diff --git a/.github/workflows/jenkins-agent-image-factory.yml b/.github/workflows/jenkins-agent-image-factory.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd213c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/jenkins-agent-image-factory.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+name: jenkins-agent image factory
+
+# Bake -> smoke -> promote the Tier-A agent AMIs (strategy layer 1). PR runs
+# validate templates with no AWS access; the bake job is manual dispatch first
+# (weekly cron follows once the pxb canary proves the images). Promotion is a
+# role-tag flip, so consumers never resolve an unsmoked image.
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - 'images/jenkins-agent/**'
+      - '.github/workflows/jenkins-agent-image-factory.yml'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      arches:
+        description: JSON list of arches to bake
+        default: '["arm64","x86_64"]'
+
+env:
+  AGENT_FACTORY_REGION: eu-central-1
+  PACKER_VERSION: 1.15.4
+
+jobs:
+  # No-AWS gate: malformed templates or scripts fail here before any EC2 spins
+  # up. No id-token, so this job can never assume the factory role.
+  validate:
+    name: Validate templates (no AWS)
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4.3.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - uses: hashicorp/setup-packer@1aa358be5cf73883762b302a3a03abd66e75b232 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          version: ${{ env.PACKER_VERSION }}
+      - name: fmt + validate (both arches)
+        working-directory: images/jenkins-agent
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          packer fmt -check -recursive .
+          for arch in arm64 x86_64; do
+            packer init .
+            packer validate -var arch="$arch" .
+            packer init smoke
+            packer validate -var candidate_ami=ami-000000000000000ff -var arch="$arch" smoke
+          done
+      - name: shellcheck provisioners + smoke
+        run: shellcheck images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/*.sh images/jenkins-agent/smoke/*.sh
+
+  bake:
+    name: Bake + smoke + promote (${{ matrix.arch }})
+    if: github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch'
+    needs: validate
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    # Stays under the OIDC role's one-hour session: credentials do not refresh
+    # mid-job, so a run that would exceed the session must fail early instead
+    # of losing AWS access halfway through cleanup or promotion.
+    timeout-minutes: 55
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        arch: ${{ fromJSON(github.event.inputs.arches || '["arm64","x86_64"]') }}
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      id-token: write
+    # matrix.arch flows through env, never inline in run blocks, so the
+    # dispatch-controlled value cannot inject into the shell (zizmor).
+    env:
+      ARCH: ${{ matrix.arch }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4.3.1
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+      - uses: hashicorp/setup-packer@1aa358be5cf73883762b302a3a03abd66e75b232 # v3.1.0
+        with:
+          version: ${{ env.PACKER_VERSION }}
+      - uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@7474bc4690e29a8392af63c5b98e7449536d5c3a # v4.3.1
+        with:
+          role-to-assume: ${{ secrets.AGENT_FACTORY_ROLE_ARN }}
+          aws-region: ${{ env.AGENT_FACTORY_REGION }}
+
+      - name: Bake candidate
+        id: bake
+        working-directory: images/jenkins-agent
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          packer init .
+          packer build -color=false -var arch="$ARCH" -var region="$AGENT_FACTORY_REGION" .
+          ami=$(jq -r '.builds[-1].artifact_id | split(":")[1]' manifest.json)
+          if [ -z "$ami" ] || [ "$ami" = "null" ]; then
+            echo "FATAL: no AMI id in packer manifest"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          arch_tag=$(aws ec2 describe-images --region "$AGENT_FACTORY_REGION" --image-ids "$ami" \
+            --query "Images[0].Tags[?Key=='arch']|[0].Value" --output text)
+          if [ "$arch_tag" != "$ARCH" ]; then
+            echo "FATAL: manifest AMI $ami carries arch=$arch_tag, expected $ARCH"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "ami=$ami" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          echo "- bake ($ARCH): $ami" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+      - name: Smoke (fresh boot + assertions, no by-product AMI)
+        working-directory: images/jenkins-agent
+        env:
+          AMI: ${{ steps.bake.outputs.ami }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          packer init smoke
+          packer build -color=false -var candidate_ami="$AMI" -var arch="$ARCH" -var region="$AGENT_FACTORY_REGION" smoke
+          echo "- smoke ($ARCH): pass" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+      - name: Promote (role tag flip)
+        id: promote
+        env:
+          AMI: ${{ steps.bake.outputs.ami }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          for attempt in 1 2 3 4 5; do
+            aws ec2 create-tags --region "$AGENT_FACTORY_REGION" --resources "$AMI" \
+              --tags Key=role,Value=jenkins-agent Key=smoke,Value=passed && { echo "promoted $AMI"; break; }
+            [ "$attempt" = 5 ] && { echo "- promote ($ARCH): FAILED ($AMI left as candidate)" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"; exit 1; }
+            sleep $((attempt * 5))
+          done
+          echo "- promote ($ARCH): $AMI is role=jenkins-agent" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
+
+      # A candidate that exists but never promoted (smoke failure, cancellation,
+      # parse failure) must not linger: deregister it with its snapshots.
+      - name: Cleanup unpromoted candidate
+        if: always() && steps.bake.outputs.ami != '' && steps.promote.outcome != 'success'
+        env:
+          AMI: ${{ steps.bake.outputs.ami }}
+        run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+          echo "cleaning up unpromoted candidate $AMI"
+          aws ec2 deregister-image --region "$AGENT_FACTORY_REGION" --image-id "$AMI" --delete-associated-snapshots
+          echo "- cleanup ($ARCH): unpromoted candidate $AMI deregistered" >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/README.md b/images/jenkins-agent/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0722d4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+# Jenkins agent-image factory
+
+Packer factory for the worker **agent AMIs** (strategy layer 1): one baked
+image per (os, arch, capability profile) carrying the fleet-common payload
+every worker label family installs at boot today. Baking removes the measured
+multi-minute per-launch setup and the boot-time network dependencies.
+
+First delivered images: `jenkins-agent-al2023-{x86_64,arm64}`. The arm64
+profile bakes qemu user-mode emulation (persistent binfmt via systemd) so
+x86_64-only containers run on Graviton workers.
+
+## Layout (extension recipe)
+
+| Path | Role |
+|------|------|
+| `agent.pkr.hcl` | The single parameterized template. New (os, arch) combos extend variables, never copy the file |
+| `provisioners/00-common.sh` | Fleet-common payload (java, git, docker, awscli, archive tools) |
+| `provisioners/10-qemu-binfmt.sh` | arm64 capability profile: digest-pinned qemu + persistent binfmt. Self-guards on arch |
+| `smoke/` | Fresh-boot assertion build. A candidate promotes only after this passes |
+| `justfile` | Local recipes mirroring the workflow: `fmt-check`, `validate`, `bake`, `smoke`, `promote`, `list` |
+
+To add an image family: add a provisioner script (numbered, self-guarded),
+extend the smoke assertions, and if a new OS is involved add its base-AMI SSM
+parameter mapping in `agent.pkr.hcl`. The workflow matrix picks it up via the
+`arches`/vars inputs.
+
+## Lifecycle
+
+Bake (candidate, `role=jenkins-agent-candidate`) -> fresh-boot smoke ->
+promote (`role=jenkins-agent` + `smoke=passed` tag flip). Failed smokes
+deregister the candidate; consumers resolving by role never see an unsmoked
+image. Superseded images age out via native EC2 image deprecation; pruning
+follows the fail-safe rails of the ppg factory prune (keep >= 2, protected
+roles, loud no-op).
+
+## Consumption
+
+Worker fleets consume committed per-region literal AMI ids (ADR 0029), bumped
+by PR after promotion. The Graviton fleets (`modules/jenkins-arm-fleet`)
+currently resolve the latest Amazon Linux 2 arm64 dynamically; adopting a
+baked image means passing `ami_id` explicitly per fleet, starting with a pxb
+canary, and slimming the boot user data to the instance-shape-specific steps
+(ephemeral /mnt mount, docker data-root) that stay out of the bake.
+
+## Roadmap
+
+- Per-region `copy-image` + per-region smoke before multi-region adoption
+  (the factory bakes in one region; consumer fleets span five).
+- Weekly refresh cron once the pxb canary proves the images.
+- Hetzner snapshots via the `hcloud` builder in this same directory.
+- Rocky/native-OS `min-*` profiles ride existing demand.
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/agent.pkr.hcl b/images/jenkins-agent/agent.pkr.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e31c64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/agent.pkr.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+packer {
+  required_plugins {
+    amazon = {
+      source  = "github.com/hashicorp/amazon"
+      version = "= 1.8.2"
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+# Parameterized Jenkins agent-image factory (strategy layer 1). One template
+# serves every (os, arch, profile) combo; the first delivered images are
+# jenkins-agent-al2023-{x86_64,arm64}, the arm64 profile carrying baked qemu
+# user-mode emulation. Extend by adding an os/arch value plus a provisioner,
+# not by copying the template.
+
+variable "region" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "eu-central-1"
+}
+
+variable "os_name" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "al2023"
+}
+
+variable "arch" {
+  type = string
+  validation {
+    condition     = contains(["x86_64", "arm64"], var.arch)
+    error_message = "The arch value must be x86_64 or arm64."
+  }
+}
+
+variable "builder_instance_profile" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-builder-ssm"
+}
+
+variable "builder_sg_name" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-factory-builder"
+}
+
+variable "billing_tag" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-factory"
+}
+
+locals {
+  timestamp     = regex_replace(timestamp(), "[- TZ:]", "")
+  image_name    = "jenkins-agent-${var.os_name}-${var.arch}-${local.timestamp}"
+  instance_type = var.arch == "arm64" ? "c7g.large" : "c6i.large"
+
+  # Standard (not minimal) AL2023: the SSM agent ships preinstalled, which the
+  # session_manager communicator and the fleet's shell access both rely on.
+  base_ami_param = "/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/al2023-ami-kernel-default-${var.arch}"
+
+  common_tags = {
+    Name              = local.image_name
+    role              = "jenkins-agent-candidate"
+    os                = var.os_name
+    arch              = var.arch
+    source            = "factory"
+    "iit-billing-tag" = var.billing_tag
+  }
+}
+
+data "amazon-parameterstore" "base_ami" {
+  region = var.region
+  name   = local.base_ami_param
+}
+
+source "amazon-ebs" "agent" {
+  region        = var.region
+  source_ami    = data.amazon-parameterstore.base_ami.value
+  instance_type = local.instance_type
+  ami_name      = local.image_name
+
+  # SSM-only builder: no inbound SSH, the pre-created egress-only SG disables
+  # Packer's temporary SG and the OIDC role carries no SG mutations.
+  communicator         = "ssh"
+  ssh_username         = "ec2-user"
+  ssh_interface        = "session_manager"
+  iam_instance_profile = var.builder_instance_profile
+
+  security_group_filter {
+    filters = {
+      "group-name" = var.builder_sg_name
+    }
+  }
+
+  launch_block_device_mappings {
+    device_name           = "/dev/xvda"
+    volume_size           = 20
+    volume_type           = "gp3"
+    delete_on_termination = true
+  }
+
+  run_tags      = merge(local.common_tags, { Name = "${local.image_name}-builder" })
+  tags          = local.common_tags
+  snapshot_tags = local.common_tags
+}
+
+build {
+  sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.agent"]
+
+  # 10-qemu-binfmt self-guards on uname and no-ops on x86_64 builders, so the
+  # provisioner list stays arch-agnostic.
+  provisioner "shell" {
+    scripts = [
+      "provisioners/00-common.sh",
+      "provisioners/10-qemu-binfmt.sh",
+    ]
+  }
+
+  # The workflow reads the AMI id from here, never from human-readable output.
+  post-processor "manifest" {
+    output = "manifest.json"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/justfile b/images/jenkins-agent/justfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a041b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/justfile
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# Jenkins agent-image factory. Bake/smoke/promote one (os, arch) combo at a
+# time; the GHA workflow drives the same recipes. Promotion is a role-tag flip
+# (candidate -> jenkins-agent) so consumers resolving by tag never see an
+# unsmoked image. Worker clouds consume committed per-region literal AMI ids
+# (ADR 0029), bumped by PR after promotion.
+
+region  := env_var_or_default("AGENT_FACTORY_REGION", "eu-central-1")
+profile := env_var_or_default("AWS_PROFILE", "")
+
+_aws_profile_args := if profile == "" { "" } else { "--profile " + profile }
+
+default:
+    @just --list
+
+fmt-check:
+    packer fmt -check -recursive .
+
+validate arch="arm64":
+    packer init .
+    packer validate -var arch={{arch}} -var region={{region}} .
+    packer init smoke
+    packer validate -var candidate_ami=ami-000000000000000ff -var arch={{arch}} -var region={{region}} smoke
+
+# Bake one candidate AMI. Output ends with the ami id (packer manifest).
+bake arch="arm64":
+    packer init .
+    packer build -color=false -var arch={{arch}} -var region={{region}} .
+
+# Boot + assert a candidate (skip_create_ami: no by-product AMI to clean up).
+smoke candidate_ami arch="arm64":
+    packer init smoke
+    packer build -color=false -var candidate_ami={{candidate_ami}} -var arch={{arch}} -var region={{region}} smoke
+
+# Promote a smoked candidate: role tag flip + smoke marker.
+promote candidate_ami:
+    aws ec2 create-tags {{_aws_profile_args}} --region {{region}} --resources {{candidate_ami}} \
+      --tags Key=role,Value=jenkins-agent Key=smoke,Value=passed
+
+# Current agent images, newest first.
+list:
+    aws ec2 describe-images {{_aws_profile_args}} --region {{region}} --owners self --include-deprecated \
+      --filters Name=tag:role,Values=jenkins-agent \
+      --query 'reverse(sort_by(Images,&CreationDate))[].[ImageId,Name,Tags[?Key==`arch`]|[0].Value]' --output table
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/00-common.sh b/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/00-common.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7348c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/00-common.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Fleet-common agent payload: everything every worker label family installs at
+# boot today (the 2.5-8 min per-launch setup this factory removes). Baked once
+# per (os, arch); instance-shape-specific steps (ephemeral-disk mkfs/mount) and
+# env-specific ones (/etc/hosts entries, Jenkins remoting) stay in the
+# now-minimal boot initScript.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+sudo dnf -y -q update
+
+# file(1) is load-bearing for 10-qemu-binfmt.sh's BuildID verification.
+sudo dnf -y -q install \
+  java-17-amazon-corretto-headless \
+  git \
+  docker \
+  awscli-2 \
+  file \
+  tar \
+  unzip \
+  p7zip
+
+sudo systemctl enable docker
+sudo systemctl start docker
+
+# Workers run builds as ec2-user via the Jenkins agent: docker group membership
+# replaces the per-boot usermod the initScript does today.
+sudo usermod -aG docker ec2-user
+
+java -version 2>&1 | head -1
+git --version
+docker --version
+aws --version
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/10-qemu-binfmt.sh b/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/10-qemu-binfmt.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..659e3db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/provisioners/10-qemu-binfmt.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# arm64 capability profile: bake qemu user-mode emulation so x86_64-only
+# containers (the PXB Minio/Vault/KMIP test helpers) run on Graviton workers.
+# AL2023 does not package qemu-user-static, so the static binary comes from
+# the Percona ECR Public mirror of tonistiigi/binfmt, pinned by index digest
+# and by the extracted binary's BuildID.
+#
+# Registration is PERSISTENT: /etc/binfmt.d + systemd-binfmt, not a boot-time
+# /proc write. The F (fix-binary) flag loads the interpreter at registration
+# so containers can exec it without the binary existing in their filesystem.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+readonly QEMU_IMAGE="public.ecr.aws/e7j3v3n0/qemu-binfmt@sha256:d3b963f787999e6c0219a48dba02978769286ff61a5f4d26245cb6a6e5567ea3"
+readonly QEMU_BUILD_ID="3ce82273ab59ab77b04b0bee9060c5b194769f4c"
+readonly QEMU_BIN="/usr/local/bin/qemu-x86_64"
+
+if [[ "$(uname -m)" != "aarch64" ]]; then
+  echo "10-qemu-binfmt: x86_64 host, nothing to do"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+# Bounded retry: a bake must fail loudly, never hang on a throttled pull.
+for attempt in 1 2 3 4 5; do
+  if sudo docker pull --platform linux/arm64 "${QEMU_IMAGE}" >/dev/null; then
+    break
+  fi
+
+  if [[ "${attempt}" -eq 5 ]]; then
+    echo "FATAL: qemu image pull failed after ${attempt} attempts" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  sleep $((attempt * 10))
+done
+
+container_id="$(sudo docker create --platform linux/arm64 "${QEMU_IMAGE}")"
+sudo docker cp "${container_id}:/usr/bin/qemu-x86_64" "${QEMU_BIN}"
+sudo docker rm -f "${container_id}" >/dev/null
+sudo chmod 0755 "${QEMU_BIN}"
+
+# file(1) is installed by 00-common.sh: without it this check can never match
+# and a healthy binary would be rejected.
+if ! file "${QEMU_BIN}" | grep -Fq "BuildID[sha1]=${QEMU_BUILD_ID}"; then
+  echo "FATAL: ${QEMU_BIN} BuildID mismatch (expected ${QEMU_BUILD_ID})" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# printf, never echo: the magic contains NUL escapes that echo can truncate.
+printf '%s\n' ':qemu-x86_64:M::\x7fELF\x02\x01\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x02\x00\x3e\x00:\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfe\xfe\x00\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xff\xfe\xff\xff\xff:/usr/local/bin/qemu-x86_64:POCF' \
+  | sudo tee /etc/binfmt.d/qemu-x86_64.conf >/dev/null
+
+sudo systemctl enable systemd-binfmt.service
+sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt.service
+
+if [[ ! -e /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/qemu-x86_64 ]]; then
+  echo "FATAL: binfmt registration missing after systemd-binfmt restart" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+emulated_arch="$(sudo docker run --rm --platform linux/amd64 public.ecr.aws/amazonlinux/amazonlinux:2023 uname -m)"
+
+if [[ "${emulated_arch}" != "x86_64" ]]; then
+  echo "FATAL: emulation check returned ${emulated_arch}, expected x86_64" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "10-qemu-binfmt: qemu ${QEMU_BUILD_ID} registered, x86_64 emulation verified"
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/smoke.pkr.hcl b/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/smoke.pkr.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..290d9ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/smoke.pkr.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+packer {
+  required_plugins {
+    amazon = {
+      source  = "github.com/hashicorp/amazon"
+      version = "= 1.8.2"
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+# Fresh-boot smoke for an agent AMI candidate: boots the candidate, asserts the
+# baked payload, and for arm64 proves x86_64 emulation end-to-end. A candidate
+# is promoted (role tag flip) only after this build succeeds. skip_create_ami
+# means only the boot + assertions matter, no by-product AMI exists, and
+# concurrent matrix jobs cannot race on cleanup.
+
+variable "candidate_ami" {
+  type = string
+}
+
+variable "arch" {
+  type = string
+}
+
+variable "region" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "eu-central-1"
+}
+
+variable "builder_instance_profile" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-builder-ssm"
+}
+
+variable "builder_sg_name" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-factory-builder"
+}
+
+variable "billing_tag" {
+  type    = string
+  default = "jenkins-agent-factory"
+}
+
+locals {
+  timestamp     = regex_replace(timestamp(), "[- TZ:]", "")
+  instance_type = var.arch == "arm64" ? "c7g.large" : "c6i.large"
+}
+
+source "amazon-ebs" "smoke" {
+  region          = var.region
+  source_ami      = var.candidate_ami
+  instance_type   = local.instance_type
+  ami_name        = "jenkins-agent-smoke-discard-${local.timestamp}"
+  skip_create_ami = true
+
+  communicator         = "ssh"
+  ssh_username         = "ec2-user"
+  ssh_interface        = "session_manager"
+  iam_instance_profile = var.builder_instance_profile
+
+  security_group_filter {
+    filters = {
+      "group-name" = var.builder_sg_name
+    }
+  }
+
+  run_tags = {
+    Name              = "jenkins-agent-smoke-${local.timestamp}"
+    "iit-billing-tag" = var.billing_tag
+  }
+}
+
+build {
+  sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.smoke"]
+
+  provisioner "shell" {
+    env = {
+      SMOKE_ARCH = var.arch
+    }
+    script = "smoke/verify.sh"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/verify.sh b/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/verify.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f495d14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/images/jenkins-agent/smoke/verify.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Assertion-only smoke payload, run on a fresh boot of the candidate AMI.
+# Every check mirrors something a worker label family does on its first
+# build: toolchain presence, a working docker daemon, and (arm64) x86_64
+# emulation surviving a reboot cycle via systemd-binfmt.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+for tool in java git docker aws file tar unzip 7za; do
+  command -v "${tool}" >/dev/null || { echo "FATAL: ${tool} missing" >&2; exit 1; }
+done
+
+sudo systemctl is-enabled docker >/dev/null
+sudo systemctl is-active docker >/dev/null
+
+sudo docker run --rm public.ecr.aws/amazonlinux/amazonlinux:2023 true
+
+if [[ "${SMOKE_ARCH:?}" == "arm64" ]]; then
+  [[ -e /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/qemu-x86_64 ]] || { echo "FATAL: binfmt registration absent on fresh boot" >&2; exit 1; }
+
+  emulated_arch="$(sudo docker run --rm --platform linux/amd64 public.ecr.aws/amazonlinux/amazonlinux:2023 uname -m)"
+
+  if [[ "${emulated_arch}" != "x86_64" ]]; then
+    echo "FATAL: emulation returned ${emulated_arch}, expected x86_64" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+
+echo "smoke: all assertions passed (${SMOKE_ARCH})"
diff --git a/terraform/iam-gha-agent-image-factory.tf b/terraform/iam-gha-agent-image-factory.tf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9aaece2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/terraform/iam-gha-agent-image-factory.tf
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+# Owner: platform
+#
+# AWS resources for the Jenkins agent-image factory: the GitHub Actions OIDC
+# role, the SSM builder instance profile, and the egress-only builder security
+# group. Consumed by .github/workflows/jenkins-agent-image-factory.yml in THIS
+# repository, which bakes the Tier-A worker agent AMIs
+# (jenkins-agent-<os>-<arch>) with Packer over SSM Session Manager.
+#
+# A parameterized sibling of iam-gha-ppg-ami-factory.tf: same trust shape
+# (federated OIDC, StringEquals aud + sub via ./modules/github-oidc-role, no
+# wildcards), same no-static-keys, no-inbound-SSH builder posture, its own
+# subject (this repo), billing tag, and region.
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Builder SSM instance profile (Packer builder + smoke instance run with this)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "agent_image_builder_trust" {
+  statement {
+    effect  = "Allow"
+    actions = ["sts:AssumeRole"]
+    principals {
+      type        = "Service"
+      identifiers = ["ec2.amazonaws.com"]
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_role" "agent_image_builder_ssm" {
+  name               = "jenkins-agent-builder-ssm"
+  description        = "Builder + smoke instance profile so Packer/smoke connect over SSM Session Manager (no inbound SSH)."
+  assume_role_policy = data.aws_iam_policy_document.agent_image_builder_trust.json
+  tags               = local.tags
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_role_policy_attachment" "agent_image_builder_ssm_core" {
+  role       = aws_iam_role.agent_image_builder_ssm.name
+  policy_arn = "arn:aws:iam::aws:policy/AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore"
+}
+
+resource "aws_iam_instance_profile" "agent_image_builder_ssm" {
+  name = "jenkins-agent-builder-ssm"
+  role = aws_iam_role.agent_image_builder_ssm.name
+  tags = local.tags
+}
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# No-ingress security group for the Packer builder + smoke instance. Session
+# Manager needs no inbound rule; supplying this SG to Packer disables its
+# temporary SG, so the OIDC role carries no SG mutations at all.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+data "aws_vpc" "agent_image_factory_default" {
+  provider = aws.eu-central-1
+  default  = true
+}
+
+resource "aws_security_group" "agent_image_builder" {
+  provider    = aws.eu-central-1
+  name        = "jenkins-agent-factory-builder"
+  description = "Egress-only SG for the Packer agent-AMI builder + smoke instance (SSM Session Manager, no inbound)."
+  vpc_id      = data.aws_vpc.agent_image_factory_default.id
+
+  egress {
+    description = "All egress (SSM endpoints, AL repos, ECR Public over 443)."
+    from_port   = 0
+    to_port     = 0
+    protocol    = "-1"
+    cidr_blocks = ["0.0.0.0/0"]
+  }
+
+  # Intentionally NO ingress block: no inbound, SSM-only.
+  tags = merge(local.tags, {
+    Name              = "jenkins-agent-factory-builder"
+    "iit-billing-tag" = "jenkins-agent-factory"
+  })
+}
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Least-privilege permissions for the GHA OIDC factory role. Statement shapes
+# and their rationale mirror iam-gha-ppg-ami-factory.tf (unconditioned
+# CreateTags, split SSM statements, single PassRole); see the comments there.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+locals {
+  agent_image_factory_acct = data.aws_caller_identity.current.account_id
+  agent_image_factory_reg  = var.agent_image_factory_region
+}
+
+data "aws_iam_policy_document" "gha_agent_image_factory_perms" {
+  statement {
+    sid       = "RunInstancesInstanceResource"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ec2:RunInstances"]
+    resources = ["arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:instance/*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestedRegion"
+      values   = [local.agent_image_factory_reg]
+    }
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestTag/iit-billing-tag"
+      values   = ["jenkins-agent-factory"]
+    }
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid     = "RunInstancesSupportingResources"
+    effect  = "Allow"
+    actions = ["ec2:RunInstances"]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}::image/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}::snapshot/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:network-interface/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:subnet/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:security-group/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:volume/*",
+      "arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:key-pair/*",
+    ]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestedRegion"
+      values   = [local.agent_image_factory_reg]
+    }
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid    = "TagAndKeypair"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "ec2:CreateTags", "ec2:DeleteTags",
+      "ec2:CreateKeyPair", "ec2:DeleteKeyPair",
+    ]
+    resources = ["*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestedRegion"
+      values   = [local.agent_image_factory_reg]
+    }
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "TerminateTaggedInstances"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ec2:StopInstances", "ec2:TerminateInstances"]
+    resources = ["arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:instance/*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:ResourceTag/iit-billing-tag"
+      values   = ["jenkins-agent-factory"]
+    }
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "AmiBakeCreate"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ec2:CreateImage", "ec2:CreateSnapshot", "ec2:EnableImageDeprecation"]
+    resources = ["*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestedRegion"
+      values   = [local.agent_image_factory_reg]
+    }
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "AmiSnapshotCleanup"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ec2:DeregisterImage", "ec2:DeleteSnapshot"]
+    resources = ["*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:ResourceTag/iit-billing-tag"
+      values   = ["jenkins-agent-factory"]
+    }
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "aws:RequestedRegion"
+      values   = [local.agent_image_factory_reg]
+    }
+  }
+
+  # Packer's amazon-parameterstore data source resolves the AL2023 base AMI
+  # (public parameter, account-less ARN), and the amazon-ebs builder validates
+  # the instance profile before launch.
+  statement {
+    sid       = "ResolveBaseAmiParameter"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ssm:GetParameter"]
+    resources = ["arn:aws:ssm:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}::parameter/aws/service/ami-amazon-linux-latest/*"]
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "ValidateBuilderInstanceProfile"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["iam:GetInstanceProfile"]
+    resources = [aws_iam_instance_profile.agent_image_builder_ssm.arn]
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid    = "DescribeReadOnly"
+    effect = "Allow"
+    actions = [
+      "ec2:DescribeInstances", "ec2:DescribeInstanceStatus", "ec2:DescribeImages",
+      "ec2:DescribeSnapshots", "ec2:DescribeVolumes", "ec2:DescribeTags",
+      "ec2:DescribeSubnets", "ec2:DescribeVpcs", "ec2:DescribeSecurityGroups",
+      "ec2:DescribeRegions", "ec2:DescribeInstanceTypes", "ec2:DescribeKeyPairs",
+    ]
+    resources = ["*"]
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "SsmStartSessionOnTaggedInstance"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ssm:StartSession"]
+    resources = ["arn:aws:ec2:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}:${local.agent_image_factory_acct}:instance/*"]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "ssm:resourceTag/iit-billing-tag"
+      values   = ["jenkins-agent-factory"]
+    }
+  }
+  statement {
+    sid     = "SsmStartSessionDocument"
+    effect  = "Allow"
+    actions = ["ssm:StartSession"]
+    resources = [
+      "arn:aws:ssm:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}::document/AWS-StartPortForwardingSession",
+      "arn:aws:ssm:${local.agent_image_factory_reg}::document/AWS-StartSSHSession",
+    ]
+  }
+  statement {
+    sid       = "SsmSessionHousekeeping"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["ssm:TerminateSession", "ssm:ResumeSession", "ssm:DescribeInstanceInformation"]
+    resources = ["*"]
+  }
+
+  statement {
+    sid       = "PassBuilderRoleToEc2"
+    effect    = "Allow"
+    actions   = ["iam:PassRole"]
+    resources = [aws_iam_role.agent_image_builder_ssm.arn]
+    condition {
+      test     = "StringEquals"
+      variable = "iam:PassedToService"
+      values   = ["ec2.amazonaws.com"]
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+module "agent_image_factory_oidc" {
+  source = "./modules/github-oidc-role"
+
+  name             = "gha-agent-image-factory"
+  role_name_prefix = "${local.cluster_name}-"
+  description      = "Assumed by the jenkins-agent image-factory GHA workflow in Percona/percona-cd-platform (main) via OIDC to bake worker agent AMIs over SSM. No static keys."
+
+  subject_claims          = var.agent_image_factory_subject_claims
+  permissions_policy_json = data.aws_iam_policy_document.gha_agent_image_factory_perms.json
+  tags                    = local.tags
+}
+
+output "agent_image_factory_oidc_role_arn" {
+  description = "role-to-assume for the agent image-factory GHA workflow (store as repo secret AGENT_FACTORY_ROLE_ARN)."
+  value       = module.agent_image_factory_oidc.role_arn
+}
diff --git a/terraform/variables.tf b/terraform/variables.tf
index a6c35b8..a44afb6 100644
--- a/terraform/variables.tf
+++ b/terraform/variables.tf
@@ -245,3 +245,15 @@ variable "ppg_ami_factory_subject_claims" {
   type        = list(string)
   default     = ["repo:Percona-Lab/jenkins-pipelines:ref:refs/heads/master"]
 }
+
+variable "agent_image_factory_region" {
+  description = "AWS region the jenkins-agent image factory bakes in. Consumer fleets span five regions; copies are per-region follow-ups gated on per-region smokes."
+  type        = string
+  default     = "eu-central-1"
+}
+
+variable "agent_image_factory_subject_claims" {
+  description = "GitHub Actions sub claims allowed to assume the agent image-factory role. Production is main-only on Percona/percona-cd-platform."
+  type        = list(string)
+  default     = ["repo:Percona/percona-cd-platform:ref:refs/heads/main"]
+}