Draper held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new building at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) in Utah.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 22, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Draper held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new building at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) in Utah. The building marks an expansion of Draper's presence at the base and brings the company's research and engineering capabilities closer to its aerospace and defense customers in the region.
Distinguished guests attending the ceremony included Utah Governor Spencer Cox and U.S. Congressman Blake Moore (UT-01). Draper President and CEO Jerry Wohletz hosted the event. He was joined by Draper Vice President and General Manager of Air Force and Missile Defense Strategic Systems Julia Laurenzano MacDonough. The U.S. Air Force was represented by Colonel Joseph Hank, Sentinel Flight Systems.
"We recognize the importance of the work being done by the Air Force and Missile Defense Agency," said Wohletz. "The new building will enable Draper to better support this work with expanded research and development capabilities and mission-enabling solutions. It also creates opportunities to interact with the defense, technology, and innovation communities in the region. We feel strongly that this will contribute to Draper's ability to innovate and grow to meet the needs of our customers."
The new facility will support Draper's core engineering and design capabilities, including model-based systems engineering and simulation, development and testing of advanced guidance and navigation components (internal measurement units, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and atomic clocks), and the design of high assurance microelectronic systems.
Draper has provided engineering services and technology development to the U.S. Air Force since 1957, including work on the Minuteman and Sentinel programs.
"Growing our presence in Utah underscores Draper's commitment to the operational readiness and modernization requirements of our nation's strategic deterrence programs," said MacDonough. "Utah's talented and diverse workforce will be a valuable contributor as Draper grows its presence here."
Bridging the gap between the business community and academia, Draper has a partnership with the University of Utah and Utah State University, the newest members of the company's Draper Scholars Program. The Draper Scholars program provides graduate students from top universities across the United States with access to world-class engineers, scientists, labs, and equipment to conduct research, work on customer programs, and deliver for the nation.
"Education has been at the core of Draper's mission since its creation as the MIT Instrumentation Lab in 1933," added Wohletz. "That tradition lives on today and we are proud to have Utah's universities join us in supporting the next generation of innovators."
At more than 30,000 square feet, the building will support a future workforce of more than 100 employees. Construction of the building is scheduled for completion in Fall of 2026. The building is located on Wardleigh Road, Hill Air Force Base and is one of the anchor buildings in the expansion of the Falcon Hill Business Park. The Falcon Hill Business Park is a unique partnership between the State of Utah, Hill AFB and Woodbury Corporation utilizing an Enhanced Use Lease Agreement to allow for development on Department of Defense properties to enhance national defense initiatives. Draper will design the interior of the facility as an Engineering, Innovation and Development Center of Excellence and be the sole tenant of the facility.
About Draper
Draper is a non-profit research and development company that solves some of the nation's most important challenges. With more than 2,000 employees working in collaboration across 12 locations, Draper delivers transformative, mission-driven solutions that successfully meet our customers' requirements. These efforts focus on four critical mission areas: Strategic Systems, Space Systems, Electronic Systems, and Biotechnology Systems. To extend our legacy into the future, the Draper Scholars program engages with the next generation of innovators while - DraperSPARX™ seeks to partner with startups and small businesses that can further our mission. To learn more about Draper, visit http://www.draper.com.
Media Contact
Michael Shirer, Draper, 617-258-2464, [email protected], https://www.draper.com
SOURCE Draper
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