In early May, BAE Systems officially announced the opening of a large expansion to its Endicott campus.
The 150,000-square-foot space will be used to develop energy storage systems for airborne applications. According to Airborne Power Systems Director Scott Hatch, the facility will allow BAE to expand into a high-potential market, working closely to develop power systems for hybrid or all-electric aircraft.
BAE has worked to establish itself as a critical supplier of battery-powered vehicles, with the company boasting more than 18,000 electric buses internationally. In 2023, the company secured the largest-ever North American battery-electric bus order.
BAE Systems unveils new facility expansion
The facility, located at 5 Oak Hill Ave., features an advanced engineering lab and automated manufacturing capabilities. According to Hatch, the facility can house battery system design and power electronics, and will feature a dedicated manufacturing space for battery systems.
The new facility has also added significant office space, allowing BAE to move its airborne power systems team into one space for more efficiency and collaboration between team members.
Though the company has worked in the aircraft space for years, Hatch said the electrification of aircraft is a relatively new trend, and one BAE identified as an opportunity around five years before the facility’s opening. Due to the company’s experience working on safety-critical controls for aircraft and its experience building electric buses, Hatch said BAE is uniquely equipped to move into the electric airborne space.
Currently, the space is being used for pre-development for multiple customers, which Hatch said will ultimately create more jobs as production draws closer. According to Hatch, the company will create more than 130 jobs centered around the facility over the next few years.
Hatch said that when it comes to battery technology, the Binghamton area offers clear advantages. The proximity to both Binghamton University and SUNY Broome Community College makes staffing and training significantly more efficient, and ties BAE into the area’s existing battery ecosystem.
“Some of our chief engineers and our scientists work closely with the schools in terms of understanding technologies that would be applicable both for the transit buses but also for airborne systems, in this case,” said Hatch.
Over the past few years, the Binghamton area has cemented itself as a center for battery manufacturing and research through its designation as a federal Battery Tech Hub in 2023 and continued funding for the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine.
While Hatch said BAE sources its batteries from outside sources, the company does tap into the local supply chain for a wide variety of components used in its technologies.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: BAE expansion in Endicott boosts battery tech and jobs
Reporting by Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
