Michigan Reimagines the Future of Flight and U.S. Defense

In the aerospace and defense sector, Michigan has long held the reputation of a manufacturing titan. Revered during World War II, the state harnessed its collective industrial prowess to produce a B-24 bomber every hour, earning the nickname "the Arsenal of Democracy." Today, military focus has shifted from manufacturing output to staying ahead of the curve through cutting-edge technology. Despite a shifting landscape, Michigan continues to lead the way. In recent years, the state has worked to accelerate collaboration between entrepreneurs and its established aerospace and defense sector, empower its talented STEM workforce, and create state initiatives that unite private and public defense organizations toward common goals. With this groundbreaking, modern-day collective effort, Michigan is reimagining its Arsenal of Democracy legacy as the Arsenal of Innovation.

A foundation of Michigan’s new approach is the creation of the Michigan Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation (ODAI). The office provides a strategic plan to guide investments in key industrial sectors and research institutions critical to producing the vehicles, munitions, and systems that will define defense today and spearhead emerging technologies such as advanced air mobility (AAM). ODAI is also working to strengthen and better connect the state’s world-class engineering talent and academics with industry, military, and government, creating a unified approach to the defense ecosystem.

Empowering Michigan’s strong talent base is an integral component of ODAI’s strategy. With the highest concentration of engineers and commercial and industrial designers in the nation, as well as the 8th-largest skilled trades workforce and the 4th-largest total manufacturing employment, Michigan maintains its prowess as a state that builds but also designs and ideates. And the next generation is ready to continue that reputation. Michigan ranks among the top 10 in total STEM degree completions and was ranked number four by Site Selection for workforce development. 

With world-class universities and education, as well as a business-friendly environment, Michigan has always had a penchant for innovation, and now it’ll be paired with the Michigan National Guard through the Infrastructure for Innovation agreement. This will unlock the facilities and other advanced physical assets of Michigan's top institutions for startups and entrepreneurs.

“Here in Michigan, we take pride in being the place for great starts and innovation, as home to a legendary workforce and bold thinkers and doers, who powered the Arsenal of Democracy in World War II and who continue to scale up high-tech discoveries to this day,” said Michigan’s Chief Innovation Ecosystem Officer Ben Marchionna at the time of the Infrastructure for Innovation announcement. “This partnership underscores our shared commitment to making sure we do all we can to break down barriers and create opportunities for innovators to research, build, and deploy their technologies right here in Michigan.”

The state’s focus on defense innovation over the past year has materialized in groundbreaking investments. In 2025, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Selfridge Air National Guard Base would receive a new mission of F-15EX fighters, one of the most advanced fighter jets ever built. This mission not only secures the historic Selfridge Air Base as an important cog in the future of U.S. defense, but also brings the latest in aerospace to Michigan. To prepare Selfridge for the arrival of the new jets, a bipartisan supplemental funding bill for Selfridge Air National Guard Base was passed by the Michigan legislature and signed by Gov. Whitmer in May of this year. 

As part of its renewed identity as the Arsenal of Innovation, Michigan has also made incredible strides in the AAM sector. Similar to the Infrastructure for Innovation, Michigan established the Advanced Air Mobility Initiative, which seeks to accelerate next-generation drone technology by integrating across public and private sectors and positioning the state’s workforce and infrastructure as assets in the nation’s deployment of AAM technologies. 

Michigan’s emerging AAM leadership has resulted in events like the Uncrewed Triple Challenge (UCT), a state-sponsored competition of autonomous drone technology across air, land, and sea. The inaugural UCT was held in 2025, gathering teams from eight states and three countries as they worked to deliver a package over nearly 100 miles with minimal or no human intervention. 

From groundbreaking autonomous challenges to next-generation fighter deployments, the future of aerospace and defense is already taking shape in Michigan. By empowering its elite workforce, accelerating collaboration between startups and industry leaders, and promoting partnerships between public and private stakeholders, it’s clear that the entire state is mobilizing as the Arsenal of Innovation.