SPADA Launches to Unify Southern California’s A&D Powerhouse

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – February 27, 2026 – A new strategic alliance has officially launched to fortify Southern California’s vital aerospace and defense (A&D) sector, aiming to bridge long-standing gaps in regional coordination and bolster the nation's industrial base. The Southern Pacific Aero-Defense Alliance (SPADA) announced its formation this week, establishing a non-profit platform to unite industry, government, and academia across one of the country's most critical high-tech ecosystems.

SPADA will make its public debut with an inaugural launch event on March 11, 2026, hosted at the College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center. The event signals a concerted effort to address complex challenges facing the industry, from workforce development to supply chain resilience. The high-profile program will feature keynote discussions with OJ Sanchez, the newly appointed Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin’s legendary Skunk Works, and Congressman George Whitesides (CA-27), a former NASA Chief of Staff and CEO of Virgin Galactic.

“The future of aerospace and defense depends on collaboration across industry, education, and government,” said Pennie Burnham, CEO of SPADA and Vice President of North America for Nycote Laboratories Corporation. “SPADA provides that connective tissue, and this launch event signals a shared commitment to building a stronger, more resilient A&D workforce and supply chain.”

Addressing a Historical Void

The formation of SPADA comes at a pivotal moment for Southern California’s A&D industry, a sector with a storied past marked by both world-changing innovation and periods of significant contraction. After the end of the Cold War, the region saw a dramatic decline in aerospace employment, with some estimates suggesting a 60% reduction in jobs since 1990 as contracts dried up and companies consolidated.

However, the industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience and is currently in a period of resurgence. Los Angeles County alone added an estimated 11,000 new aerospace jobs between 2022 and 2024, while venture capital investment in defense technology has surged past $4 billion in the last year. This rebound has highlighted the very fragmentation SPADA aims to solve. Regional analyses have repeatedly underscored the need for a shift from “collaboration over competition,” advocating for a collective effort to secure the region's economic future and its role in national security. SPADA is positioned as the answer to that call, creating a formal structure for the collaboration that experts say is necessary to maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

A Confluence of Power and Policy

The significance of SPADA’s mission is underscored by the stature of its inaugural keynote speakers. The event will bring together leaders from the front lines of advanced military technology and the highest levels of federal policymaking.

OJ Sanchez, who took the helm of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in January 2025, represents the pinnacle of aerospace innovation. Skunk Works, the company’s Advanced Development Programs division, is renowned for developing some of the most advanced and secretive aircraft in U.S. history, from the F-117 Nighthawk to the F-22 Raptor. A former F-22 pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Sanchez brings a unique operator’s perspective to his leadership role, overseeing the next generation of defense technologies. His presence signals the deep industry investment in SPADA's collaborative model.

Providing the crucial government perspective is Congressman George Whitesides, who represents California’s 27th district—a region that includes the A&D hubs of Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster. Elected in November 2024, Rep. Whitesides brings an unparalleled depth of experience from both the public and private sectors. He served as NASA’s Chief of Staff during the Obama administration and spent a decade as the first CEO of Virgin Galactic, guiding the company to its historic public listing. His current appointments to the powerful House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee place him at the center of legislative efforts shaping national defense and innovation policy.

“After spending my career in commercial aerospace and at NASA, I am honored to now advocate for our region’s workers, businesses, and defense capabilities in Congress,” Rep. Whitesides stated. “I look forward to working together to advance our shared priorities and build a stronger, more resilient aerospace and defense workforce and supply chain.”

Forging the Future Workforce

A central pillar of SPADA’s mission is tackling the persistent challenge of workforce development. The alliance's partnership with College of the Canyons (COC) for its launch event is no coincidence; the community college is a prime example of the educational infrastructure essential for cultivating the next generation of A&D talent.

COC’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC) offers specialized training in fields directly applicable to the A&D supply chain, including CNC machining, welding technology, and robotics. Through initiatives like its Business & Industry Leadership Team (BILT) model, the college works directly with employers like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to co-develop curricula, ensuring that students graduate with skills that are immediately relevant to industry needs.

Furthermore, the college’s Aerospace and Science Team (AST) provides students with extraordinary hands-on experience. COC is the only community college to have participated in NASA’s High-Altitude Student Platform (HASP) for eight consecutive years, giving students the chance to design and launch experiments on suborbital rockets. These programs serve as a direct pipeline, with participants frequently securing internships and jobs at leading aerospace firms. By formalizing the connection between educational institutions like COC and the broader industry, SPADA aims to replicate and scale these successful models across Southern California, ensuring a steady flow of skilled technicians and engineers to fuel innovation.

Bolstering a Critical National Asset

Ultimately, SPADA's regional focus serves a vital national interest. Southern California is not just an economic hub; it is a cornerstone of the U.S. defense industrial base, leading the nation in the manufacturing of guided missiles and space vehicles. The presence of industry giants like SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, alongside a vast network of smaller suppliers and innovators, makes the region indispensable to national security.

The alliance's goals of enhancing supply chain resilience and fostering innovation are direct responses to national strategic priorities. In an era of renewed global competition, ensuring that the domestic industrial base can rapidly develop, produce, and sustain advanced defense systems is paramount. By creating a unified front, SPADA intends to streamline communication, eliminate redundancies, and accelerate the adoption of new technologies—from artificial intelligence to advanced manufacturing—across the entire ecosystem. The inaugural event is more than a launch; it is a mobilization of one of America’s most important industrial assets, signaling a shared commitment to securing its future.