“Virginia is for Lovers” has been the tourism slogan for the Commonwealth since 1969, but what is forgotten is that it was initially meant to be part of a broader campaign that included such slogans as “Virginia is for History Lovers,” and “Virginia is for Beach Lovers.” Those were not adopted, but Fairfax County in Virginia could offer its own slogan highlighting its commitment to the defense and aerospace industry.
Fairfax County, the most populous in Virginia and the most populous jurisdiction in the Washington metropolitan area, now ranks number one in defense spending in the world and has the top foreign direct investment in the U.S. aerospace sector.
American Rheinmetall Defense Setting Up Shop
It was announced earlier this month that German automotive and arms manufacturer Rheinmetall AG will invest in a new U.S. hub in Fairfax County, with two of its U.S. subsidiaries occupying 10,000 square feet at 2600 Park Tower Drive in Merrifield. The company explained that it will place American Rheinmetall Defense, the company’s corporate hub, and American Rheinmetall Munitions in the center of the U.S. defense ecosystem.
“The opening of our new Washington, D.C., region office spaces underscores our rapid growth and committed investment in Rheinmetall’s U.S. operations,” said Stephen Hedger, CEO, American Rheinmetall Defense. “This move reinforces our brand presence, brings us even closer to key government stakeholders, improves our access to a wonderful human resource talent pool in the region, and strengthens our ability to support U.S. defense strategy with speed, innovation, and an enduring commitment to being part of the fabric of the U.S. defense industrial base.”
Rheinmetall’s operations will join those of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Boeing, Raytheon, L3Harris, Leidos, and General Dynamics, among others.
38 of 100 Defense Firms Call Fairfax Home
The county was established in 1742 and was named for Thomas Fairfax, the Sixth Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a prominent colonial landowner. Before the settlers’ arrival, the region had been home to multiple Native American tribes, notably the Doeg tribe. Europeans, particularly tobacco planters, migrated to the area in the early 18th century.
Both George Washington and George Mason were residents of Fairfax.
It remained predominantly rural until after the Second World War, when it experienced rapid suburbanization. Since the Cold War, it has become the epicenter of the aerospace and defense industry. Northrop Grumman moved its headquarters from Los Angeles to Falls Church in 2011, while Airbus and BAE Systems have also established their U.S. home bases in the county.
As previously reported, Fairfax County is also a stone’s throw away from the Pentagon. Moreover, it is home to a growing number of defense and cybersecurity companies, alongside an ever-expanding pool of veteran talent. More than 65,000 veterans now reside in Fairfax County, with thousands more throughout Northern Virginia, ensuring that the region has become a hub for veterans transitioning from military service to civilian careers.
Major Workforce
According to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, more than 184,000 people make up the regional aerospace and defense-related workforce, with 38 of the top 100 global defense companies having offices in the county.
In 2023, Fairfax accounted for $952 billion in U.S. aerospace and defense industry revenue, with $466 billion in U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contracts.
“Fairfax stands at the epicenter of defense innovation, where influence is within arm’s reach and the nation’s top tech minds are part of the daily landscape,” Fairfax County Economic Development Authority President and CEO Victor Hoskins told ClearanceJobs in an email.
“Backed by Northern Virginia’s network of over 20,000 technology companies and deep bench of top talent, our ecosystem delivers the scale, agility, and expertise the defense sector needs to solve urgent challenges,” added Hoskins. “It’s where vision rapidly becomes capability, and capability becomes advantage.”
