Nations, Inc. · Episode 4 of 10 · 20 min
Rockets, Missiles, and Munitions: The Tribes Building America's Defense
Cherokee and Choctaw companies build missile-defense systems, Navy munitions gear, and drone testbeds, a side of Native business far from the casino stereotype. The episode is careful about money: the $151 billion SHIELD figure is a shared program ceiling, not a Cherokee award.
Who's who
- Janie DillardCEO of Choctaw Global
- Gary BattonChief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
Where it happens
- McAlester, OklahomaSite of Choctaw Defense Manufacturing's operation
- Choctaw Nation of OklahomaTribe running a leading FAA drone testbed
- Stilwell, OklahomaLocation of Cherokee Nation Aerospace & Defense manufacturing
Timeline
- May 2018Choctaw Nation selected as one of 10 participants in the FAA's drone Integration Pilot Program
- January 2025Choctaw Defense Manufacturing announces two Navy contracts worth roughly $10 million combined
- January 2026Cherokee Federal companies win awards on the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD program
Still debated
How much work Cherokee Federal will actually win under SHIELD is not yet public, and the Choctaw drone program has no disclosed revenue or jobs figure. The exact roster of named Cherokee entities also needs verifying.