Berkeley Means Business

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Monday, March 2, 2026) – Berkeley County Economic Development will host a workshop to help small businesses become certified to compete for government contracts. The workshop, Government Contracting 101, will be held Thursday, March 12, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Berkeley County Administration Building, located at 1003 Highway 52 in Moncks Corner.

Small business owners interested in working with the federal government, military, the state of South Carolina, and other government entities throughout the state are encouraged to attend this FREE workshop. Register HERE.

Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the following organizations will be on site:

•  Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center and Women’s Business Center

• Veterans Business Outreach Center

• APEX Accelerators

• South Carolina Small Business Development Center

• SC Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement

Business owners can use the SBA’s Size Standards Tool to check if they qualify as a “small business.” Learn more about the SBA’s federal contracting assistance programs at sba.gov/federal-contracting/contracting-guide.

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community, bringing people together and creating opportunities for our neighbors, families, and friends. We are excited about this new initiative to support small business owners and help them thrive in Berkeley County.” – John O. Williams, Berkeley County Economic Development Director

“Our partnership with Berkeley County reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the local small business ecosystem. By helping business owners better understand the contracting process, we are opening doors to new opportunities that support business expansion, job creation, and long-term economic growth in our communities.” – Melissa Lindler, SBA South Carolina District Office

For questions about the workshop, contact Berkeley County Small Business Manager Diamond Curry at vog.csytnuocyelekrebobfsctd@yrruC.dnomaiD.

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-Prepared by the Berkeley County Public Information Office

ARLINGTON, Va. – Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) today announced the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art naval power and propulsion manufacturing and testing facility in the Charleston, South Carolina region. The more than 140,000-square-foot facility is a major investment to expand domestic production capacity in support of U.S. Navy submarine and shipbuilding programs, including systems for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program.

The purpose-built facility provides advanced manufacturing, final assembly, integration, and testing space dedicated to large components for Leonardo DRS’s naval electric power and propulsion systems. In addition to electric propulsion and power generation systems, the site supports naval steam turbine system design, manufacturing, and testing.

“This strategic investment is a national asset and represents our commitment to supporting the U.S. Navy’s efforts to increase production capacity across the submarine and shipbuilding industrial base,” said Jon Miller, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS Naval Power Systems business unit. “This advanced multi-purpose facility enables us to increase production capacity, streamline our production processes, and rapidly respond to evolving fleet requirements.”

John Baylouny, president and CEO of Leonardo DRS, added: “The Department of War has been clear about the need to strengthen and expand the defense industrial base, and this investment answers that call. By increasing capacity and modernizing our manufacturing infrastructure, we are ensuring the U.S. military has reliable access to the critical capabilities it needs, when and where they are needed.”

As the Navy fields more power-intensive weapons, sensors, and computing systems, scalable integrated power architectures are essential to mission success. The Charleston facility positions Leonardo DRS to deliver those architectures at scale and with the schedule reliability required for next-generation surface combatants and submarines.

Leonardo DRS designs and delivers advanced power and propulsion solutions engineered for the world’s most demanding maritime and battlefield environments. Our technologies enable the U.S. Navy and allied forces to support advanced sensors, directed-energy systems, high-performance computing, and propulsion across surface ships, submarines, and ground platforms. From Columbia-class submarine power and propulsion systems to hybrid electric drive and onboard power solutions, Leonardo DRS is designing and delivering proven, reliable, and cost-effective capabilities backed by decades of operational performance.

About Leonardo DRS

Leonardo DRS Inc. (Nasdaq: DRS) is at the forefront of developing transformative defense technologies using its proven agility and delivering innovative solutions for U.S. national security customers and allies worldwide. We specialize in rapidly providing high-performance, multi-domain capabilities across next-generation advanced sensing, network computing, force protection, and electric power and propulsion. Our reputation as a trusted provider is built on a continuous focus on practical innovation, delivering quality, and meeting our customers’ most demanding mission requirements. For further information on our complete range of capabilities, visit www.LeonardoDRS.com.