AFA's Air, Space & Cyber Conference

Sept. 14-16, 2026 • National Harbor, Md.

Booth #103

Oklahoma has a rich history of supporting the defense and homeland security sectors, dating back to World War II. Our state is home to the largest Department of Defense air depot and boasts a strategic location with a strong military presence. 

Oklahoma’s commitment to innovation is evident in our thriving aerospace and defense industry. Leading research and development initiatives are underway, making our state an ideal location for companies seeking to expand their operations. 

Aerospace & Defense in Oklahoma

Lowest Cost of Doing Business in America

#1

Altus Air Force Base, Fort Sill, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Tinker Air Force Base, Vance Air Force Base

5 Major Military Installations

Acres of UAS Test Sites

845,000+

MRO Capitol of the World

Home of the world’s largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul operation and the U.S. Department of Defense’s largest air depot, Oklahoma is the central nerve of fleet preparedness.

Oklahoma ACES

Oklahoma ACES Program works directly with military bases, major contractors, and suppliers to strengthen supply chains, open doors to new contracts, and connect Oklahoma companies to commercial and defense work.

Top Defense Contractors

The list is long, but includes key players such as Boeing, FlightSafety, GE, Kratos Defense, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Pratt & Whitney, among others.

Dive deeper with a look at our Defense Industry Guide

Partner Directory

CymSTAR LLC

CymSTAR is a U.S.-based small business delivering advanced training and simulation solutions to defense and aerospace customers worldwide. The company specializes in engineering-led device design, modification, and sustainment of mission-critical training systems, including flight simulators, JTAC trainers, and XR-enabled environments. With deep expertise in aero modeling, ARASQ standards, and distributed mission operations, CymSTAR supports programs across the USAF, Navy, Army, and international partners. Its agile, customer-focused approach integrates hardware, software, and AI-enabled technologies to improve readiness, accelerate capability delivery, and extend system life cycles—providing affordable, high-fidelity solutions that meet evolving operational demands.

Contact

Matt Jamison, Vice President, Business Development

CymSTAR logo.

Eide Bailly

Eide Bailly helps contractors with the DoW’s NIST cybersecurity compliance requirements and is an authorized C3PAO and RPO providing assessment and readiness services for CMMC Level 2 certifications. We help manufactures improve their processes and reporting. We also perform R&D Tax Credit studies to help companies with engineering/research operations to capture Federal incentives.

We are a nationally ranked accounting and advisory firm helping businesses work smarter – financially, operationally and strategically. With 3,500+ professionals nationwide, the firm delivers tax, audit, accounting and technology services to help clients perform at their best and grow with confidence.

Contact

Mike Turner, Director

Eide Bailly logo

KIHOMAC

KIHOMAC is an aerospace and defense manufacturing, engineering, and services company specializing in complex composite and metal structures, electronics, flight controls, specialized pods and data recorders. KIHOMAC products fly in the most demanding weapon systems in the world, including the F-35, F-16, MH-60, C-130 and dozens of others. Our Project Liberty UAS drone program is a revolutionary solution to massive scaling of drone production, providing a robust open architecture system suitable for integration of any payload.

Contact

Adam Grimm, President/COO

KIHOMAC logo

University of Oklahoma – Office of the Vice President for Research & Partnerships

The University of Oklahoma’s Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships connects faculty and researchers with industry, government, and defense partners, advancing high-impact research on radar, AI-enabled sensing, and advanced manufacturing. This work is anchored by the Advanced Radar Research Center, the nation’s largest academic radar program, and the Sooner Advanced Manufacturing Lab, which accelerates the development, qualification, and transition of next-generation technologies, and partners with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tinker Air Force Base. By leveraging this expertise, OU turns innovative research into real-world assets that advance the national defense and security needs of America.

Contact

Emma Blight, Senior Administrative Coordinator

University of Oklahoma - Office of the Vice President for Research & Partnerships logo

Connect with your Aerospace & Defense Team

From site selection and incentive strategy to workforce and logistics partnerships, our team is just a call away.

Leshia Pearson

Director of Aerospace + Defense

Leshia Pearson

Kallie Hanisch

Program Manager

Kallie Hanisch, Program Manager, Aerospace & Defense.

Stay in Touch

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