New Jersey hones in on aerospace development
Writer: Mirella Franzese
January 2025 — The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has committed $8.6 million towards the development of an Aerospace Innovation Center (AIC) in Atlantic County — slated for completion later this year — in a broader effort to consolidate the state’s status as a leader in the innovation sector.
“This investment from the NJEDA builds upon New Jersey’s reputation as a leader in cultivating an innovation economy by expanding opportunities for aerospace research in our state,” said Gov. Phil Murphy in a January press release.
According to the NJEDA in their 2025 economic plan, New Jersey has not made the most of the state’s assets over the past decade. The state has underinvested and insufficiently supported their families, students, workers, and businesses. As a result, New Jersey’s economy has experienced lagging economic growth and increasing inequality.
The AIC is the first of New Jersey’s seven Strategic Innovation Centers (SIC) dedicated towards aerospace research, development, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The project consists of a 40,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility, furnished with collaborative offices and studios spaces for research and laboratory development, and strategically located in the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park (NARTP) in Egg Harbor Township.
In addition to the NJEDA’s sizable investment, the center will receive a supplementary $10.5 million dollars in funding from the NARTP, the Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA) and the Atlantic Economic Alliance (ACEA).
The creation of high-paying technical jobs is another core aim behind the AIC’s creation, given the state’s stagnating labor market and rising rate of unemployment, one of the worst in the nation.
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“Governor Murphy is committed to growing New Jersey’s innovation economy by investing in diverse industries and providing entrepreneurs with access to the resources needed to grow and scale their business,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan in an October press release. “The Aerospace Innovation Center will drive the creation of new technologies that in turn will create jobs and support long-term, sustainable economic growth across the state.”
To further establish a talent pipeline into the regional aerospace industry, the AIC also intends to partner with New Jersey’s top colleges and universities, namely Stockton University, Rowan University, and Rutgers School of Engineering, as well as globally-recognized aeronautical organizations, such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the National Institute of Aerospace.
The construction of the AIC also comes right off the heels of a series of mysterious drone sightings in New York and New Jersey, which sparked significant public interest and led to the FBI receiving over 3,000 tips. No official explanation was given regarding the origins or intent of these drones, however.
This underscores the growing interest in aerospace technology and advancement across the U.S. “By fostering research, development, and entrepreneurship within the aerospace industry, we are positioning the Garden State as a national leader in addressing the challenges of integrating advanced technologies, like drones and electric-powered flying taxis, into the National Airspace System,” said NARTP chairman, Retired Maj. Gen. Mark Loeben, U.S. Air Force, in a press release.
The increasing demand for commercial air travel, combined with ample defense budgets and breakthroughs in the uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) space, means that New Jersey’s million-dollar investment in the AIC could make for lucrative future investment as the aerospace raw materials market is forecast to reach $75.6 billion in revenue by 2033.
“Atlantic County’s deep roots in the aerospace industry makes it a prime location for the Aerospace Innovation Center, where companies can test and further their products, while students and entrepreneurs make discoveries and create new technologies to help move the industry forward,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan in the previous NJEDA press report. “Strategic Innovation Centers, like the AIC, is helping unlock opportunities for innovators to pursue research, testing, and development of cutting edge technologies.”
