News & Blog Posts

Peace Through Strength: Mississippi’s Defense Initiative Sparks Economic Expansion  From the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport to the testing of rocket propulsion systems at Stennis Space Center, our state’s assets have long supported national security missions on land, at sea, in the air, and in space. This legacy underscores why recent calls for renewed national investment in defense carry such weight locally.     In 2024, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker unveiled hi

October 30, 2025 KILN, MISS: WCF Aerospace has signed a new lease for a renovated hangar at Stennis International Airport (HSA), establishing an FAA Part 145 certified maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport. This significant milestone not only expands the airport’s aviation service capabilities but also solidifies its growing position as a premier aerospace center along the Gulf Coast.     The new facility will allow WCF Aerospace to support a broader

May 20, 2024 KILN, MISS : Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $3 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Strategic Multimodal Investments Fund. This funding will be for Stennis International Airport’s North Apron Expansion Project.   The north apron expansion will construct a new 90,000 SF concrete parking apron adjacent to Site 2. This extension aims to create additional parking space for aircraft a

October 18, 2023 Aerospace company creating 36 jobs in Kiln Expansion represents a total corporate investment of $55 million Jackson, Miss. (October 18, 2023) – Skydweller Aero Inc. is bringing its flight test and aircraft modification operations to Hancock County. The project represents a corporate investment of $15 million, as well as $40 million in advanced solar powered aircraft inventory. The project will create at least 36 new jobs.   Skydweller Aero is a transatlantic

March 6, 2023 KILN, MS : Pearl River Community College (PRCC) broke ground on  the Hancock Aviation Aerospace Workforce Academy adjacent to Stennis International Airport and the Hancock High School Career & Technical Center. The 36,000 square foot training center will include a 18,000 square foot hangar to provide skilled workforce development for aviation and aerospace industries. “After years of effort and support across multiple administrations, local, state and federal pa

February 10, 2023 KILN, MISS. - Construction of a new jet engine run-up pad will start Monday February 13, 2023 at Stennis International Airport, with an estimated completion date of April 27, 2023.  The locally funded $1,231,275 million project includes new pavement and specialized fittings to perform high-powered jet engine run-up capacity testing. The project was awarded to the lowest bidder, Floore Industrial Contractors, Inc., of Moss Point. The new run-up pad will incre

January 26, 2022 KILN, MISS. – U.S. Congressman Steven Palazzo and Gov. Tate Reeves joined local officials and industry representatives today at Stennis International Airport for a ribbon cutting ceremony at a new 24,000-square-foot hangar. Known as the RESTORE Hangar, the state-of-the-art facility is adjacent to the main terminal and opens directly to the main ramp. It features a hangar door that is 154 feet wide and 28 feet high. The premier location includes utility rooms,

October 5, 2021 Two new hangars with a combined space of 34,000 square feet were recently completed at Stennis International Airport. Located south of the terminal building, the RESTORE Hangar is 24,000 square feet, and the Corporate Hangar is 10,000 square feet with an additional 2,500 square foot office. “The Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission continues to invest for the future of Hancock County,” said CEO Bill Cotter. “Our portfolio of hangar space allows existing t