Charleston Currents – Charleston Defense Contractors Association

TODAY’S FOCUS: 11th annual Defense Summit set for Dec. 5-8 in North Charleston

By Heather Walker, special to Charleston Currents | Cyber-attacks are on the rise. The most recent cyber-attack impacted 143 million American’s personal information. There is no better time for industry leaders to convene to discuss hot topics involving cyber security, cyber intelligence, and cyber warfare at the CDCA Defense Summit one of the largest in the Southeast.

Walker
Most people don’t know that aside from Charleston’s idyllic beaches and laid back lifestyle, there is a burgeoning, defense tech community. The 2017 economic report for South Carolina states that defense contributes more than $24.1 billion to the annual budget. The dramatic growth of this community involves some of the most innovative offerings surrounding the defense industry.

FOCUS: Government contracting is big part of area’s booming economy

By Joshua Hatter, special to Charleston Currents | When most people think of Charleston, they think of it as one of the best “new” places to go visit (or move to!) with historical architecture, friendly people, delicious cuisine and beautiful beaches. And while tourism has become a booming industry for the city and the surrounding region, most people don’t realize that the statewide economic impact of defense spending of $19.3 billion now exceeds tourism spending in South Carolina of $19.1 billion.

That statistic may come as a surprise, but I can guarantee everyone has heard about some part of Charleston’s long and rich military history – whether it was the siege of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, the first shot of the Civil War being fired at Fort Sumter or, more recently, the U.S. Navy’s presence at the Charleston Naval Base from 1901 until its closure in 1996. That base closure in 1996 was a very visible change in the region’s operational military footprint.