Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Industry Reaches $52.5 Billion
Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Industry Reaches $52.5 Billion Economic Impact
Oklahoma's aerospace and defense industry now generates an estimated $52.5 billion in annual economic activity and supports more than 250,000 jobs statewide, according to a newly released economic impact study. The findings show an industry stretching from military installations and major aircraft maintenance operations to aerospace manufacturing, public airports and the state's growing commercial space sector.
The Oklahoma aerospace and defense industry has continued expanding through one of the most difficult periods in modern commercial aviation, according to the 2026 study. State officials describe aerospace and defense as one of Oklahoma's fastest-growing industries, with major economic centers in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Burns Flat and an employment footprint reaching communities across the state.
Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Industry Generates $52.5 Billion Statewide
The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics released the 2026 economic impact study, putting the industry's total annual statewide economic impact at $52.5 billion.
That figure includes three major components.
Oklahoma's military sector accounts for $21.8 billion in annual economic impact, including $7.3 billion in payroll and $14.5 billion in spending. The state's five major military installations, two Air National Guard units and Army National Guard presence combine to support 133,296 jobs.
The state's 107 public-use airports generate another $13.8 billion in annual economic impact, including $4.6 billion in payroll and $9.3 billion in spending. Airport-related operations support 64,878 jobs.
Another $16.8 billion comes from what the study calls off-airport industry reliance. That category encompasses approximately 790 aerospace and defense manufacturers, engineering and technology companies, logistics providers and other aviation-dependent employers, supporting 61,109 jobs.
The report separately analyzed Oklahoma's air cargo industry, finding approximately 50,000 tons of cargo move through state airports and generate an estimated $6.7 billion in economic activity while supporting 27,600 jobs. That figure is not added to the $52.5 billion statewide total because of overlap with other portions of the aerospace economy.
The new figures underscore the scale of an industry that state leaders have increasingly positioned alongside energy and agriculture as a major pillar of Oklahoma's economy.
Tinker, Tulsa and Burns Flat Anchor Oklahoma's Aerospace Growth
Some of Oklahoma's largest employers and most specialized industrial operations are concentrated within a geographic network state officials have called the Oklahoma Space Triangle.
In the Oklahoma City metro, Tinker Air Force Base remains one of the state's largest single-site employers and a major center for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. The region also includes the FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center and private aerospace and defense operations associated with companies including Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Kratos Defense.
Tulsa has developed another major aerospace concentration.
American Airlines operates its massive Tulsa maintenance base, an operation the company describes as its largest maintenance facility and one of the largest commercial aviation maintenance bases in the world. The company's Tulsa Tech Ops facility has been operating since 1946 and is part of a broader northeastern Oklahoma aerospace manufacturing and maintenance network.
Western Oklahoma provides the third point in the state's emerging aerospace geography.
The Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport at Burns Flat is licensed for horizontal launch and landing operations and gives Oklahoma an asset aimed specifically at the commercial space and advanced aerospace industries.
Oklahoma has also pursued growth in unmanned aircraft systems, drones and advanced air mobility, sectors that state economic development officials see as potential sources of additional investment and high-skilled employment.
The combination means Oklahoma's aerospace economy is no longer defined exclusively by conventional aviation or military aircraft. It increasingly includes space operations, autonomous aircraft, engineering, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and aviation technology.
Federal Defense Spending and Workforce Development Drive Next Phase
Oklahoma's congressional delegation has also focused federal defense spending on the state's military installations and aerospace infrastructure.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, who represents Oklahoma's 4th Congressional District and serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has emphasized protecting and expanding Oklahoma's military installations as part of the state's long-term economic strategy.
That includes federal investment at Fort Sill, Tinker Air Force Base and other Oklahoma defense facilities, along with funding for military readiness, construction and modernization.
Workforce development could become equally important as the industry expands.
Oklahoma's aerospace employers require engineers, aircraft mechanics, avionics technicians, pilots, advanced manufacturing workers and skilled tradespeople, creating demand for training pipelines extending from high schools and CareerTech programs through universities and military training.
The state has increasingly connected that workforce strategy with aerospace education. The Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education coordinates education and workforce initiatives intended to introduce Oklahoma students to aviation and aerospace careers and strengthen the pipeline into the industry.
The new economic study indicates that the industry's reach extends far beyond Oklahoma's largest aerospace employers. Airports, military installations and hundreds of private companies create economic activity through payroll, local purchasing, construction, transportation, manufacturing and supply-chain spending.
That broader footprint helps explain why aerospace growth can affect communities that do not host a major military installation or aircraft manufacturing plant.
With more than 250,000 jobs and $52.5 billion in annual economic activity, Oklahoma officials are positioning aerospace and defense as a central part of the state's effort to diversify its economy while competing nationally for defense, aviation and commercial space investment.
The Oklahoma aerospace and defense industry now represents a $52.5 billion statewide economic footprint, with military installations, public airports and nearly 800 off-airport aerospace businesses forming one of Oklahoma's largest and fastest-growing economic sectors.
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