The second annual Global Aerospace Summit highlighted the St. Louis region’s robust aerospace ecosystem and its expanding influence in shaping the future of aviation, defense, and advanced manufacturing industries.
[O’Fallon, IL/Aug. 21, 2026] – The second annual Global Aerospace Summit opened with a powerful message about the strength of the St. Louis region’s aerospace ecosystem and its growing role in shaping the future of aviation, defense and advanced manufacturing. More than 200 industry leaders, government officials, educators, military representatives, economic development and workforce development professionals gathered Aug.19 and 20 at the Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon, Illinois, where leaders from Boeing and Scott Air Force Base underscored why the bi-state St. Louis region continues to emerge as one of the nation’s leading aerospace hubs.
“The wide range of mission partners represented in this room says something important about aerospace,” McClain said. “America’s aerospace advantage isn’t just a platform. It’s not just the next fighter, bomber, tanker or airlifter. The platforms real aerospace advantage is the community of people, many of you in this room, that make those possible.”
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McClain said close collaboration among government, industry, educators, engineers and skilled workers remains essential as technology and global threats evolve.
“The environment in which we’re asking our airmen to go out and do those things is changing remarkably fast,” McClain said. “Technology is moving faster. Threats are evolving faster.” He noted that capabilities such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, digital engineering and new materials are already transforming the aerospace sector and creating new opportunities for innovation. Success, he said, will depend not only on innovation but also on the ability to adapt and deploy new capabilities faster than ever before.
He also pointed to the region’s unique concentration of aerospace assets, including Scott Air Force Base, U.S. Transportation Command, MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, Boeing’s MQ-25 production facility, manufacturers, suppliers, universities and workforce development programs.
“That’s not just proximity. That’s an aerospace ecosystem,” McClain said, adding that it’s an ecosystem that is difficult to replicate. “The opportunity for Southwestern Illinois isn’t simply to participate in America’s aerospace industry. It’s to become one of the places where America’s next aerospace advantage is created.”
That regional advantage is already taking shape in Southwestern Illinois through Boeing’s work on the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray, the autonomous aerial refueling aircraft being produced at its facility in Mascoutah, Illinois. Speaking on behalf of Boeing’s more than 18,000 aerospace workers in the region, including approximately 2,500 who live in Illinois, Troy Rutherford, Boeing’s MQ-25 program manager, told attendees the program reflects both the region’s growing role in national defense and the strength of its advanced manufacturing workforce.
Boeings MQ 25 Graphic
He noted the MQ-25 represents a major step forward for naval aviation and national security, while Boeing’s investment of more than $200 million in the facility underscores the program’s significance for Southwestern Illinois. The aircraft will more than double the tactical range of carrier-based aircraft while helping keep military personnel farther from harm’s way, he said.
Rutherford said Boeing now plans to ramp up production following several critical milestones, creating opportunities for local suppliers and professionals in engineering, software, systems integration and advanced manufacturing.
“That’s good stability through the production base for years to come as we continue to grow the footprint at MidAmerica [St. Louis] Airport and grow that capability out of here,” Rutherford said.
Rutherford credited local communities, educational institutions, suppliers and public-sector partners with helping position the region as a leader in autonomous aviation and advanced aerospace manufacturing and a destination for next-generation defense aviation.
“Southwestern Illinois is building the future of U.S. Naval Aviation,” Rutherford said. “The program is already reshaping Illinois, the economic and technological landscape, bringing jobs to the greater St Louis area.”
Regional leaders reinforced the connection between aerospace investment and economic growth. Kyle Anderson, Executive Director and CEO of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, said regions able to scale production, secure supply chains and rapidly expand industrial capacity to meet the unfortunate increase in defense requirements will be the ones best positioned to attract future investment. “The bi-state St. Louis region is one of those regions,” Anderson said. “We already know that, given the investment here.”
Chris Slusser, Chairman of Madison County, Illinois, emphasized that regional collaboration remains one of the area’s greatest strengths supporting aerospace as a key driver of economic growth across the bi-state region. “This summit reflects growing momentum,” Slusser said. “Whether the conversation is about advanced manufacturing, unmanned aerial systems, maintenance and repair operations, sustainable aviation fuels or defense technologies, this region is positioned to be part of that solution.”
Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss and Illinois State Representative Amy Elik also addressed the crowd during the opening session, highlighting the competitive advantages Southwestern Illinois offers for the aerospace industry, particularly its high-quality workforce and prime location in the middle of the US.
The two-day Summit included presentations and panel discussions on air cargo delivery, incentives and navigating the defense landscape, along with networking, a career fair and supplier matchmaking. With Summit attendees representing companies with operations across the United States, in Canada, and as far away as Korea, the global event strengthened its position as a premier platform for industry collaboration.
The annual Global Aerospace Summit is presented by the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois in partnership with Madison County, Illinois, St. Clair County Illinois, and Bi-State Development’s St. Louis Regional Freightway. To learn more about the 2026 Global Aerospace Summit, visit: https://
