AIA Launches Second to None Campaign

Campaign will educate the public on impact of indiscriminate budget cuts

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Aerospace Industries Association is launching a new campaign to provide information about the industry, potential job losses and national security risks while budgets are being eyed for sweeping reductions. The campaign, titled Second to None, is a public education initiative aimed at ensuring that the U.S. aerospace and defense industry continues to lead the world.

The aerospace and defense industry is a powerful contributor to the economy. According to estimates from Deloitte Development LLC, 2010 aerospace and defense employment stands at more than one million and revenues are nearly $331 billion.  The Deloitte estimates place total direct employment by aerospace and defense companies at over 1 million workers.

"If the cuts in the Budget Control Act are enacted, hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be lost." said Marion C. Blakey, AIA President and CEO, "While we need to be part of the solution in addressing our nation's debt, policymakers shouldn't make ill-considered cuts that would jeopardize our national and economic security."

Aerospace and defense supports 2.9 million jobs according to an analysis done for AIA by Barr Group Aerospace.  And Secretary of Defense Panetta has warned that the $600 billion cut required under sequestration would have "devastating effects on our national security." In addition, cuts to NASA and the FAA are threatening our competitiveness in space and ability to lead in the development of the Next Generation Air Transportation System.

"The world remains a dangerous place and our troops are stretched across the globe," said Blakey. "Now more than ever we need the technologies and programs developed and manufactured by the industry to keep Americans at home and abroad safe, fix our aviation infrastructure and keep the United States a leader in space. "

"The aerospace and defense industry has already absorbed $450-$480 billion in budget cuts. Further budget cuts to defense would be catastrophic," said Blakey.

For more information, visit www.SecondToNone.org.

Founded in 1919 shortly after the birth of flight, the Aerospace Industries Association is the most authoritative and influential trade association representing the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft systems, space systems, aircraft engines, homeland and cybersecurity systems, materiel and related components, equipment services and information technology.

SOURCE Aerospace Industries Association