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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world leader in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, JobsOhio and the Dayton Development Coalition announced that GA-ASI is expanding its footprint with a new 22,000-square-foot innovation hub in Dayton, Ohio, focusing on hardware and software development for U.S. Air Force (USAF) programs. With the support of Synergy Building Systems, the new facility will open in Spring 2027 near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), home to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
The new facility is in addition to GA-ASI’s existing location outside WPAFB that opened in 2014. The addition will expand GA-ASI’s local footprint by more than seven times the existing square footage.It is expected to employ 50 full-time employees initially, drawn primarily from the local community, with support from JobsOhio and the Dayton Development Coalition, which will help promote and fill these new positions. Anyone interested in applying for a position at GA-ASI should go to www.ga.com/careers.
“GA-ASI’s decision to choose Ohio for its new innovation hub speaks to Ohio’s aviation heritage and the ingenuity of our people,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This continued growth is part of a long-term strategy to deliver the facilities, infrastructure and talent necessary to ensure UAS pioneers can scale operations and succeed here in Ohio.”
The facility will serve as a central hub for open, modular, and affordable hardware, software, and autonomy development, supporting rapid prototyping, integration, and testing of next-generation UAS capabilities. It will also feature a state-of-the-art mission operations center, enabling remote flight control of GA-ASI aircraft, as well as experimentation, training, and demonstration activities in close coordination with the company’s USAF and industry partners.
“Growing our footprint in Dayton allows GA-ASI to bring its long-standing UAS and sensing expertise to a region recognized as a premier center for advanced technology. This expansion will enable closer collaboration with local industry and more frequent interaction with our U.S. Air Force customer,” said GA-ASI Vice President of DoD Strategic Development Patrick Shortsleeve.
“GA-ASI’s latest investment in Ohio reinforces our state’s vital role in strengthening America’s national defense,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “In partnership with the Dayton Development Coalition, we welcome this cutting-edge facility, which will advance critical aircraft hardware and software systems, create 50 new jobs in Beavercreek, and position GA-ASI closer to its private-sector partners and customers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.”
Ohio’s Aerospace & Defense sector is built for the speed our mission now demands. More than 640 aerospace facilities and 400 defense contractor organizations — supporting 418,000 jobs and roughly $55 billion in annual economic output — operate in collaboration with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the NASA Glenn Research Center, and the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE). That concentration shortens the distance from concept to manufacturing: in Ohio, companies can dream it, build it, test it, and scale it without leaving the state.
Synergy Vice President John Kopilchack said: “We are very excited to welcome General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. into our growing Synergy Defense portfolio. Synergy remains committed to clients like GA-ASI who are inventing and pioneering modern solutions for our warfighters.”
GA-ASI has been a supplier of UAS, including the Predator® and Reaper® platforms, to the U.S. Air Force for the past 30 years. In June, GA-ASI was awarded a production contract from USAF to build the new FQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), a purpose-built uncrewed fighter jet developed as part of ongoing investment in next-generation semi-autonomous combat aircraft.
JobsOhio plans to provide assistance for the project, which will be made public after a final agreement is executed. In addition, the project may pursue a Job Creation Tax Credit from the Ohio Department of Development at a future Tax Credit Authority meeting.
