Photo Credit: US Army
Many Alabamians would be surprised to know the Missile Defense Agency’s headquarter building in Huntsville, the Von Braun III, holds “the largest concentration of missile defense engineers in the world” (Hawkins). The Missile Defense Agency is an organization focused on the research, acquisition, and development of missiles to protect United States civilians, troops, and allies. Its predecessor became established in 1983 to protect the United States against the threat of missile attacks during the Cold War with the Communist controlled USSR. The lack of technology capable to prevent deadly bombings also prompted MDA’s creation. To form a more cohesive agency, multiple programs were consolidated. In 2002, the organization became known as the Missile Defense Agency. Since its creation, MDA has produced satellites, radars, and numerous missiles to ease the constant threat of missile attacks against the U.S. The Base Realignment and Closure Decision of 2005 moved a significant portion of MDA’s operations to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. MDA’s presence made a dramatic impact on Huntsville’s economy and industry.
The Missile Defense Agency awards multiple billion-dollar contracts to companies with a strong economic foothold in Huntsville. Many of the companies MDA works with are clustered in Huntsville’s Cumming’s Research Park, the second largest research park in the nation, and the fourth largest in the world. MDA and partnering companies helped solidify Huntsville’s status as a leading city in the defense, space, and technology industries. Huntsville’s strong presence in industry has attracted multiple fortune 500 companies to the area. MDA and other organizations are responsible for bringing in professionals with a broad range of specialties, like engineers, mathematicians, and acquisition specialist.
Huntsville is an extremely unique city in Alabama. Historically, Alabama’s economy has been centered around agriculture. While a large portion of Alabama today is still dominated by agriculture, Huntsville has set itself apart from the rest of the state with a booming economy and exceptional quality of life. According to research data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Huntsville leads all U.S. metropolitan areas in the 2021 rate of economic recovery due to the rapid growth of industry in the area. Another study from 2021 by U.S News & World Report ranked Huntsville as the third best U.S. metropolitan area to live in. This is a major jump from last year’s ranking, where Huntsville was number 15. Huntsville’s dramatic revitalization of its economy has turned it into a progressive city to live and work. MDA’s presence in Huntsville has transformed the city into a center for the defense industry as well as one of the most livable communities in the nation.
Additional Information:
- “Missile Defense Agency Opens Doors to Future." https://www.army.mil/article/67136/missile_defense_agency_opens_doors_to_future
- “Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama.” https://www.army-technology.com/projects/redstonearsenalalaba/
Author
Samuel Kirstein is a freshman studying biochemistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and hanging out with friends.
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