After studying the U.S. aerospace and defense industry throughout 2016, Aerospace Industries Association (Chalet 504) has released its “2017 Facts and Figures” report. According to AIA, the aerospace and defense industry supported 2.4 million jobs in 2016, including those in the cyber, land and sea sectors. The industry also generated $872 billion in sales and reduced the U.S. trade deficit by $90.3 billion. Foreign trade produced $146 billion in exports.
Included in AIA’s employment figure are cyber end services provided by private sector contractors to the nation’s military and national security programs. The report also includes extensive coverage of the supply chains of U.S. prime contractors in the military land and sea segment. According to AIA, changing the methodology in the report reflects the industry’s composition and focus while analyzing the impact of the industry’s supply chain.
“We’re excited to release this new assessment of our industry,” said David Melcher, AIA president and CEO. “This report represents an important snapshot on the state of the American aerospace and defense industry, and serves as a reminder of the vital role it plays in the health of the domestic economy and global marketplace.”