| Greenville News
Last month, Lockheed Martin announced a $ 900 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to provide lift support and overflow services for F-16 aircraft.
The change was met with enthusiasm.
“We are thrilled that the Air Force chose Lockheed Martin Greenville for its F-16 Depot Overflow program,” said Dep. William Timmons in a statement. “Lockheed Martin’s Greenville unit will now produce and maintain the F-16s.”
Timmons, along with the entire South Carolina delegation, asked Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett to consider Lockheed Martin Greenville for the November contract.
The news is clearly great, as Lockheed Martin and Greenville can also benefit.
This brings new jobs in a growing industry to the area, which can help support other local companies. Lockheed Martin plays an important role in the community through partnerships and donations, and its partners are excited about the contract.
“With this warehouse-level maintenance work being added to the assembly lines already in production, Greenville could correctly call itself the F-16 World Capital,” said Stephon Astemborski, director of SC Aerospace.
Economic impact of Lockheed Martin and the aerospace industry
Lockheed Martin announced that its F-16 production line would move to Greenville in 2017. Since then, it has added 200 new jobs and invested $ 38 million in improvements to facilities and support structures.
The new contract will bring 50 to 80 new jobs to Greenville and the company expects to add those jobs in the next six to nine months, according to Leslie Farmer, communications leader at Lockheed Martin Greenville.
“We anticipate that these jobs will benefit local businesses in the community, as these are jobs based in Greenville,” said Farmer. “We will also continue to work with our current suppliers to facilitate other requirements and we are always looking for opportunities to partner with local companies that have aviation parts and / or supply capacity.”
According to the company, they contribute an annual economic impact of $ 100 million to the Greenville area.
Astemborski says Lockheed Martin is an integral part of the state’s aerospace cluster – although it manufactures F-16s, the company is considered part of the aerospace industry because it produces these planes before they reach military bases.
The 2020 Aerospace Impact Report SC shows that private aerospace companies produced $ 28.8 billion in economic impact for the state and these companies contributed more than $ 734 million in state tax revenues. The report did not highlight the impact of Lockheed Martin.
The aerospace sector tends to have well-paid jobs. His average salary, $ 81,114, is almost double the state’s average salary, $ 44,986, according to the report. Aerospace jobs also have a multiplier effect. The report says that for each aerospace job, 2.7 additional jobs are created.
“One of the things we like about having an aerospace cluster in this state is that it promotes the permanence of more suppliers in the state, and that is where this multiplier effect comes from,” said Astemborski.
He added that this multiplier effect also includes how these new employees affect local businesses, such as supermarkets, restaurants and housing.
Community partnerships, volunteering and donations
Lockheed Martin has partnered with several state and local organizations that support veteran and military causes and education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. They also provide support through volunteering and donations.
“Lockheed Martin’s approach to STEM outreach includes support for programs, events and campaigns that focus on student performance, teacher development and ethnic and gender diversity,” said Farmer. “And to help give back to those who give so much for our nation, we are dedicated to supporting service members with programs that improve their lives and those of their families, increase educational and training opportunities and honor their selfless duty to our country. .
Partner organizations include Upstate Warrior Solution, Roper Mountain Science Center, USO South Carolina and South Carolina Coalition of Math and Science.
Thomas Peters, director of the South Carolina Coalition of Mathematics and Science, says Lockheed Martin has supported its STEM programs for more than a dozen years through volunteering and donations to various programs.
“Local and regional investments in STEM teaching and learning by companies like Lockheed Martin send a powerful message to lawmakers, communities, families and young students that science, technology, engineering and mathematics are important,” said Peters. “These investments of time and money encourage other South Carolina-based companies and industries to become similarly involved in their own communities. Everyone benefits when companies and industries see themselves as part of the communities in which they reside and act in ways that promote community interests. “
Community investments are also concentrated locally in Greenville.
Michael Weeks, director of the Roper Mountain Science Center, says that support from Lockheed Martin helps them reach 100,000 students and visitors each year through different programs, such as the Explore Energy, Science on Wheels exhibition, hands-on learning labs and now virtual STEM e-learning classes.
For the past three years, Lockheed Martin has helped support a veteran companion with a disability through the Upstate Warrior Solution scholarship program.
The company also supported community partners with more than $ 210,000 in contributions to provide meals, shelter and other basic necessities for needy neighborhoods, and 2,000 medical gowns for frontline medical workers in the state to combat COVID-19.
“We appreciate the support we received from our Congressional delegation and the state of South Carolina,” said Farmer. “This work is a major victory for our team, community and state and positions our Greenville unit as the F-16 Center of Excellence, now supporting F-16 production and F-16 support.”
For many large companies, donations do not stop at nonprofits and often include politics.
Lockheed Martin’s Employee Policy Action Committee, which is funded by voluntary contributions from qualified employees and directors, donated $ 46,000 to South Carolina politicians, according to its 2019 report.
Contributions went to Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, and US representatives Jim Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, Ralph Norman, Tom Rice, William Timmons and Joe Wilson.