Oklahoma ACES Program Fuels Over $322 Million in Investment, Securing Over 610 New Jobs in Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce (Commerce) today released the year-end results for its Aerospace Commerce Economic Services (ACES) tradeshow program, announcing a monumental year that generated over $322 million in new capital investment and created more than 610 jobs across the state in the aerospace, defense and manufacturing sectors.

The coordinated ACES effort, spanning 11 major trade shows nationwide and internationally, successfully positioned Oklahoma as a prime location for high-tech industry growth. The state’s delegation was significantly expanded this year, including 39 Oklahoma companies, 29 community partners and eight higher education partners who presented a unified front to global industry leaders.

“This year’s results are a direct testament to the power of a unified, strategic approach to economic development,” said Leshia Pearson, Director of Aerospace & Defense. “Our ACES program not only provided a vital gateway for 39 Oklahoma companies to secure new contracts on the global stage, but it also directly led to major wins, like the $300 million foreign direct investment from CBC Global Ammunition and the establishment of Dawn Aerospace’s U.S. operations base in Burns Flat.”

Tradeshow Successes Deliver Strategic Growth

The ACES program’s targeted outreach resulted in six major project announcements that underscore Oklahoma’s competitive advantages:

• Firehawk Aerospace Inc. (Fort Sill): Will build a $22 million, 40,000-square-foot facility for solid and hybrid rocket motor manufacturing, expected to create 100 new jobs.
• Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc. (Bristow): Announced a new 50,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility for turbojet engine production, with an initial 60 new jobs and plans to expand to 100,000 sq. ft.
• Dawn Aerospace USA, LLC (Burns Flat): In an agreement with the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority (OSIDA), the New Zealand-based firm made the Oklahoma Air and Space Port the base of its U.S. operations for the Mk-II Aurora spaceplane, pioneering daily spaceflight capability.
• CBC Global Ammunition (Pryor): This foreign direct investment (FDI) success will see a $300 million manufacturing facility at MidAmerica Industrial Park, creating 350 jobs and supplying U.S. law enforcement and military markets. The deal was closed in part due to the Quick Action Closing Fund.
• Long Wave Inc. (Oklahoma City): A significant expansion is underway to hire 100 new professionals in systems engineering and technical roles to support the E-130J aircraft program and other defense initiatives.

Looking Ahead to 2026: Join the Oklahoma Delegation

Building on this momentum, Commerce’s ACES program is already planning its 2026 strategy, with a continued focus on international markets to drive FDI and targeted domestic shows to support Oklahoma’s existing supply chain companies. Priorities will include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), unmanned systems (UAS) and solidifying the state’s emerging role in the commercial space sector.

If your company is interested in joining the Oklahoma delegation at any Commerce’s 2026 ACES tradeshows to gain market access, secure new contracts and engage directly with global industry leaders, please reach out directly to Kallie Hanisch, ACES Program Manager at kallie.hanisch@okcommerce.gov.

Commerce looks forward to partnering with you to drive the next wave of economic growth for Oklahoma.