International aerospace manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, is hosting the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new OKC Sustainment Center today, October 1, at the Tinker Air Force Base. The $255 million investment will serve as an operation hub for Pratt & Whitney’s military engines. The 845,000-square-foot facility is part of an international endeavor to improve sustainability in military production, complementing similar work in Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and other American military bases.
The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City partnered with Pratt & Whitney, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Oklahoma Industries Authority to develop the project and establish it in the city. The Pratt & Whitney firm has been a critical partner in the region for decades, dating back to their first investments in the 1940s and the Midwest Air Depot (which would become Tinker Air Force Base).
The new center expands Pratt & Whitney’s current work on the base and is expected to roll out over the next few years. As the only facility capable of performing all F135 (the world’s most powerful fighter jet engine) power module scope levels, the new sustainment center will increase the site’s maintenance, repair and overhaul maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) capacity, directly driving revenue to the region and cementing Oklahoma as a leader in the MRO sphere.
Aerospace is a growing industry in Oklahoma City, with synergies between both public and private sector companies. With over 290 aerospace firms, the region is equipped to handle a wide range of activities including traditional MRO, research and development on unmanned vehicles, and aircraft design and manufacturing. Oklahoma ranks number one in the nation for drone readiness thanks to local firms’ prioritization of the Drone Readiness Index.
Overall, the wide expanse of aerospace skills and knowledge these firms have brought to our region has created a highly skilled workforce of over 43,000 workers uplifting the city. Their impact translates beyond workforce development by producing $11.6 billion in goods and services locally and providing more than $370 million in labor income to employees.
With investments like Pratt & Whitney’s, the region is taking flight and reaching a global stage in the aerospace and military defense industries. Over the next few years as Pratt & Whitney’s new sustainment center develops, we expect to continue seeing a rise in OKC’s recognition as an industry leader.
Kenton Tsoodle is the president of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City.
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