Austin gets a second major economic boost following Tesla’s decision

 

Just a few weeks after the city of Austin, Texas was chosen to be the site of Tesla’s $1.1 billion truck plant rather than Tulsa, Oklahoma, the city got a major expansion of a new $150 million campus for aerospace and defense technology giant BAE Systems. It will add 700 jobs over the next several years.

When completed, BAE Systems’ new campus in the Parmer Austin Business Park will be able to accommodate more than 1,400 employees, the company said. It will include engineering, manufacturing, laboratory and office space to primarily support U.S. Department of Defense customers, including the U.S. Army’s Futures Command, which is based in Austin reported the Austin American-Statesman.

The new campus adds to a growing ecosystem of defense technology in Austin, following the opening of Army Futures Command in 2018.

BAE Systems is working with Karlin Real Estate on construction of the new 390,000-square-foot-facility. Construction will begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2022, the company said.

“This expansion will continue our longstanding legacy of innovation in Austin, while also preparing us for our projected engineering and manufacturing growth,” said Dave Harrold, vice president and general manager of Countermeasure and Electromagnetic Attack Solutions at BAE Systems. “Austin is an ideal location to attract the talent we need to deliver the latest capabilities to our customers.”

BAE Systems currently has about 700 employees in Austin, a spokeswoman said.

The company said it will transition its current Austin operations to the new facility. Work at the site will consist of new programs and existing business, which primarily includes the design, development, and manufacturing of radio frequency and electro-optical/infrared countermeasure systems.

The company said the site is ideal because it is near the U.S. Army’s Futures Command, as well as Austin tech accelerator Capital Factory.

Army Futures Command works with a number of technology companies locally, including BAE Systems, as well as with universities, including the University of Texas and Texas A&M to study and develop new technology. The center, which is headquartered downtown at the UT System building, is focused on modernization projects. It also occupies space on the UT campus and at Capital Factory.

“The Army placed Army Futures Command headquarters in Austin because it offers the best opportunities to partner with a multitude of academia, industry and innovators in the private sector as it leads the Army’s modernization efforts. We look forward to continuing to leverage the innovative spirit of the Austin community with our various partners while contributing to long-lasting economic impacts to the region,” said Col. Chad G. Carroll, a spokesman for Army Futures Command.

BAE Systems is part of Capital Factory’s Innovation Council and collaborates with startups and small businesses to accelerate the development of new defense technology for America’s military.

Source: Austin American-Statesman