New data shows Virginia’s military industrial complex is booming
The war in Ukraine is creating a humanitarian crisis in Europe. But it’s also creating demand for defense industries in Virginia.
New orders for defense capital goods are steadily increasing according to new numbers from the Census Bureau – an indication that the war in Ukraine is leading to booming business for Virginia’s military industrial complex.
Jeff Shockley at Virginia Commonwealth University says Virginia presents unbeatable competitive advantages: access to Washington D.C. and proximity to the central logistics command at Fort Lee south of Richmond.
“The supply chain center of military operations in the United States is right down here in Fort Lee, Virginia. I can’t imagine that the importance of that is going to diminish,” says Shockley. “So as we become more technology focused in the military and we focus on more advanced weaponry and on personnel training – I think Virginia is uniquely positioned and favorably positioned to take advantage of that.”