For the first time amid its build-up at Redstone Arsenal, the FBI said more than 4,000 jobs will be coming to Huntsville over the next eight to 10 years.

That echoes reporting by AL.com over the past two years about the growth of the nation's top domestic crime enforcement agency in the Rocket City.

The only statement the FBI has made so far about increase job numbers in Huntsville came in November 2018 when it announced that 1,350 jobs would be relocating from the Washington area to Huntsville.

That announcement nine months ago came from Robert Hamilton, senior executive at the FBI Redstone Arsenal, during the annual Redstone Arsenal Update. At the time Hamilton said he could not comment beyond his prepared remarks he made during his presentation.

At the time, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle told AL.com that the 1,350 jobs were just the first wave of what's expected to be 4,000 to 5,000 FBI jobs at the arsenal.

The FBI's elaboration this week on Redstone Arsenal came on its jobs website where it said it is currently hiring for "hundreds of new jobs" in Huntsville.

"The FBI expansion will ultimately include more than 4,000 jobs over eight to ten years, with a cross-section of employees — from Special Agents, Intelligence Analysts and professional staff to a number of operations support divisions," the FBI said on its jobs website. "Some of the jobs will be personnel and contractors moving from the Washington, D.C., capital region, but many will involve new hiring."

More information can be seen at fbijobs.gov/huntsville.

Among the jobs listed so far on the website are Management and Program Analyst, Instructional Systems Specialist, Supervisory Budget Analyst and Intelligence Analyst.

While the 4,000 jobs are not a new development, those estimates have come from officials in Huntsville and not the FBI.

AL.com reported more than two years ago that 4,000 FBI jobs were coming to Redstone Arsenal.

“It’s a slow but steady buildup of FBI presence here in Huntsville,” Battle told AL.com in a story that published March 18, 2017. “It’s great news for the arsenal, great news for the city. It just diversifies our portfolio we already have at Redstone Arsenal.”

Battle said at the time that U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama deserves immense credit for the FBI's growing presence on Redstone Arsenal.

"Richard Shelby has worked very hard to make sure this happens," Battle said.

Earlier this year, Shelby said the FBI could eventually make investments that could eventually reached $1 billion at Redstone Arsenal.

“I see a lot of growth here,” Shelby said in speaking to reporters in February following a speech in Huntsville. “I think it will be more than that down the road (referring 1,350 jobs announced in November 2018). But it’s step by step. Right now, you have a huge amount of construction going on for the FBI at Redstone. They think this is a great place. You’ve got the manpower here. You’ve got the brain trust and you’ve got the security of the arsenal.

“I’m bullish on the FBI here. I think it will be one of the biggest presences for the FBI outside of Washington.”

The FBI Operations Support Building is under construction on Redstone Arsenal and the FBI jobs website said that it is expected to be ready for occupation by early 2021.

The FBI already has a significant presence at Redstone Arsenal with its Hazardous Devices School and the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC).