Press Release

AIA Releases Key Facts and Figures for the Aerospace and Defense Industry

By SpaceRef Editor
June 15, 2017
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The Aerospace Industries Association today released its “2017 Facts & Figures” report on the U.S. aerospace and defense industry.  The document, which highlights the vital contributions of American A&D as drivers of economic strength and prosperity, also includes a new employment number – 2.4 million jobs – that better reflects the industry’s reach into the cyber and land and sea vehicle domains as important parts of the overall A&D industry.
 
“We’re excited to release this new assessment of our industry,” said AIA President and CEO David F. Melcher. “This report represents an important snapshot on the state of the American A&D industry, and serves as a reminder of the vital role it plays in the health of the domestic economy and global marketplace.”
 
In 2016, the U.S. Aerospace and Defense (A&D) industry supported 2.4 million American jobs, generated $872 billion in sales, and reduced the U.S. trade deficit by a record $90.3 billion, according to the report. Foreign trade was a particular bright spot in 2016, with a record $146 billion in exports.
 
The report’s employment figure includes cyber end-point services provided by private sector contractors to the nation’s military and national security programs, as well as more robust coverage of the industry’s military land and sea segment, including the supply chains of the nation’s prime contractors. The change in methodology better reflects the aerospace and defense industry’s composition and focus and sheds light on the significant impact of our industry’s supply chain.
 
To read the report, please visit our website here: http://www.aia-aerospace.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2017_AnnualReport_FF_Final_Web.pdf.
 
For a summary of the change in methodology, please visit our website here: http://www.aia-aerospace.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/AIA_Employment_Stats_methodology.pdf.
 

SpaceRef staff editor.