Alabama’s universities energize aerospace recruitment at Paris Air Show

From deep-space exploration to next-gen aviation systems, Alabama is a national leader in the aerospace and defense sectors. But behind the rockets, aircraft, and advanced weapons systems is a powerful network of research universities that provide the fuel for this innovation engine.

Across the state, Alabama’s public universities are advancing game-changing research, training mission-critical talent, and forging partnerships with federal agencies and private industry.

“Alabama’s research universities are invaluable partners in our aerospace and defense strategy. Their work is helping us solve complex challenges, fuel high-tech innovation, and prepare the workforce of tomorrow,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“From Huntsville to Auburn and beyond, these institutions are not only strengthening our capabilities — they’re ensuring Alabama remains at the forefront of the industries shaping the future,” she added.

Representatives from two Alabama institutions — the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and Auburn University — are joining Secretary McNair on a business development mission at this week’s 2025 Paris Air Show.

Both are very active in the support of the aerospace/aviation/defense sector in Alabama.

Located near Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, UAH plays a pivotal role in defense and aerospace innovation through cutting-edge research in propulsion, cybersecurity, hypersonics, and autonomous systems.

Plus, UAH’s close proximity to federal and commercial partners makes it a vital pipeline for technical talent and applied research. Late last year, UAH and Dassault Systèmes formed a partnership to bolster workforce development in high-demand technology and manufacturing sectors.

“As is often said in Huntsville, brainpower is what attracts businesses to an are,a and educational institutions are a key component in the recruitment of high-tech aerospace companies to north Alabama,” said Robert Linquist, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at UAH.

“UAH supports the Alabama Team at the Paris Airshow by highlighting the workforce development and research expertise in North Alabama. Aerospace firms are pleasantly surprised to learn that UAH ranks in the Top 10 of the nation for expenditures in aerospace engineering and awards over 1,000 degrees in Engineering and Science annually,” added Linquist, who is part of the Huntsville team in Paris.

Auburn, meanwhile, is home to the National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence (NCAME), which partners with the Department of Defense and NASA to advance metal 3D printing for aerospace applications.

The university’s Department of Aerospace Engineering is ranked among the best in the Southeast, while its cybersecurity and AI programs are working on tools vital to defense readiness.

Under an $11.4 million Department of Defense contract, Auburn’s Applied Research Institute in Huntsville is establishing a radiation hardening facility to help ensure the reliability of military technology in the harsh radiation environments encountered in space.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the project is critical.

“That this will be the only university in the nation doing this incredibly important work reinforces the state of Alabama’s reputation — and particularly Auburn University’s reputation — as a leader in aerospace and defense research,” said Rogers, whose support propelled the project.

“I think it’s safe to say that few schools are better positioned for this sort of project,” he said.

Support system

Also on hand in Paris are leaders from the Alabama Community College System, Southern Union State Community College in Wadley and Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville.

In late April, Drake State President Dr. Patricia Sims cut the ribbon on the school’s new Leidos Advanced Training Complex, a 50,000-square-foot facility that will support education and training for the aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries.

“The Leidos Advanced Training Complex represents a transformative investment in workforce education and regional economic growth,” Dr. Sims said in an announcement.

The facility was made possible by a $1.75 million donation to Drake State from aerospace giant Leidos, which operates Dynetics in Huntsville.

“Huntsville has been a cornerstone of aerospace and defense talent since the industry’s earliest days,” Leidos CEO Tom Bell said. “This partnership with Drake State will grow the pipeline of talented people who will solve our nation’s most vexing challenges in smarter and more efficient ways.”

Other universities in Alabama are also providing vital support for the industry.

The University of South Alabama, located near Airbus’ U.S. Final Assembly Line in Mobile, is playing a growing role in workforce development for aviation, aerospace and engineering.

Tuskegee University’s partnerships with the Air Force and NASA, along with a strong focus on STEM education and pilot training, support Alabama’s defense workforce pipeline.

These institutions don’t operate in silos — they collaborate with one another and with private-sector companies, workforce agencies, and federal labs.

Through initiatives like the Alabama Space Grant Consortium and university research parks across the state, Alabama’s universities are driving innovation while providing companies with access to advanced talent and facilities, said Bob Smith, Commerce’s specialist on the aerospace industry.

“Alabama’s leadership in aerospace, aviation, and defense didn’t happen by chance — it’s the result of decades of investment in education, research, and strategic collaboration,” said Smith, who’s part of the Alabama team at the 2025 Paris Air Show.

“The state’s universities are not only educating tomorrow’s engineers, pilots, and scientists; they’re shaping the technologies that will define the future of flight, bolster national security, and energize tomorrow’s space explorations,” he added.

Courtesy of Made in Alabama