, Lansing Grand River in Michigan and Bedford Casting Operations in Indiana — to prepare the facilities for future product programs.

GM also announced plans to align production output with demand for cars built at the Lordstown, Ohio, and Lansing Grand River, Mich., assembly plants. As the customer shift from cars to crossovers and trucks is projected to continue, GM will suspend the third shift of production at both facilities in the first quarter of 2017.

43% OF VETERANS WITH A SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY EMPLOYED
The employment-population ratio of veterans with a service-connected disability (43.3%) was lower than the employment-population ratio for veterans without a service-connected disability (49%), according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In August 2015, about 4.3 million veterans, or 20% of all veterans, had a service-connected disability. The employment-population ratio, or number of employed people as a percentage of the civilian non-institutional population age 18 and older, for all veterans was 47.8%. Gulf-War era II veterans, who served on active duty anywhere in the world sometime since September 2001, had an employment-population ratio of 77.9% in August 2015. Gulf War I veterans, who served during August 1990 to August 2001, had an employment-population ratio of 79%.

Veterans with a service-connected disability are assigned a disability rating by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Ratings range from zero to 100%, in increments of 10 percentage points, depending on the severity of the condition.