TAMPA, FL. July 10, 2024 – AEVEX Aerospace is excited to announce the expansion and ramp-up of its Unmanned Systems production at its manufacturing facility in Tampa, Florida. This state-of-the-art facility, covering approximately 58,000 square feet with a dedicated 30,000 square feet of environmentally controlled manufacturing space, marks a significant milestone in AEVEX’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge unmanned systems.
“With the expansion of our manufacturing facility, we are well-positioned to meet the increasing demand for advanced unmanned systems across multiple sectors,” said Jim “Mookie” Sturim, Senior Vice President, Tactical Systems at AEVEX Aerospace. “This investment not only enhances our production capabilities but also underscores our commitment to innovation and quality.”
With a multi-million-dollar investment, the facility is designed to produce approximately 450 aircraft per month on 1.5 shifts, with the potential to increase to a maximum rate up to 1,000 aircraft per month on three shifts. This expansion aims to meet the growing demand for unmanned systems. The facility boasts full-system capabilities, allowing for the complete production of an aircraft from raw components to the finished product. This includes fuselage construction, sub-assembly, wiring, PCB programming, integrations, aircraft flight parameters checkout, and engine testing. Additionally, the facility includes warehousing capabilities for storing both raw materials and finished goods inventory.
Notable features of the production facility include an internal gas engine test chamber and large paint booth. Flow lines are meticulously established to ensure seamless work in process from production start to completion, ensuring efficiency and quality at every step.
AEVEX Aerospace emphasizes Continuous Improvement, focusing on waste reduction, operator efficiency, and throughput optimization. The facility is co-located with manufacturing engineering and in-house supply chain capabilities, maintaining strong supplier relationships to minimize lead time disruptions and ensure secure sources of supply. The company is also working towards achieving AS9100 quality management certification by the end of 2024, underscoring its commitment to the highest standards of quality and excellence.
For more information about AEVEX Aerospace and its innovative unmanned systems, please visit www.aevex.com.
About AEVEX Aerospace
AEVEX Aerospace supports U.S. and partner nation security objectives by providing full-spectrum aviation and technology-based solutions. The company’s expanded capabilities include a wide variety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), a combat-proven portfolio of loitering munitions, and a family of multi-mission Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV). These additions complement AEVEX’s offerings in custom design & engineering, manned/unmanned aircraft modification & certification, sensor integration & sustainment, and other fielded solutions, including advanced intelligence analysis and tailored mission-system tools. AEVEX is headquartered in Solana Beach, California, with other major locations in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.
Press Contact
Matt Gunn
Director of Marketing
mgunn@aevex.com
