General Motors Co. is teaming up with Lockheed Martin as the top U.S. defense manufacturer works to triple or quadruple production in the next several years.

No specific projects or contracts have been finalized yet, officials from subsidiary GM Defense and Lockheed told reporters before announcing the formal partnership Tuesday at The Department at Hudson's during the Reindustrialize summit.

The goal is to use GM's expertise in supply chain, early stage digital design and commercial-scale production to quickly ramp up Lockheed manufacturing, Lockheed COO Frank St. John and GM Defense Vice President of strategy Bruce Brown told reporters.

“Working together, GM Defense and Lockheed will further strengthen American manufacturing and national defense by driving greater speed, efficiency, and innovation in the aerospace and defense sectors,” GM Defense President Steve duMont said in a statement. “Over the coming weeks, we will be working to identify initial projects to pursue together.”

The formal partnership between the two companies was spurred by a request for collaboration from the Pentagon, St. John and Brown said. Talks are now exclusively between the two companies.

The deal addresses efforts by the Trump administration to increase U.S. manufacturing and build up military supplies and equipment. Lockheed Martin is investing $9 billion in 20 facilities in an effort to increase its manufacturing capacity to meet demand from the U.S. government, St. John said.

GM is not planning any additional large-scale investments as part of its work with Lockheed, Brown said.

The Pentagon earlier this year spoke with Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley and General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra about upping the Michigan automakers' role in U.S. defense manufacturing.

Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine has strained American resources as Congress, under the Biden and Trump administrations, has passed military aid packages to assist Ukraine. The Iran war strained resources further.

Even before the United States and Israel began their war with Iran in February, policymakers have been concerned about a dwindling weapons stockpile and defense production capacity that has not kept pace with recent demands.

GM Defense has partnered with the U.S. government previously.

The U.S. State Department in 2023 awarded GM Defense a 10-year contract for the next-generation heavy-duty, armored sport utility vehicles to support the Diplomatic Security Service.

NASA last month announced GM will help develop batteries for new manned rovers to be driven by NASA astronauts on the moon.

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