OSHKOSH – The Pentagon’s top official is scheduled to visit Oshkosh as part of a national tour focused on U.S. defense manufacturing.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to deliver remarks Aug. 24 to workers and leaders at Oshkosh Corp. during his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour, according to a U.S. Department of War advisory.
The advisory said Hegseth will travel to Omaha, Nebraska, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with the Oshkosh stop focused on “revitalizing America’s manufacturing might” and strengthening the defense industrial base.
“The tour’s message will emphasize that our national security and the peace of the world move at the speed of our Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and rely on the hard work of our American workforce,” the department wrote in a statement to the press.
“American manufacturing is the bedrock of American strength,” the release added. “The men and women fueling this work are on the frontlines, alongside our warfighters, furthering the nation’s efforts every day they show up to work.”
The U.S. Department of War confirmed Hegseth’s visit after multiple sources previously informed the Northwestern that a top Pentagon official was scheduled to visit the facility at West Waukau Avenue.
According to those sources, Hegseth will arrive at Oshkosh Corp.’s hangar at Wittman Regional Airport and will be greeted by a brief rally before making his way over to the plant to speak to factory workers and see Oshkosh Defense’s production capabilities.
Several black SUVs were seen driving into the facility Aug. 20 to prepare for Hegseth’s arrival.
What is the Arsenal of Freedom tour?
The Oshkosh Defense visit is just the latest stop on a multiweek, nationwide “Arsenal of Freedom” campaign, which will also feature a stopover in Omaha, Nebraska.
The tour is said to “champion a new approach to defense acquisition” by prioritizing speed, innovation and a “commercial-first” mindset.
“The goal is to create a defense ecosystem that is more agile and accountable, capable of delivering the tools our warfighters need, when they need them,” the department wrote in the release.
“This includes cutting bureaucratic red tape, empowering program leaders, and providing the stable, long-term contracts necessary for industry to invest and expand,” the release added.
Why is Hegseth visiting Oshkosh Defense?
Oshkosh Defense’s inclusion on the tour comes as no surprise considering the vehicle manufacturer has a number of active contracts with the U.S. military, including a $1.54 from the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal awarded in 2024.
Oshkosh Defense also has a nearly $17 million contract for Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires) carriers to be used for the Navy and Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System.
In June, the U.S. Marine Corps was seeking input for a potential second supplier of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles amidst reports of delivery delays from AM General — the company Oshkosh Defense lost the original contract to in 2023.
Oshkosh Defense won the initial bid to produce 16,901 JLTVs for the Army and Marine Corps in 2015 for $6.7 billion before AM General was awarded the follow-on contract eight years later.
Oshkosh has hosted past defense leaders
Hegseth isn’t the first top-ranking Pentagon official to visit Oshkosh Defense.
Robert Gates, who served as defense secretary during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations, toured Oshkosh Defense’s Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle production facility in 2009.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Pete Hegseth bringing Pentagon tour to Oshkosh Corp. Monday
Reporting by Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Justin Marville, Oshkosh Northwestern | USA TODAY Network
