A defense technology company focused on manufacturing rather than weaponry has closed one of the largest funding rounds in the sector. Hadrian announced Thursday that it raised $1.37 billion in fresh capital, pushing its valuation to $7.87 billion. Main Developments The round's lead investors include WCM Investment Management, Washington Harbour Partners, Valor Equity Partners, 137 Ventures, and Baillie Gifford. Additional participants span 1789 Capital, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Apollo-managed funds, T. Rowe Price, CapitalG, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, and Altimeter. This latest infusion builds on momentum from roughly a year ago, when Founders Fund and Lux led Hadrian's $260 million Series C. PitchBook estimates the defense startup has now accumulated about $2 billion in total funding. Read also: Why Bumble's Plans app signals the end of the swipe era Background Unlike many defense startups chasing AI-powered weapons, Hadrian pursues a different niche entirely. The company operates automated factories designed to mass-produce components for military vehicles already in service. That strategy expanded in March when Hadrian opened its fourth facility, located in Alabama, with a mandate to mass-produce submarine parts. The project was structured as a public/private partnership valued at $2.4 billion. Why It Matters The investment signals growing appetite for defense supply-chain modernization. Hadrian's approach tackles a chronic bottleneck: the slow, costly production of physical parts that existing military platforms depend on. With roughly $2 billion raised, the company is positioned to scale its automated manufacturing model across more facilities and vehicle categories, potentially reshaping how the military procures components. What's Next Hadrian's Alabama submarine-parts facility will ramp up operations under its multi-billion-dollar partnership agreement. The company's next moves likely involve additional facility openings and further expansion of its production capabilities, though specific plans were not disclosed in Thursday's announcement.