Defense


Defense companies in the Quad Cities are major players in our national safety, from leading edge aerospace and defense technology systems to keeping the President safe in Airforce One. 

At the heart of the Quad Cities’ defense industry is the Rock Island Arsenal (RIA), which supports 14,000 jobs in the community and has an annual economic impact of over $1 billion. RIA is home over 70 Department of Defense organizations and private companies.

Rock Island Arsenal is the only full service Army installation in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. The installation comprises a 950-acre island on the Mississippi River, with 336 buildable acres, 25 miles of roads, 6.6 million square feet of floor space and 503,000 square feet of office and warehouse space.

Rock Island Arsenal supports more than 54,000 Active, Reserve Component, retired military, civilian employees and family members within a 150-mile radius. Find out how defense companies benefit from being located in the Quad Cities.

Economic impact on the Quad Cities region:

  • Largest employer in region
  • Impacts over 14,000 community jobs
  • Local economic impact is over $1 billion per year
  • FY09 construction program totaled $124.4 million
  • Home to over 70 Department of Defense organizations and private companies
  • Arsenal Support Program Initiative (ASPI) encourages commercial firms to invest in underutilized space and leverages the installation workforce to support production by commercial firms.
    • Currently 34 ASPI tenants with 204 employees
    • Generating an economic impact of $80.5 million based upon a Computer Sciences Corporation assessment
  • Installation workforce demographics:
    • Total population of 8,031, representing an increase of 22% since 2005.
    • Includes 6,115 civilians, 1,442 contractors and 474 military personnel.
    • 98% have high school or higher educational attainment and 47% have bachelors degree or higher