Rafael Systems Global Sustainment (RSGS), a U.S. proxy company and authorized broker for Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, proudly announces the opening of its new office in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The new facility will serve as the company’s Michigan technology and management headquarters focused on ground vehicle related business. This expansion represents a major milestone in RSGS’s commitment to supporting government and industry partners, while actively contributing to Michigan’s thriving defense community.
“This new facility underscores our commitment to supporting our U.S. customers with greater proximity, responsiveness, and innovation,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Joe Anderson, president of RSGS. “We are proud to strengthen our footprint in a region that is vital to national security and defense advancement.”
Strategically located at the Velocity Center, in the heart of the Michigan defense corridor, the new office will serve as a hub for collaboration with government customers, prime contractors, and industry partners. The decision to locate at Velocity was due in large part to Velocity’s designation as a Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) SmartZone and the site of the Macomb County International Landing Zone (ILZ).
As a SmartZone, Velocity serves as an innovation hub for technology-based businesses, entrepreneurs, and researchers, particularly those in the high-tech and advanced manufacturing sectors, with a focus on the defense sector. As a SmartZone location, Velocity works to provide a collaborative environment where businesses can access resources, network, and connect with industry leaders and investors in an effort to increase jobs and support technology-related business investments within the region.
The ILZ program helps Velocity provide businesses, especially international ones like RSGS, with a "soft landing" to establish a presence in Southeast Michigan, offering benefits like free office space, access to business acceleration programs, and professional services consultations like legal and accounting. The ILZ also provides RSGS access to various resources, including the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation (ODAI) and the MEDC.
“This launch is about more than a new building—it’s about long-term investment in American capability,” added Marc Shepard, vice president and general manager. “We’re building sovereign U.S. operations that allow us to be agile, integrated, and fully aligned with national priorities.”
The leadership behind this initiative includes a distinguished team with decades of defense experience. As president, Anderson, brings deep strategic insight and leadership honed across a decorated military career. Shepard will lead the operational execution and strategic direction of RSGS’s Michigan business units. Dr. Melanie Stager, RSGS program and capture director, is instrumental in regional engagement and will help bridge defense innovation with workforce and educational partnerships in Michigan.
The new Michigan facility will enable RSGS to expand its presence in the state’s key defense corridor, support a fully sovereign U.S. operation, generate local employment opportunities and demonstrate its long-term commitment to the defense sector. Being situated at Velocity in Sterling Heights -- the epicenter of Michigan’s defense corridor -- will also allow RSGS to scale resources to better meet customer requirements like greater accessibility for customer engagement and on-site support, improved operational responsiveness and a professional environment that reflects RSGS’s values of innovation, service and excellence.
“As we grow, we are deeply focused on contributing to the economic and strategic vitality of this region,” said Stager. “This office is both a physical and symbolic investment in the future of defense in Michigan.”
RSGS is committed to being an active and valued member of the Michigan community. The new facility will allow RSGS to collaborate with defense associations like National Defense Industry Association (NDIA) Michigan, Women in Defense, Association of the United States Army (AUSA), MEDC and Michigan’s ODAI. The company plans to leverage these partnerships to offer internship and training programs to prepare Michigan students for careers in defense technology as well as support local initiatives and co-invest in regional business growth.
“We are pleased to welcome RSGS into the Michigan ecosystem and look forward to partnering with them further,” said Jeanne Schabath-Lewis, stakeholder engagement director for the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation. “They are going to be a great asset for the defense community in Macomb County.”
“RSGS’s decision to invest in Michigan is a powerful endorsement of our defense innovation ecosystem,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. “We look forward to working together to help create high-skill jobs and expand opportunities across the region.”