A new report from a state agency shows Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry is growing and adding more jobs and millions of dollars to the economy.
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce and ACES (Aerospace Commerce Economic Services) announced that Oklahoma’s fastest-growing industry, aerospace and defense, experienced another year of massive growth in 2024 after securing $146.6 million in new capital investment.
That investment comes from 25 new or expanding businesses in Oklahoma creating 1,007 new jobs.
“The number of aerospace and defense companies we’ve seen invest in Oklahoma is incredible,” said Evan Brown, executive director of EDGE [the Commerce Department’s Office of Economic Development, Growth, and Expansion].
“It’s the fastest-growing industry because of our state’s business-friendly policies and dedication to diversifying our economy. Oklahoma is quickly becoming a national leader in defense manufacturing and aerospace technologies.”
The state has invested $9.35 million in ACES since the program was created in 2018. To date, ACES has helped secure more than $2 billion in capital investment (a 216% return on investment), 126 project wins and 8,915 new jobs. Over the past decade, Oklahoma has seen a 125% increase in aerospace exports.
“The mission of ACES is to grow Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry by supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones,” said Leshia Pearson, director of ACES. “The growth we’ve seen is remarkable. These companies are bringing high-wage, high-skill jobs to our state.”
• Pratt & Whitney, for example, celebrated the opening of its new 845,000-square-foot facility in Oklahoma City, solidifying its position as the company’s largest military engines field location and representing a $255 million investment.
Pratt & Whitney’s Oklahoma City site has more than 500 full-time employees and an additional 500 contract and partner employees. This investment will create an additional 100 full-time jobs over the next five years, officials reported.
Pratt & Whitney engines power many of the Air Force and Navy planes stationed at Tinker Air Force Base.
• Agile Space Industries announced development of the Tulsa Space Test Center adjacent to Tulsa International Airport.
The state-of-the-art facility will be a location for space engine testing and support the nation’s critical need for advanced in-space propulsion testing infrastructure. It will support NASA, commercial space companies, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
“From banking to national security, America’s infrastructure depends on space,” said former Congressman Jim Bridenstine, a former NASA Administrator and now managing partner of The Artemis Group, which provides government affairs, business development, and strategic advisory services to space and defense companies.
• AAR Corp., a provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators and original equipment manufacturers, is expanding its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Oklahoma City.
The new building will provide AAR with an additional 80,000+ square feet of hangar and warehouse space. It will accommodate all variants of the Boeing 737, including the 737-10 MAX.
AAR’s growth in Oklahoma City supports a recently expanded maintenance commitment from Alaska Airlines, a valued AAR customer for more than 20 years.
The new airframe MRO facility is expected to be operational in January 2026.
• MST Manufacturing in Claremore announced it signed a long-term agreement with CPI Aerostructures for the supply of components in support of CPI’s production of aerostructures. CPI, based in Edgewood, New York, is a supplier of aircraft structures and systems.
• Orizon Aerostructures in Grove was a participant in last year’s Oklahoma Innovation Expansion Program, in which the Commerce Department supports new capital investment across a broad range of industries to help diversify the state’s economy, lead to new product development or increase capacity at existing companies in Oklahoma.
Orizon, founded in 2015, manufactures complex aerostructure components for the aerospace and defense industries. The company has approximately 850 employees, records indicate.