Study sees slight growth in defense contract spending in Georgia

WARNER ROBINS -- A study on the economic impact of military contracting in Georgia projects slight growth in the next three years, but that comes with significant uncertainties.

Representatives of the Georgia Department of Economic Development were in Warner Robins on Tuesday to discuss the results of the study, which is part of the department’s new Guard Initiative. The study was called a first step in the state’s effort to help defense contractors adjust to future cuts in military spending.

“One of the goals of this project is thinking ahead, the ‘what ifs,’” said Beau Causey, senior project manager for the initiative. “What if we end up having (defense) contract related budget cuts? Are we prepared for the future?”

The study found that in fiscal 2014 defense contract spending in Georgia totalled $5.8 billion, which accounted for 43,460 jobs in the state. It forecasts slight growth to $6.1 billion in 2019.

But that could easily change with decisions by Congress or the U.S. Department of Defense. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. in Savannah, for instance, is in the running for a major contract to replace the planes flown by the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System at Robins Air Force Base.

The presentation of the study’s results was the first of four such meetings to be held across the state. About 30 economic development and business leaders from the region attended Tuesday’s meeting, held at Flint Energies. Meetings also are planned in Atlanta, Savannah and Columbus.

Rob Brooks, chairman of the 21st Century Partnership board of directors and president of ComSouth, said after the meeting that he saw good and bad in the information shared Tuesday.

“The concerns are when you look at some of those projections for defense spending and potential cuts and reductions, but the positive side is that it looks like we are getting ahead of this a little bit,” he said.

The data is available by going to www.georgia.org/guardinitiative and clicking the tab at the right that says “View the results of the economic impact evaluation model.”

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published September 1, 2015 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Study sees slight growth in defense contract spending in Georgia ."