Shannon, Mississippi - Defense contractor General Atomics has broken ground on a 50,000-square-foot expansion at its plant in Shannon.

The Shannon operation is part of San Diego, Calif.-based GA's Electromagnetic Systems Division. The plant assembles and tests the majority of the GA's aircraft carrier launcher systems.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday.

Twenty new jobs will be created with the expansion.

The Shannon plant also provides logistics and depot-level support for the U.S. Navy's Gerald R. Ford aircraft carriers.

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