Arkansas puts the ‘A’ in aerospace.
Standing in front of a crowd at the USA Partnership Pavilion’s Forum Main Stage of the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, Taber Extrusions President Chuck Stout announced that the company would be expanding its operations in Russellville, Arkansas.
“We are excited for this expansion as it provides the capability and capacity needed in the large shape extrusion market, said Stout. “This investment highlights our commitment to continue to serve our national defense, aerospace, and large industrial market partners.”
On alternating years, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission attends the Farnborough Airshow and the Paris Air Show to promote the state’s thriving aerospace and defense industry. In 2024, the Arkansas team had the opportunity to take center stage with the Taber Extrusions announcement.
Taber Extrusions announced that it would be introducing the largest direct extrusion press in North America as part of its expansion, serving clients in the aerospace and defense industry. This expansion represents a $60 million investment, creating 70 jobs in Russellville.
This announcement was just the latest in a series of recent aerospace and defense announcements in Arkansas. Aerospace and defense executives agree that Arkansas has the right stuff for helping their companies succeed.
RTX and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced a new partnership, R2S, that is building a $63 million manufacturing facility in East Camden. This facility will produce the Tamir missile for the Iron Dome Weapon System and the SkyHunter® missile variant for the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. allies.
“This expansion will support our ability to address the needs of both current and future customers,” said Jeff Shockey, senior vice president of Global Government Relations at RTX. “Thanks to the unwavering support of Governor Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Congressional Delegation, this new facility allows us to expand our presence in Camden, leverage the established defense community and workforce, and build our capacity to support the growing needs of our global customers and eventually augment Rafael’s direct support for Israel Defense Forces.”
In December 2023, Dassault Falcon Jet announced that it would be expanding its Little Rock operations – its largest facility in the world. The company is investing $100 million in Arkansas and creating 800 new jobs.
“The State of Arkansas has always been a vital part of our success in Little Rock, and we appreciate the leadership of Gov. Huckabee Sanders as we build a bigger presence,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
Also, Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith was recently selected by the Department of the Air Force as the location for a new Foreign Military Sales Program Pilot Training Center. This center will provide F-16 and F-35 training for Foreign Military Sales Program participants, and it will be the new home for the Republic of Singapore’s 425th Fighter Squadron. This mission is bringing approximately 900 military members and their families to the greater Fort Smith region.
Economic development wins like these demonstrate the strength of the aerospace and defense industry in Arkansas. Companies – from aviation leaders like Dassault to defense firms like Lockheed Martin – chose Arkansas because they know all the elements for business success can be found here.
In Arkansas, companies can find an experienced workforce with the skillset to handle aerospace manufacturing. There are more than 170 aerospace and defense firms operating across Arkansas, employing approximately 10,900 workers.
The established workforce is only part of the story in Arkansas. Every day, Arkansas educational institutions are preparing the next generation of the state’s aerospace and defense workforce. Across the state, there are more than 40 colleges, universities, and two-year colleges, offering degrees, certifications, and training that aerospace and defense companies need for workers to have. For example, five Arkansas educational institutions offer certification in Aviation Maintenance Technology, including both Powerplant and Airframe mechanic career education.
Aerospace and defense companies will also find the land and infrastructure they need for their operations. In south Arkansas, the Highland Industrial Park has proven to be an excellent location for companies to land. Highland Industrial Park, located in East Camden, is an 18,780-acre park with 5,408,686-square-feet of facilities and is home to a wide range of notable companies, including General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Spectra Technologies.
The aerospace and defense industry is taking off in Arkansas, driven by the state’s favorable business climate with low costs and low taxes, a dependable workforce and a growing talent pipeline, and the infrastructure companies need to grow.
