The base ranked fourth in Texas for its economic impact last year, behind Joint Base San Antonio ($53.5 billion), Fort Hood in Killeen ($37.9 billion), and Fort Bliss in El Paso ($29 billion), according to the Texas comptroller report released July 2.<\/p>\n
Following the Fort Worth base were Naval Air Station Corpus Christi with a $4.2 billion impact, Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo at $3.8 billion, Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene with $3.6 billion, and Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls with $2.8 billion.<\/p>\n
Rounding out the top 10 were Corpus Christi Army Depot at $2.4 billion and Laughlin Air Force Base near Laredo with $2.3 billion.<\/p>\n
The 14 installations and personnel contributed at least $148.8 billion to Texas\u2019 gross domestic product. The bases supported close to 629,000 jobs that generated $43.6 billion in disposable income, the report showed.<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth facility \u2014 established in 1941 as Carswell Air Force Base \u2014 \u201cprovides joint training capability and resources to enable warfighter and combat readiness, while simultaneously providing for the personal and family needs of personnel during training,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_0267-1024x683.jpg\")
The F-16 fighter jet is displayed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. (Sandra Sadek | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
Kelly Hancock, the acting state comptroller through July<\/a> and former Tarrant County state senator, said Fort Worth has always had a strong military presence.<\/p>\n \u201cFort Worth has been at the heart of America\u2019s aviation and defense story for over a century \u2014 (including) building bombers in (World War) II to leading today\u2019s aerospace innovation,\u201d Hancock previously said in an email to the Fort Worth Report. \u201cIt\u2019s home to industry giants and a proud military legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n House Concurrent Resolution 142, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 17, 2025, designated Fort Worth as the aviation and defense capital of Texas.<\/p>\n The resolution \u201chonors our community\u2019s unique contributions to national security, economic growth, and Texas history, and provides another great way to attract new investment and strengthen Fort Worth\u2019s position as a global leader in aerospace and defense,\u201d Hancock said.<\/p>\n Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Partnership, said the city\u2019s military roots go back to its founding as a U.S. Army outpost in 1849.<\/p>\n The state designation \u201cjust really cements that,\u201d he said when the honorific was announced.<\/p>\n Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. has a significant presence at the base, where F-35 aircraft are assembled at Air Force Plant 4<\/a>. The company has 49,000 direct and indirect workers in Fort Worth \u2014 generating a regional economic impact of $9 billion. Lockheed Martin has about 25,000 other employees in other installations across the state that generate $17 billion in sales, according to the comptroller\u2019s report.<\/p>\n Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth is home to 40 commands, including the Fleet Logistics Support Wing; the 10th Air Force; and Commander, Naval Information Forces Reserve, which operates 28 intelligence centers across the nation.<\/p>\n In 2025, the base employed 4,553 people, including 2,175 active-duty military personnel. Those workers, combined with more than 40,000 military retirees who still access the installation and its resources, contributed to the base\u2019s impact, the comptroller report showed.<\/p>\n Economic data for the 2025 report was collected by the comptroller\u2019s office and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission. The survey measured the total direct and indirect contributions of each base\u2019s population, including state employment, gross domestic production and disposable personal income.<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Lockheed-1024x683.jpg\")
The Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet assembly plant is located in Fort Worth. (Courtesy | Lockheed Martin) <\/p>\n