This is a guest opinion column

Alabama is not just home to college football dynasties and America’s best barbeque. It is an economic powerhouse that drives the forefront of the nation’s defense and aerospace industries. And it is no accident. Thanks to decades of smart, strategic leadership in the U.S. Senate, our state has secured billions in federal investments, fueling job growth and cementing our role as a leader in national security.

From former Senator Richard Shelby’s Space Launch System to Tommy Tuberville’s expansion of Redstone Arsenal’s missile defense capabilities, Alabama’s senators have kept the money, and the jobs, flowing. Senator Katie Britt is pushing our state forward too. Last year, she delivered more than $6.1 billion in defense funding, including $825 million for cruise missiles built in Troy. She also secured $605 million for the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, and additional funding for space programs.

Senator Britt’s wins are not just numbers on a balance sheet. She is helping more hard-working Alabamans go to work knowing that they are serving their country while putting food on the table. But Alabama’s leading defense and aerospace industries are not a given, and neither are the jobs they create. There are a few priorities that Senator Britt can champion to keep Alabama’s economy growing.

A key piece to Alabama keeping its economic edge is by continuing to secure federal investments for our defense industry. By securing more investments in next-generation missiles, AI-driven cybersecurity, and hypersonic weapons, Alabama can continue to take the lead in keeping America safe and our state prosperous.

Senator Britt, along with our congressional delegation, can prioritize protecting American companies from foreign interference. Every day, America’s adversaries steal our intellectual property and violate economic sanctions. Worse, they exploit our patent system, undermining the bedrock of American innovation. Our leaders must safeguard Alabama’s defense and aerospace industries by reforming the International Trade Commission (ITC), which has already threatened crucial technologies and cost Americans their jobs.

Just look at the ITC’s decision against Boeing in favor of Canadian defense company Bombardier. The ITC sided with Bombardier despite the fact that the Department of Commerce had recently ruled that Bombardier had broken US trade laws. Now, other anti-American ITC decisions could cripple the US defense companies, including many cases involving key semiconductors that Alabama’s defense industry needs to thrive.

Finally, Alabama must seize the future of space exploration. The state has been a leader in spaceflight since the Apollo era, but with NASA shifting toward private-sector partnerships, Alabama must fight to stay at the center of this transformation. This means securing contracts for Alabama-based companies like Dynetics, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Blue Origin. It also means ensuring Alabama universities are training the aerospace engineers and technicians who can contribute to those companies.

The formula for Alabama’s success has always been clear: aggressive leadership, strategic investment, and an unyielding commitment to keeping our industries strong. Our senators have delivered repeatedly, but the fight is not over. If we want Alabama to remain a national powerhouse in defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing, we must keep pushing to protect Alabama jobs and support America’s national security.

Joseph Summers serves as CEO of Minerva Defense in Huntsville, Alabama