Ohio manufacturers will have new tools to compete for defense and aerospace investment under an Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA)-backed measure that is now law.

House Bill 292 creates the Ohio Defense and Space Advisory Commission and a new Defense and Aerospace Industries Expansion Program designed to help Ohio compete for defense and aerospace investment, strengthen coordination across the state and support manufacturers pursuing new opportunities.

OMA supported the legislation throughout the legislative process, arguing that Ohio needed a more coordinated strategy to capture defense manufacturing growth and help small and mid-sized suppliers compete for federal work.

Earlier this year, OMA member Eric Jenkusky, founder and CEO of T.J. Clark International, told lawmakers the legislation would help Ohio compete for high-value defense and aerospace projects while strengthening the manufacturers that make up the state’s defense industrial base.

The new law includes $5 million in FY 2027 for the Defense and Aerospace Industries Expansion Program and advisory commission.

“Ohio has the manufacturing depth to win more defense and aerospace work, but having the capability is only part of the equation,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “This gives the state a more deliberate way to connect Ohio manufacturers with investment and opportunities that too often go elsewhere.”

The law also complements OMA’s push to improve access to capital for smaller defense manufacturers, giving more Ohio companies a path to compete for growth in the sector. 9/14/2026