Aerospace & Aviation in Washington

If you’re an aviation, aerospace, uncrewed systems or commercial space company that wants to soar to new heights, you’ll want to put Washington State on your radar. We have a talented team of business experts to help you maximize your potential in Washington, whether you’re looking to add more production capacity, invest in an established business, expand your company, or find new partners in the world’s most sophisticated and advanced aerospace supply chain.

• The state’s aerospace industry specializes in aerostructures, composites, advanced materials, aircraft interiors, engineering and tooling, avionics, information and communication technologies, R&D, uncrewed and autonomous systems, next-generation air mobility, and space.

• With more than 1,500 aerospacerelated suppliers and vendors, Washington’s supply chain is the largest in the United States and the second-largest supplier to Airbus.

• In the 2022 Aerospace Competitive Economics Study, Washington ranked #1 in labor productivity, aerospace sales and exports, and aerospace engineers.

• Over the last century, the state has produced more than 33,000 commercial and military aircraft.

• Every Boeing model that begins and ends with a ‘7’ has been built in Washington. The state is the sole producer of the 737, 767 and 777, as well as military platforms K-46 Pegasus (based on the 767), P-8 Poseidon (based on the 737) and Air Force One, a 747 derivative.

• 130,000+ workers are employed in Washington’s aviation and aerospace industry.

• Aerospace is a $70 billion industry in Washington State that supports over 250,000 jobs.

• Washington has ranked #1 nationally in aerospace sales, exports, profits, and employment for more than a decade and exports more aerospace products annually than California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona and Alabama—combined.

• Washington is the second most competitive state in the U.S. for labor, material, energy and construction costs.

Hydrogen, electric and hybrid hydrogenelectric propulsion systems developed by Washington companies are making promising inroads on small commuter, private and short-range commercial aircraft. Initial tests have been conducted on retrofitted fossil-fuel aircraft, but new ground-up designs, such as Eviation’s Alice, are emerging from factory floors and undergoing flight trials.

While the commercial space cluster is a relatively recent endeavor, space companies have been developing spacecraft systems in Washington for more than six decades, from rockets and satellites to orbital and sub-orbital vehicles. Approximately 50% of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites are manufactured in Washington. The industry is predicted to grow annually by 5%, reaching $558 billion in 2026.

Washington is particularly well positioned for the arrival of Industry

4.0. Robotics, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, cloud computing and a host of interrelated disciplines will reduce risk and compress the development and production timeframe for new aircraft and subsequent iterations.

Technology is changing how aircraft and systems are designed and built. Close collaboration with the state’s world-renowned information and communication technology sector is facilitating changes at all levels, from the factory floor to the cockpit.

Opportunities exist for companies interested in developing a new generation of uncrewed vehicles and the framework for safe air and ground operations. UAS are already widely used in transportation, agriculture, media production and public safety. Over the next decade, the UAS industry is expected to create 100,000 jobs and generate $82 billion for the U.S. economy.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) will utilize highly automated aircraft to transport cargo and passengers within urban and suburban centers at lower altitudes.

Advanced Air Mobility, is the next logical step, creating transportation systems that can work intercity, deliver cargo and spawn a new generation of private and recreational vehicles.