Driving growth, advancing technology, and powering the future of aerospace
Aerospace products are Georgia’s #1 export and drive the state’s second-largest manufacturing industry. Since 2015, more than 40 aerospace-related facilities have located or expanded operations, creating more than 2,500 jobs. A culture of collaboration among industry, academia, and government leaders is key to continued growth and success.
Metro Atlanta’s strategic location, strong talent pool, world-class research institutions, and major industry players make it a national hub for aerospace and defense innovation, manufacturing, and related logistics. Stalwarts such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Delta Air Lines anchor the region. But the area also provides a dynamic environment for start-ups and companies at all growth stages to innovate and contribute to the region’s continued advancement.
In partnership with public and private stakeholders, the Metro Atlanta Chamber fosters a pro-business environment that fuels Georgia’s economic success. The state offers R&D tax credits and job creation incentives for aerospace firms. These initiatives contributed to a 14% increase in aerospace and defense companies in 2024.
Georgia Tech’s Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering is the #2 university in the nation for aerospace engineers. Its graduates fuel innovation in hypersonics, defense technology, and unmanned aerial systems.
The Technical College System of Georgia provides students with robust training for programs like Delta TechOps, the nation’s largest maintenance repair and overhaul facility. This strong talent pipeline is set to meet Georgia’s projected 15% growth in the aerospace and defense industry.
Home to over 800 aerospace companies—including the recent addition of PBS Aerospace, a global turbojet engine manufacturer—Georgia’s aerospace sector generates a $57.5 billion economic impact. With a strong foundation and a future full of opportunity, the state is poised for continued success.
About the Metro Atlanta Chamber
The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) serves as a catalyst for a more prosperous and vibrant region. We work to advance economic growth and improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life across the 29-county metro Atlanta region. Our charge is to unleash Atlanta’s ambition, and we do this by growing, advocating, and promoting the region’s economy, talent and community. MAC expands the region’s thriving economy, advocates for a competitive business climate, and elevates metro Atlanta’s story on a global scale to ensure that this continues to be a region that rises as one. For more information, visit www.MetroAtlantaChamber.com.
