GM
LMT
New deal, same factory, different payload
General Motors is reportedly in talks with Lockheed Martin to manufacture parts for weaponry. Translation: the company that gives you pickups and SUVs may also want a seat at the Pentagon table. Because apparently even carmakers are looking at defense spending and thinking, yeah, that looks steadier than selling another crossover.
Why GM is doing this
The backdrop here is pretty simple: defense contractors want more production capacity, and automakers have it. With car sales softening in some markets, GM’s manufacturing footprint could be more useful making components for munitions than idling around waiting for the next Silverado refresh. GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, has also reportedly been talking with Trump administration officials about a bigger military role for the company.
Lockheed gets a manufacturing ally
Lockheed Martin is already busy expanding output, and the report says the two companies haven’t even pinned down the exact parts yet. But the logic is obvious: if demand is high and capacity is tight, you bring in more hands. The Pentagon has been pushing for faster production as conflicts in Ukraine and Iran strain weapons inventories, so this isn’t coming out of nowhere.
Big picture: defense is becoming the new side hustle
This would fit a broader trend of automakers dipping into defense work as they hunt for new revenue streams. Ford is reportedly in similar talks, and Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have also been floated as examples of car companies with underused industrial muscle. If GM pulls this off, it’s less about becoming a weapons company overnight and more about monetizing its factories in a world where everyone wants more supply, yesterday.