Lawton, OK – A major defense industry expansion is moving forward in Lawton-Fort Sill after Leidos officially broke ground on Project New Heights, a development expected to bring new jobs, advanced manufacturing capabilities and an estimated $70 million in annual economic impact to the region.
Federal, state and local leaders joined Leidos officials Tuesday at Central Plaza to celebrate the start of construction on the project, which city leaders described as one of the most significant economic development initiatives in decades.
Project New Heights will include two facilities totaling approximately 300,000 square feet. Plans call for a 200,000-square-foot Prototype Integration Facility at FISTA Innovation Park and a separate 100,000-square-foot depot support facility near the Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport.
According to city officials, the facilities will support advanced manufacturing, systems integration, testing, modernization and sustainment for defense programs.
Leidos expects to hire more than 130 employees for the Prototype Integration Facility alone. The company also estimates the project will contribute more than $70 million annually to the local economy.
Additional growth is expected through Leidos Cyber Information Services.
Vice President Wes Lawson said the cyber division currently employs about 25 people in Lawton and expects that number to double within the next year. He added that the workforce could potentially double again in the future.
Many of those positions are expected to focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly known as STEM, including careers for physicists, electrical engineers and mechanical engineers.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, credited the Lawton-Fort Sill community for creating the vision that helped make the project possible.
“This is a remarkable achievement,” Cole said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Cole said the development demonstrated the community’s commitment to strengthening both the local economy and the nation’s defense capabilities.
Mayor Stan Booker described Project New Heights as the largest economic development project in Lawton in nearly 50 years when measured by payroll dollars.
“This investment means jobs, growth and opportunity,” Booker said. “It sends a clear message that Lawton is a place where companies can invest and succeed.”
The project also represents another milestone for FISTA Innovation Park, which has experienced rapid growth in recent years.
City officials said the innovation park has added 34 defense partners during the past three years as Lawton-Fort Sill continues positioning itself as a center for defense technology, manufacturing and innovation.
The expansion reflects a broader strategy to strengthen the partnership between the military, private industry and educational institutions while creating new economic opportunities for the community.
Local leaders said the groundbreaking marks the beginning of a project that could reshape the region’s economic landscape while creating high-paying jobs and expanding Lawton-Fort Sill’s role in the defense industry.
With construction now underway, officials said Project New Heights represents another major step toward establishing Lawton-Fort Sill as a nationally recognized hub for defense innovation and advanced manufacturing.
