SPADA Launches to Power Southern California's Aerospace and Defense Industry

New regional alliance unites industry, government, academia, and community partners

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Southern Pacific Aero-Defense Alliance (SPADA) has officially launched, creating a new regional alliance to unite industry, government, academia, and community partners across Southern California's aerospace and defense ecosystem. SPADA will make its public debut at the Inaugural Launch Event and Distinguished Keynote Program on March 11, 2026, featuring a discussion with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works executive OJ Sanchez and remarks from Congressman George Whitesides.

Why it matters

SPADA was formed to address gaps in regional coordination by providing a collaborative platform focused on innovation, workforce development, and supply-chain resilience in support of the U.S. aerospace and defense industrial base. The launch event signals a shared commitment to building a stronger, more resilient A&D workforce and supply chain in Southern California.

The details

SPADA will make its public debut at the Inaugural Launch Event and Distinguished Keynote Program on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., hosted in collaboration with College of the Canyons and the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation. The keynote program will feature a discussion with OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, along with remarks from Congressman George Whitesides (CA-27), former NASA Chief of Staff and former CEO of Virgin Galactic.

  • SPADA was officially launched in February 2026.
  • The Inaugural Launch Event and Distinguished Keynote Program will take place on March 11, 2026.

The players

SPADA

The Southern Pacific Aero-Defense Alliance is a regional nonprofit alliance dedicated to strengthening the aerospace and defense ecosystem across Southern California and the broader Southern Pacific region through collaboration, innovation, and workforce development.

OJ Sanchez

Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.

Congressman George Whitesides

U.S. Representative for California's 27th congressional district, former NASA Chief of Staff, and former CEO of Virgin Galactic.

Pennie Burnham

Vice President of North America for Nycote Laboratories Corporation and CEO of SPADA.

College of the Canyons

A community college in Santa Clarita, California, that is hosting the SPADA launch event.

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What they’re saying

“After spending my career in commercial aerospace and at NASA, I am honored to now advocate for our region's workers, businesses, and defense capabilities in Congress. I look forward to working together to advance our shared priorities and build a stronger, more resilient aerospace and defense workforce and supply chain.”

— Congressman George Whitesides (Globe Newswire)

“The future of aerospace and defense depends on collaboration across industry, education, and government. SPADA provides that connective tissue, and this launch event signals a shared commitment to building a stronger, more resilient A&D workforce and supply chain.”

— Pennie Burnham, Vice President of North America for Nycote Laboratories Corporation and CEO of SPADA (Globe Newswire)

What’s next

The Inaugural Launch Event and Distinguished Keynote Program will take place on March 11, 2026, where senior defense executives, policymakers, and regional leaders will discuss national defense priorities, advanced aerospace innovation, workforce readiness, and regional industrial resilience.

The takeaway

The launch of SPADA signals a collaborative effort to strengthen the aerospace and defense ecosystem in Southern California, addressing gaps in regional coordination and focusing on innovation, workforce development, and supply-chain resilience to support the U.S. defense industrial base.