Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth joined with business leaders and officials from across the state today to announce the formation of the new Alabama Aerospace and Defense Council (AADC), a group that will advocate for policies that encourage the growth of Alabama’s already significant aerospace and defense industries.
According to their website, the AADC’s mission is “to enhance the aerospace and defense industry’s contributions to Alabama’s economy. By advocating for supportive legislation and engaging with industry and government, we help ensure that Alabama remains a leader in aerospace and defense innovation.”
They list the following four priorities:
- Promote awareness of the economic benefits provided by the aerospace and defense industry.
- Advocate for policies that support industry growth and sustainability.
- Provide a platform for industry leaders to collaborate with state leadership and policy influencers.
- Foster connections between aerospace companies and decision-makers to build a unified, strong community.
In a statement released by his office Ainsworth said, “Alabama is the aerospace and defense capital of the world, but we need to adopt a 67 county approach to ensure that every portion of our state shares in the jobs and investments that these important industries provide.”
Ainsworth is a former national president of the Aerospace States Association.
According to the AADC website, “Our steering committee includes leaders from Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus, Raytheon Technologies, and United Launch Alliance, who work hand-in-hand with state and national stakeholders to ensure the continued success of aerospace and defense in Alabama.”
“I think we would like to see more people get involved both business people and frankly students,” Lockheed Martin representative Joe Rice said at the event according to a report on WSFA Channel 12. “We have to grow up the next generation of people to work these jobs in Alabama.”
Ainsworth stressed the important role Alabama has in the space industry saying, “More than 103 Alabama companies participate in the Artemis program that will soon take us back to the moon, and Mobile is on its way to becoming one of the largest commercial aerospace manufacturing cities on the planet, but even with these impressive benchmarks, we can do more.”
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