Alabama has a rich and colorful history in aerospace, aviation and defense. From the year 1910 when Orville and Wilbur Wright established the first civilian flying school in Montgomery to the 1950s when Werner von Braun's German Rocket Team moved to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama has played an important role in the development of the aerospace industry.
The state is home to hundreds of aerospace companies doing work in space and defense, aviation, and maintenance, refurbishment and overhaul (MRO). These companies have created more than 73,000 direct jobs for Alabamians with an annual payroll of more than $3 billion.
The aerospace industry in Alabama is comprised of four primary business sectors: manufacturers of aerospace, aviation and defense hardware, software and equipment, MRO of existing assets, parts manufacture and supply for the aerospace industry, and companies providing a variety of business and technical services and support to the industry.
One of the more recent aerospace announcements in Alabama is EADS North America, which has constructed a $600 million aircraft engineering center and future production facility for the KC-45 aerial refueling tankers in Mobile. Aerospace giant Boeing is also a prominent corporate citizen of Alabama, with expanded facilities in Decatur and Huntsville. The Decatur operation consolidated all of the companies Delta IV production to Alabama. Lockheed Martin has also undergone several expansions in Troy.
From a highly skilled workforce, to infrastructure and available suppliers for the industry, Alabama is positioned to support the aerospace industry today and in the future.
|