AeroVironment, Inc. has announced plans to invest $15 million to expand advanced production capabilities in Greene County, Ohio, near Dayton.
This marks a significant step forward in AV’s Dayton expansion as $7 million of the company’s total investment was approved by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority.
The expansion strengthens AV’s domestic manufacturing footprint and supports continued growth across critical defence programs, including advanced biotechnology manufacturing in support of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Dayton.
AV will expand project sites in the City of Beavercreek and City of Xenia adding approximately 44,000 square feet designed to support pilot-scale and mid-volume production of advanced biotechnology materials and components. The sites will enable specialized manufacturing, integration, and testing activities aligned with national security priorities, positioning AV to help meet growing demand across the Department of War’s critical technology list for scalable biomanufacturing capabilities and mission-critical systems.
“Dayton and the surrounding community is where some of the nation’s most important advanced research and defence innovation is happening, and proximity to the customer matters,”
said Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer at AV.
“Being close to AFRL and the broader defence innovation ecosystem allows our teams to collaborate faster, transition technology more rapidly, and deliver advanced capabilities directly aligned with mission needs.”
Through a cooperative effort with JobsOhio and the Ohio Department of Development, the expansion project is expected to create 200 new jobs and generate an estimated $28 million per year in regional economic impact, building on AV’s existing footprint in the Dayton area.
AV’s investment will be supported by a performance-based incentive package led by the State of Ohio, including assistance through JobsOhio, tied to verified job creation and operational milestones. Additional state and regional incentives under consideration include refundable job-creation tax credits and workforce development support.
“AV’s decision to expand in Greene County is another powerful signal that Ohio is the place where America’s most advanced aerospace and defence companies can thrive,”
said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
“From Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the AFRL to the skilled men and women at work in Dayton every day, Ohio provided the strategic advantage and partnerships to bring these 200 new, mission-critical jobs to its cutting-edge facility.”
The expansion will initially support pilot-scale production, with the flexibility to scale into a full-rate manufacturing facility as demand increases. The facilities have been purpose-designed to accommodate future growth in both workforce and production capacity without disrupting ongoing operations.
The Ohio expansion follows several recent AFRL contract wins for AV, including:
- $499 million contract to advance electromagnetic spectrum survivable materials
- $75 million contract to advance biotech and smart materials.
- $25 million award focused on accelerating human performance and biotechnology capabilities for warfighter readiness.
- $20 million award to accelerate development of next-generation ceramic materials
AV’s Greene County expansion reinforces its strategy to scale domestic manufacturing and skilled talent while leveraging Ohio’s strong aerospace and defense ecosystem to rapidly build, test, and field advanced technologies with key proximity to nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the AFRL.
The expansion builds on AV’s broader strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity, enhance supply-chain resilience, and invest in highly skilled technical workforces across the United States.
AV recently announced a $30 million expansion in Albuquerque, New Mexico, establishing a vertically integrated, next-generation manufacturing campus expected to generate more than $670 million in economic impact over the next decade, create more than 450 high-wage jobs, and increase production of mission-critical defense and space technologies.
AV also recently announced a $20.2 million expansion of its Huntsville, Ala. facility to support Low-Rate Initial Production and future Full-Rate Production of Freedom Eagle-1 (FE-1) in order to support urgent U.S. Army and Combatant Command operational needs while advancing AV’s broader strategy of innovation, scale, and national security.
“AV’s expansion in Beavercreek and Xenia is a vote of confidence in Ohio’s skilled manufacturing workforce, world-class aerospace and defense innovation sector, and our ability to help great companies move from prototype to production with speed and precision,”
said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef.
“This investment deepens AV’s commitment to the Dayton region and reinforces what we hear from companies every day: Ohio is the right place to build the next generation of national security technology.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Dayton has always been a city that knows how to build, innovate, and deliver for the nation,” said Johnathan Jones, Senior Vice President of the Cyber and Mission Solutions Group at AV. “With its deep engineering heritage, proximity to AFRL, and one of the most skilled technical workforces in the country, this region is uniquely positioned for advanced defense manufacturing. AV’s investment reinforces that Dayton is not just a place to do business — it’s a place to grow, scale, and build the future of national security technology.”
“AV’s commitment to establish advanced biomanufacturing production operations in the Dayton Region fits perfectly with the region’s strong defense and manufacturing sectors and brings an opportunity for our regional workforce to be on the leading edge of an exciting new technology,” said Jeff Hoagland, President and CEO of the Dayton Development Coalition. “We stand ready to support AV’s growth in our community and know the company has a bright future here.”
“AV’s expansion reinforces the fact that the Dayton region is at the heart of the national aerospace, defense, and research ecosystems,” said Congressman Mike Turner (Ohio’s 10th District). “The Miami Valley offers an unmatched convergence of talent, research infrastructure, and defense expertise. Nowhere else in the country can claim such deep roots in aerospace and defense innovation, or such a direct line to the institutions driving it forward. AV’s investment is the latest proof that Dayton and Ohio remain at the center of it all.”
Source: AeroVironment