Southern Indiana Defense Industry Network
Combining the expertise of Indiana’s high-tech universities with a highly skilled workforce, Jennings County is ready to grow defense and defense support-related industries. Our region is currently home to several global manufacturing, supply chain, and high-tech companies, all ready to support defense-related industry.
Indiana has a large and formidable military presence, including dynamic critical duty commands at Naval Support Center Crane, vital reserve components — including the Air Force Reserve’s largest KC-135R Stratotanker wing — and a distinguished state national guard that consists of 14,000 soldiers and airmen located in bases and armories in 52 counties across the state. Indiana’s military presence also includes the US Army Reserve, US Army National Guard, US Army Air Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Reserve facilities. Indiana’s defense and national security industries are not only helping to keep America safe in the 21st century, but they’re also strengthening our national economy with groundbreaking new technologies that are providing the jobs of tomorrow.
Jennings County Economic Development Corporation is an active member of the Southern Indiana Defense Industry Network (SIDIN). The SIDIN exists to attract and support investments and job-creating activities made by private sector employers who serve defense and national security interests. SIDIN’s role is to bridge opportunities between the area’s unique properties and private-sector defense and national security interests.
The network is made up of professionals from government, economic development, academia, and the military whose goal is to attract and support business investments and foster job-creating activities that are a win-win for businesses and the community.
Regional Assets
Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC)
Recognized as the Department of Defense’s largest urban training facility, Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex (MUTC) offers a globally unique, customer-oriented and diverse platform for users to conduct live-virtual-constructive and gaming (LVC-G) training, testing and evaluation.
MUTC offers a multi-domain range, real-world cyber-physical infrastructure, managed special-use airspace, 180-acre reservoir and more than 200 brick-and-mortar structures.
The best part? MUTC is located in Jennings County.
Camp Atterbury
Camp Atterbury provides space capable of supporting large-scale exercises, mobilizations, homeland security training, and various testing exercises. A dedicated JTEN 2.0 node located within the complex allows digital connectivity to exercises across the U.S. and throughout the world. Exercise locations in the U.S. include the Fort Polk Joint Readiness Training Center and the Fort Irwin National Training Center.
Camp Atterbury can connect via the JTEN 2.0 node to Joint Mission Environment Test Capability (JMETC) from within the complex, which allows its Joint Maneuver Training Center (CAJMTC) and Muscatatuck to participate in distributed testing events located at any JMETC site throughout the world.
Preparing the Next Generation Workforce
The Ivy Tech Cyber Academy is designed to meet the growing demand for cyber security professionals. Through a nationally-recognized academy, Ivy Tech students receive the education and training they need for jobs that secure our community, state and nation’s computers, networks and critical infrastructure.
In 11 months, area students can graduate with an Associate of Applied Science degree and have an opportunity to earn valuable, industry-recognized certifications in cyber security. Students also will have opportunities to:
- Obtain a National Security Agency and Department of Defense-recognized skill set and awareness of current issues.
- Transfer their credits to a university to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
In the news: Officials to Cut Ribbon on Cyber Academy (Indiana Business Journal)
Home to Nationally Ranked Research Universities
Indiana is home to nationally ranked universities for computer science, informatics, and engineering such as Rose-Hulman, Purdue University, Notre Dame and Indiana University.
Indiana has five schools that rank either R1 (highest research activity) or R2 (high research activity) on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education: Purdue, Indiana, Notre Dame, Indiana-Purdue University Indianapolis and Ball State.
