{"686180":{"#nid":"686180","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech and PBS Aerospace Power Next-Gen Defense Innovation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern warfare and the technology behind it are evolving. Around the world, the skies are increasingly filled with small, agile, and intelligent systems \u2014 drones, missiles, and interceptors that demand lightweight, affordable, and highly efficient propulsion. The future of defense is fast, adaptable, and precise \u2014 and Georgia is positioning itself at the center of that transformation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pbsaerospace.com\/\u0022\u003EPBS Aerospace (PBS)\u003C\/a\u003E, a global leader in small turbojet engines, began searching for a location to build its first U.S. manufacturing facility, it didn\u2019t look to the traditional defense hubs. Instead, it chose Roswell, Georgia \u2014 where research excellence at Georgia Tech, a ready supply of high-tech talent, and a business environment built for speed are converging to create a new aerospace manufacturing cluster.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPBS is the world\u2019s leading producer of small turbojet engines,\u201d said Erin Durham, CEO of PBS Aerospace. \u201cWe\u2019re bringing those outstanding engines here to the United States to start up a U.S. factory \u2014 and we\u2019ll be producing thousands of them by 2026.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnlike the multimillion-dollar cruise missiles of the past, the systems PBS supports are designed for scale and agility. Their compact engines \u2014 typically producing 100 to 200 pounds of thrust \u2014 power the small drones and missiles that have redefined defense strategy in conflicts from Eastern Europe to the Middle East. \u201cOur engines go into munitions that cost a tenth of traditional systems,\u201d Durham said. \u201cThat allows us to produce at a fraction of the cost, project power, and defend U.S. interests more effectively.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo stay ahead in such a rapidly changing field, PBS turned to Georgia Tech. \u201cBecause the drone world is so innovative and so disruptive, we have to move very quickly to provide the most advanced engines possible,\u201d Durham said. \u201cWorking with Georgia Tech on the cutting edge of disruptive technologies enables us to keep our engine designs moving forward and provide the best solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat partnership draws on Georgia Tech\u2019s world-renowned expertise in propulsion, combustion, and systems engineering \u2014 as well as its unique ability to translate research directly into industry impact. Inside the Zinn Combustion Laboratory on Georgia Tech\u2019s Midtown Atlanta campus, faculty and students are already working with PBS engines to refine fuel efficiency, test new materials, and optimize performance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are about 50 active projects in our lab right now,\u201d said Adam Steinberg, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThey range from fundamental combustion science to testing real hardware used in flight. Georgia Tech provided access to one of our engine facilities while PBS was standing up its Roswell site. Georgia Tech students and PBS staff then worked hand in hand to test the first engines built in Roswell.\u202fThis is a strong example of how partnerships can help accelerate industry innovation.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Steinberg, the collaboration represents a model for how research universities can help shape emerging industries. \u201cWhen you\u2019re building engines, you need people who know how to assemble and test them \u2014 but you also need highly skilled engineers who will push the technology into the future,\u201d he said. \u201cFor our students, it\u2019s an incredible hands-on experience. They\u2019re working on systems that are shaping the next generation of propulsion.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat talent pipeline \u2014 from research labs to manufacturing floors \u2014 is already flowing. In Roswell, Joseph Banks, a technician at PBS, helps assemble the engines that will soon power some of the world\u2019s most advanced crewless systems. \u201cIt\u2019s a puzzle,\u201d Banks said. \u201cIt\u2019s all precision work. At the end of the day, I\u2019m happy to do it because there\u2019s purpose behind everything we do here.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat sense of purpose is matched by the urgency of the moment. As global demand for crewless and autonomous systems accelerates, the U.S. Department of Defense is seeking faster, more flexible production on American soil. PBS\u2019 decision to locate in Georgia \u2014 where 99% of its supply chain will be U.S.-based \u2014 strengthens both national security and the state\u2019s growing role in the aerospace economy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s pro-business environment has amplified that momentum. The City of Roswell fast-tracked PBS\u2019 permitting process, enabling construction to begin within months, while nearby technical colleges and Georgia Tech supply the skilled workforce needed to scale. \u201cWith Georgia Tech-trained engineers, nearby tech schools, and a community that supports innovation, we have everything we need to grow,\u201d Durham said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Georgia Tech, PBS\u2019 arrival signals more than a successful partnership \u2014 it\u2019s part of a broader strategy to ensure the state leads in the technologies that define the future of defense.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis could be one of the largest expansions in domestic aerospace manufacturing in quite some time,\u201d Steinberg said. \u201cHaving that here in Georgia right now, with the talent and support to make it succeed, is amazing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs drones and next-generation munitions reshape the nature of conflict, Georgia Tech\u2019s research, talent, and industry partnerships are ensuring that Georgia \u2014 and the nation \u2014 stay at the forefront of innovation in the skies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new chapter in aerospace innovation is taking flight in Georgia. PBS Aerospace, a global leader in small turbojet engines, has selected Roswell for its first U.S. manufacturing facility\u2014drawn by Georgia Tech\u2019s engineering expertise, a skilled talent pool, and a business climate built for speed.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s research and talent are helping PBS Aerospace launch a new era of aerospace manufacturing in Roswell, Georgia \u2014 advancing U.S. defense innovation and fueling the state\u2019s growing leadership in drone and propulsion technology."}],"uid":"36174","created_gmt":"2025-11-04 19:31:05","changed_gmt":"2025-11-20 19:13:11","author":"Blair Meeks","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678654":{"id":"678654","type":"video","title":"Georgia Tech and PBS Aerospace Power Next-Gen Defense Innovation","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s research and talent are helping PBS Aerospace launch a new era of aerospace manufacturing in Roswell, Georgia \u2014 advancing U.S. defense innovation and fueling the state\u2019s growing leadership in drone and propulsion technology.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763475217","gmt_created":"2025-11-18 14:13:37","changed":"1763475217","gmt_changed":"2025-11-18 14:13:37","video":{"youtube_id":"-1h8Y1iQPgg","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/-1h8Y1iQPgg"}},"678655":{"id":"678655","type":"image","title":"Balance testing at PBS Aerospace in Roswell, GA.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoseph Banks, a technician at PBS Aerospace in Roswell, places a drone part on a machine for balance testing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763475401","gmt_created":"2025-11-18 14:16:41","changed":"1763475756","gmt_changed":"2025-11-18 14:22:36","alt":"This is a photo of a technician at PBS Aeros space placing a part on a balancing machine in the company\u0027s manufacturing facility","file":{"fid":"262714","name":"PBS-Aerospace-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2502711,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-1.jpg?itok=deXjcKpi"}},"678656":{"id":"678656","type":"image","title":"Turbojet engine manufactured by PBS Aerospace","body":"\u003Cp\u003EOne of the turbojet engines manufactured by PBS Aerospace.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763475554","gmt_created":"2025-11-18 14:19:14","changed":"1763475554","gmt_changed":"2025-11-18 14:19:14","alt":"This photo shows one of the turbojet engines manufactured by PBS Aerospace","file":{"fid":"262715","name":"PBS-Aerospace-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2880611,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/18\/PBS-Aerospace-3.jpg?itok=Ai12jrrR"}}},"media_ids":["678654","678655","678656"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194838","name":"aerospace manufacturing"},{"id":"194839","name":"defense innovation"},{"id":"187353","name":"drone"},{"id":"179187","name":"jet engine"},{"id":"7018","name":"propulsion"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBlair Meeks\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}