Florida officials highlight Leonardo investment, state grants for Whiting Aviation Park

Governor Ron DeSantis and Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins on stage at a ceremony for Whiting Aviation Park described recent state support and private investment tied to Leonardo, an Italian aerospace and defense company, saying the project will bring high-wage jobs and boost the region’s defense industry cluster.

DeSantis said Florida provided a $4,200,000 job growth grant to Santa Rosa County to support a connection between Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Whiting Aviation Park, and that the state also helped arrange about $500,000 through a defense industrial grant program for the park’s infrastructure, including a “double entry gate system” linking the base and the park. “That’s been a big, big positive, and we’re happy to have done it,” DeSantis said.

The governor framed the investments as part of a broader economic strategy for northwest Florida. “You have the best military community across these bases with the active duty, but then the veterans who stay here,” he said. DeSantis added the state and company have worked to deepen ties through trade missions, noting a Florida trade office opened in Milan after meetings with Leonardo.

The officials highlighted workforce and economic numbers. DeSantis said he expects the project will create “150, high wage jobs,” and described northwest Florida as a strong market for defense-related manufacturing and services. He also cited statewide rankings on education and talent development and singled out the University of West Florida and its president, Manny Diaz, as assets for local talent recruitment.

Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins emphasized the project’s importance to veterans and the local economy. “When you retire, you come here for the beaches, but you build a foundation,” Collins said. He described the park as “the next ridgeline for Leonardo” and for military families building careers in Florida.

Remarks from both officials focused on relationship-building with Leonardo, the company’s presence in international markets, and the expected economic footprint of the park. DeSantis and Collins credited Florida Commerce staff for the effort to open the Milan trade office and to secure the grants to Santa Rosa County.

The ceremony’s public remarks did not include new binding commitments, formal votes, or a detailed implementation schedule for the state-funded elements. Officials did not specify the timeline for job creation, the final composition of the jobs, ongoing state oversight responsibilities, or whether additional permits or federal approvals are required for reuse of federal property near NAS Whiting Field. The amount and source of the half-million-dollar defense industrial grant were described in the remarks as state-directed support but were not further broken down in the public comments.

Officials identified the main stakeholders as Leonardo, Santa Rosa County, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, the University of West Florida, and Florida Commerce. No public-record votes or legislative actions were taken during the remarks; the event focused on celebrating the private investment and state facilitation.

Looking ahead, officials said the project should grow the regional manufacturing and industrial base and attract veterans into local high-skill work. DeSantis closed by thanking participants and saying the state is “happy to have played a small role” in the park and is “happy to do even more in the future.”