Aerospace firm to open hub in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY — An aerospace manufacturer that produces unmanned aircraft plans to locate its operations center in Oklahoma City and create more than 350 jobs over the next five years, Gov. Mary Fallin said Tuesday.

Nevada-based Valkyrie Systems Aerospace has formed a partnership with the state to operate manufacturing facilities as well as flight operations and training in the Oklahoma City area, Fallin said.

The governor said creation of an aircraft manufacturing facility will help diversify the state’s economy and expand its role as a leader in the aerospace and unmanned aircraft systems industries.

“Our talented workforce and low cost of doing business along with a good quality of life makes Oklahoma very attractive for growing companies like Valkyrie,” Fallin said.

Valkyrie’s HoverJets are unmanned and optionally piloted aircraft that support missions such as medical evacuations, extraction of personnel and equipment, threat detection and firefighting. The HoverJets’ heavy-lift vertical takeoff and landing abilities allow them to operate in a variety of environments.

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce worked with Valkyrie for nine months to secure the project. Commerce officials said the company has been awarded a 21st Century Quality Jobs Program incentive contract, which is issued to qualifying businesses with highly skilled, highly paid, knowledge-based workforces.

Valkyrie CEO Glenn Dawson said some of the top aviation companies in the world are already in the state. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s website says more than 230 aerospace firms are in the Oklahoma City area alone.

“The state of Oklahoma is well on its way to become the leader in unmanned aerospace development and manufacturing,” Dawson said.