Reports of safety lapses and production hurdles have surfaced at **Anduril's** missile motor factory near the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. A young engineer suffered burns while assembling an electrical igniter, known as a "white hot," a crucial component in **Anduril's** missile program. The incident occurred before a job safety analysis was conducted, and the employee was not equipped with adequate protective gear. Local emergency services were not notified, and the injured engineer was driven to a hospital by his boss. The incident prompted a call for donations on social media to support the family during his recovery. This incident is among several safety concerns and project challenges uncovered by WIRED, based on interviews with 37 former and current employees and contractors. The sources, speaking anonymously, cited nondisclosure agreements and fear of retaliation. **Anduril** spokesperson **Shannon Prior** declined to address specific incidents, stating that responding to individual assertions would not address the underlying issues with the reporting process. She added that **Anduril** would correct any inaccuracies publicly. **Anduril's** leadership, similar to **Elon Musk** at **SpaceX**, aims to develop weapons faster and more efficiently than traditional defense contractors like **Lockheed Martin** and **Boeing**. However, some sources describe process dysfunction, management turnover, and intense deadline pressure. Others view these challenges as typical of a rapidly growing company.  **Anduril** products on display at headquarters in December 2023. **Anduril** has developed numerous prototype products and acquired multiple startups, backed by venture capital firms like **Peter Thiel's Founders Fund** and **Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital**, with over $6 billion in funding. This allows **Anduril** to pursue innovation without guaranteed customer contracts. Their annual R&D spending rivals that of established players like **Lockheed Martin**. Despite remaining unprofitable due to upfront investments, **Anduril** aims to double its valuation to $60 billion. The company has delivered various products, including uncrewed submarines, **Sentry** border surveillance towers, **Roadrunner** missiles, and drones. With factories, test sites, and offices across the US and abroad, **Anduril** is expanding rapidly. A billion-dollar R&D facility is planned near its Southern California headquarters, and a billion-dollar factory, Arsenal-1, is under construction in Ohio, expected to create 4,000 jobs. **Anduril** emphasizes a human-centric approach to production, avoiding extensive automation.  **Anduril** cofounder **Palmer Luckey** has stated that the company's uncrewed Fury fighter jet went from prototype contract to test flight faster than any fighter since the end of the Korean War. **Palmer Luckey**, the founder of **Anduril**, aims to transform the defense industry by building advanced technology at unprecedented speed.