How Oklahoma is building the foundations of America’s next aerospace economy

Oklahoma is expanding its established aerospace and MRO base into emerging markets, with aerospace and defence already generating a US$44 billion economic impact and supporting more than 206,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its 1,100-plus aerospace entities, major MRO operations and military infrastructure provide a foundation for growth in commercial space, autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing. Space is a key part of that diversification, with Oklahoma targeting the wider industrial value chain rather than launch activity alone. Existing aviation manufacturers producing components, composites and specialised systems could adapt their capabilities for space applications, while the American Airlines Maintenance and Engineering Center in Tulsa and Tinker Air Force Base’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex provide substantial MRO and engineering depth. Workforce development and investment incentives are central to turning that ambition into growth, with more than 18,000 aerospace-related degree completions projected between 2022 and 2026, alongside 21 ABET-accredited engineering programmes and specialist aviation training. Oklahoma secured around US$450 million in aerospace and defence capital investment across 37 projects in 2025, while the ACES programme has supported nearly US$2.5 billion in capital investment and 159 project wins. For decades, Oklahoma’s role in aerospace has been defined by keeping aircraft in the air. Its maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities, defence presence and aviation heritage have made it a critical part of the US aerospace landscape. Today, aerospace and defence is the state’s second-largest industry, generating a US$44 billion economic impact and supporting more than 206,000 direct and indirect jobs statewide. Increasingly, however, the state is positioning those foundations as a launchpad for something broader: a role in the next phase of commercial space, autonomous systems and advanced aerospace manufacturing. The ambition is not to recreate established aerospace centres elsewhere in the US, but to build from existing advantages. Oklahoma’s combination of military assets, industrial capability and a growing technology base gives it a platform to compete in sectors where supply chains are being reshaped and commercial opportunities are expanding. The state’s aerospace ecosystem already includes more than 1,100 aerospace entities, ranging from global aerospace manufacturers and defence companies to advanced suppliers and emerging technology firms. That evolution begins with people, focusing on aviation education reflects a wider recognition that aerospace growth will depend as much on workforce capacity as infrastructure or capital. Oklahoma’s colleges and universities are projected to deliver more than 18,000 aerospace-related degree completions between 2022 and 2026, strengthening the pipeline of engineers, technicians and aerospace specialists required. “I started understanding the need for mechanics and skilled technicians, and the great careers available beyond traditional university pathways. We created an aviation academy to show young people what is possible in an aviation career. Aviation is already part of Oklahoma’s fabric, and we want to build on that strength,” Governor J. Kevin Stitt laid out. The same transition is taking place across the wider sector, with Oklahoma moving from its existing aerospace strengths into emerging technologies. “We have the traditional maintenance and overhaul industry, but we also have space exploration, unmanned systems and the technologies shaping the future of aerospace. That’s where the industry is going, and we want Oklahoma to capture that opportunity. Being recognised as a federal Tech Hub around unmanned systems reinforces that direction,” Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell explained. For investors, that combination of existing capability and future opportunity is central to Oklahoma’s appeal. Locations succeed when they allow capital to be deployed efficiently rather than spent building an ecosystem from the ground up. “In aerospace, defence and national security, Oklahoma already has the markets, customers and partners in place. That allows capital to move more quickly into developing technology rather than building an industry from scratch,” Rick Nagel, Managing Partner and CEO of Acorn Capital Management, declared. Turning aerospace capability into a space economy The commercial space opportunity represents the clearest example of Oklahoma’s attempt to broaden its aerospace identity. The state’s strategy is not focused solely on launch activity, but on capturing the wider industrial opportunity surrounding space, from manufacturing and components to advanced materials, satellite infrastructure and specialised services. As private companies increase investment, the value chain is becoming more distributed. The next generation of opportunities will not only come from putting assets into orbit, but from the compani