The U.S. is undergoing a major industrial revival, shifting power from ""superstar cities"" to regions with strong manufacturing bases. Driven by the need to remilitarize, reshore, and decarbonize, this transition has resulted in over $1.4 trillion in public and private investments in sectors like clean energy, semiconductors, and electric vehicles (EVs) as of September 2024. While these civilian investments are routinely mapped, the spatial geography of defense manufacturing is rarely assessed. Like civilian investments, defense megaprojects reshape local economies, creating new workforce needs and supply chains. Cities that strategically leverage defense spending can move up the value chain, becoming hubs for innovation and production. To fully grasp this industrial shift, it’s important to analyze both defense and civilian investments.
In light of this, our analysis focuses on the distribution of high-value Department of Defense (DoD) contracts across U.S. metropolitan areas. We examined contracts exceeding $500 million, along with modifications that increased their value above this threshold between 2021 and 2024.
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Details
Title
The Spatial Geography of Defense Manufacturing
Creators
Bruce J Katz - Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab
Milena Dovali Delgado - Drexel University, Nowak Metro Finance Lab
Emily Desmond - Drexel University, Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation
Atara Saunders
Ying He
Publisher
Nowak Metro Finance Lab, Drexel University; Philadelphia, PA
Number of pages
14
Resource Type
Report
Language
English
Academic Unit
Global Studies and Modern Languages; Nowak Metro Finance Lab; Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation
Other Identifier
991022062716904721
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