Aerospace and defense manufacturer KIHOMAC is putting $25 million into a new facility in the Oklahoma City metro, a project the company says will expand its ability to support Tinker Air Force Base and the network of businesses that serve it. The planned building will run roughly 130,000 square feet, though where exactly it will rise has not been made public.
KIHOMAC announced the expansion during the 2026 AFA Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, working alongside the Aerospace Commerce Economic Services team from Oklahoma Commerce, according to OKBusinessVoice. The company, which already operates an office in Midwest City, describes itself as an aerospace and defense manufacturing, engineering and services firm with offices spread across the country, as reported by News 9. Neither a construction timeline nor a jobs figure tied to the expansion has been disclosed.
A New Facility Aimed at Tinker's Orbit
The purpose of the planned facility, per News 9's reporting, is straightforward: give KIHOMAC more room to support Tinker Air Force Base and the surrounding aerospace and defense community. KIHOMAC CEO Ki Ho Kang framed the move as bigger than square footage, saying the company's growth in Oklahoma City represents more than an infrastructure expansion. Kang added that KIHOMAC is committed to the Air Force, airmen and warfighters who rely on its aerospace sustainment solutions, and said the company plans to partner with the ACES team as it continues to invest in its people, its capabilities and the state of Oklahoma.
KIHOMAC's move also feeds into a broader push around Tinker itself. The base is widely regarded as the region's largest single-site employer, and its ongoing missions tend to ripple outward to engineering firms, manufacturers, technology companies, construction contractors and other supply-chain businesses, according to the Journal Record. Earlier this month, Tinker broke ground on a major expansion of its Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Technology Center, adding 78 acres to create a multifunctional campus capable of supporting multiple types of bombers for depot maintenance in support of the base's B-52 fleet, the outlet reported.
Part of a Bigger Aerospace Wave
State officials framed KIHOMAC's announcement as one more data point in an industry that is already booming in Oklahoma. Aerospace and defense is the state's second-largest and fastest-growing industry, according to ACES, and the sector secured $450 million in capital investment from 37 new or expanding businesses in 2025 alone, creating more than 1,300 jobs, per the same account from OKBusinessVoice. Statewide, the industry now carries a $44 billion annual economic impact, with more than 1,100 aerospace entities operating in Oklahoma, according to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.
ACES officials tied KIHOMAC's announcement directly into that momentum. Leshia Pearson said KIHOMAC's investment exemplifies the growth taking place across Oklahoma's aerospace and defense sector, and said ACES supports the company as it expands its capabilities and continues investing in the state. Company leaders described the expansion as part of an effort to strengthen the broader network of companies supporting Tinker Air Force Base, rather than a standalone project.
Momentum Beyond One Company
KIHOMAC's announcement lands amid aerospace activity connected to Oklahoma's participation in the Farnborough International Air Show. The Chamber has reported announcements involving Oklahoma companies participating alongside the state in the 2026 show. KIHOMAC itself has been active on that front, having signed a memorandum of understanding with ITI Engineering to jointly pursue opportunities supporting F-35 sustainment and Agile Combat Employment.
For now, the specifics that would let neighbors and job seekers plan around the new facility — where it will sit, when crews might break ground, and how many positions it could ultimately support — remain unannounced. What is clear, according to the companies and state officials involved, is that KIHOMAC intends to keep building out its footprint around Tinker as Oklahoma's aerospace sector continues its run of expansions.
