OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Companies are investing billions of dollars in Oklahoma thanks to the efforts of a small, state-run aerospace program.
Aerospace Commerce Economic Services Program (ACES) helped secure 54 projects, generating $1.9 billion in new investments since the program launched in 2018, according to officials with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics.
ACES, which is made up of only four members, is expected to have brought in about $702.7 million in investments in 2023, according to an ACES report featured below.
“It’s letting people know that Oklahoma is open for aerospace business,” said Sandra Shelton, a spokesperson for Oklahoma Aerospace & Aeronautics. “That’s really important, because when people think about Oklahoma, they don’t think about Oklahoma being the aerospace capital of the world.”
Legislation from 2018 created the ACES program.
ACES is part of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and works to grow the state’s aerospace and defense industry, which is the state’s second largest industry.
“There’s all these companies that are supporting the aerospace mission,” Shelton said. “And so we have many veins that are kind of flowing into the arteries of the heartbeat of our aerospace economy. And I think that’s what’s really strengthening our economy, diversifying it from oil and gas.”
The program has a $1.8 million budget for 2025 and has received $6.2 million from the legislature since it was established, according to state aerospace officials.
“Our goals are to grow Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industry, and we do that by supporting existing business in the state, as well as bringing new business to the state,” Pearson said.
ACES has succeeded in helping companies, such as Critical Components Aerospace, attain multimillion dollar Air Force contracts.
The program recently teamed with the Air Force to host an Oklahoma industry day for the fourth time. ACES also held a career fair where Tinker Air Force Base hired around 125 of the 835 attendees.
