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Aerospace & Defense

Aerospace & Defense in the Austin region

The Austin Region’s Aerospace & Defense cluster is rapidly expanding, adding a new dimension to the region’s established tech landscape. With aerospace as a longstanding business line among Austin’s tech employers, the region embraces the challenges and opportunities of advancing technologies.

120+
Defense

Companies

14,000
Employees

in aerospace industry

140,000+
Jobs

in STEM occupations

Recent Announcements & Economic Impact in Austin

Economic Impact

#4 Metro for tech’s economic impact as a percentage of the local economy (24.7%) – CompTIA

Major Announcements

DARPA Selection: Firefly Aerospace and ICON chosen for the lunar spacecraft hub – TechCrunch

Acutronic HQ Relocation & Manufacturing Expansion: Acutronic relocated their global headquarters to Austin, expanded their manufacturing facility in Bastrop, and developed a PTECH program with a regional ISD

Military Influence

Army Futures Command: Headquartered in Austin with over 17,000 personnel worldwide, established in 2018 to drive technological innovation and warfighting capability.

AFWERX: Established in 2017 to accelerate agile and affordable capability transitions by teaming innovative technology developers with Airman and Guardian talent.

Army Applications Laboratory: Located in Austin, this innovation unit partners with industry and government to develop and implement cutting-edge solutions for Soldiers.

Strategic Workforce Location: Austin benefits from a skilled workforce of trained personnel transitioning from nearby Fort Cavazos and Joint Base San Antonio.

UT Austin: Leading R&D And Academic Excellence

Rankings
#5 in DOD-financed R&D spending
#6 in Mathematics R&D spending
#7 in Computer Science Graduate Program
 
#8 in Computer Engineering
#8 in Engineering R&D
#8 in Aerospace Graduate Programs
Academic Programs (Eningeering)
6,000 Undergraduate students
2,000 Graduate students

Aerospace & Defense Employers in the Austin Region

austin in action - case studies

Real-world examples of growth, innovation, and investment. Read our Aerospace & Defense Case Studies to see how Austin can help you.

Firefly

Firefly operates with design, R&D, engineering, manufacturing, integration, and testing all located within a 25-mile radius, enabling rapid collaboration, reduced…