The White House released a statement on Wednesday announcing President Joe Biden’s scheduled visit to the Yellowhammer State.
The 46th commander-in-chief will travel to Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations facility in Troy on May 3. Manufactured at the facility is the Javelin anti-tank missile, which is playing an instrumental role in Ukraine’s defense against the Russian onslaught on the Eastern European nation.
“The President will travel to Alabama to visit a Lockheed Martin facility which manufactures weapon systems such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, which the Biden-Harris Administration is providing Ukraine and which Ukrainians are using so effectively to defend against the Russian invasion,” the White House’s statement read.
Gov. Kay Ivey’s support of the industry’s role in bolstering Ukrainian defense operations made headlines in early March when she retweeted a story published by Yellowhammer News covering the arrival of Javelin missiles in Ukraine.
In the tweet, Ivey expressed her desire for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demise to come at the hands of the Alabama-manufactured weapon.
We want the last thing Putin ever reads to be “Made in Alabama.” https://t.co/pS8dUBaPk0
— Kay Ivey (@kayiveyforgov) March 2, 2022
The anti-armor weapon, a Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) product, is launched from the shoulder through a self-guiding system to engage its target.
Soon after the Ukrainians incorporated the Javelin into their defense arsenal, a report surfaced that said the Alabama-made weapon was “turning the Russian hunters into prey.” The Russians have yet to overthrow the Ukrainian government since the invasion began more than two months ago.
Biden’s scheduled appearance will mark the first time he has visited Alabama as president.
Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL
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