Aerospace & Defense Jobs in Arlington, TX

Arlington sits between Lockheed Martin's fighter plant in Fort Worth and Bell's rotorcraft operations, and Bell runs a weapons systems integration lab inside the city itself. The guides below cover every aerospace and defense role in Arlington, who is hiring, and what it pays.

Aerospace Engineer Jobs Aerospace Jobs Aerospace Quality Inspector Jobs Aircraft Assembler Jobs Aircraft Mechanic Jobs Avionics Technician Jobs Composites Technician Jobs Defense Electronics Technician Jobs

Why Aerospace & Defense Work Is Different in Arlington

Aerospace work around Arlington is tied to long military programs rather than airline traffic. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics builds fighters in Fort Worth, and its postings there range from electrical assemblers who crimp, solder and seal fuel tanks to engineers integrating weapons on secret-cleared programs. Bell, with about 4,000 employees in Fort Worth, is the prime contractor on the Army's MV-75 long range assault aircraft. It has invested in a weapons systems integration lab in Arlington and a drive systems test lab in Grand Prairie, and announced a $632 million plant at AllianceTexas for transmissions and rotor blades, with final assembly of the aircraft in Amarillo.

Defense electronics fill out the field. Twenty-Six Defense, the new name since September 2026 for Elbit Systems' U.S. business and its Elbit America brand, is headquartered in Fort Worth with about 3,300 employees, and L3Harris posts engineering and avionics roles in Plano, Rockwall and Greenville. Many defense jobs need U.S. citizenship and a clearance, which narrows the applicant pool, while assembly and shop jobs often do not.

Top Aerospace & Defense Employers in Arlington

These employers post aerospace and defense roles within commuting distance of Arlington:

  • Lockheed Martin Aeronautics - the Fort Worth fighter plant hires aircraft assemblers, engineers and cybersecurity staff, many on cleared programs.
  • Bell Textron - the Fort Worth rotorcraft maker hires in engineering, manufacturing and operations across Dallas-Fort Worth, including its Arlington lab.
  • Twenty-Six Defense (Elbit America) - the Fort Worth defense electronics company posts systems engineering and supply chain roles.
  • L3Harris - posts electrical engineers, manufacturing engineers and avionics instructors at its North Texas sites in Plano, Rockwall and Greenville.

Aerospace & Defense Career Paths in Arlington

  • Build and structures - Aircraft Assembler and Composites Technician. Hands-on roles that join airframe parts, wiring and composite structures.
  • Maintenance and electronics - Aircraft Mechanic, Avionics Technician and Defense Electronics Technician. Roles that keep aircraft airworthy and test and repair their electronics and weapon systems.
  • Quality and engineering - Aerospace Quality Inspector and Aerospace Engineer. Roles that verify parts against spec and design the aircraft and systems.
  • Start here - the Aerospace overview guide, which lays out how the field works in North Texas.

How to Start an Aerospace & Defense Career in Arlington

  • TCC Aviation Maintenance Technology - at the Erma C. Johnson Hadley Center of Excellence on TCC's Northwest Campus at Alliance Airport: Airframe and Powerplant AAS degrees of 60 hours each, Level 1 and Level 2 certificates, and enhanced skills certificates in Advanced Composite Technology and Avionics Line Maintenance. A mandatory information session starts the application, and the program usually carries about a one-year waitlist.
  • FAA Airframe and Powerplant certificate - issued by the Federal Aviation Administration after the General, Airframe and Powerplant exams; TCC's program prepares students for them.
  • UT Arlington College of Engineering - the local route into aerospace, mechanical and electrical engineering.
  • Citizenship and clearance - many Lockheed engineering and cybersecurity postings require U.S. citizenship and Secret clearance eligibility; its electrical assembler posting required no clearance.

The FAA certificate is required to sign off aircraft maintenance, and clearances are required for classified work; assembly, composites and inspection roles start with employer training and preferences rather than a state license.

Aerospace & Defense Salaries in Arlington

  • Entry - about $34,000 to $50,000 a year. Assemblers nationally start above $34,020 at the bottom tenth, and electrical and electronic assemblers earn a median of $45,850.
  • Mid - about $49,000 to $83,000 a year. Aircraft structure and systems assemblers earn a national median of $65,380, aircraft mechanics $79,870 and avionics technicians $82,280.
  • Senior - about $87,000 to $205,000 a year. Aerospace engineers earn a national median of $134,960, and the top tenth of aircraft mechanics clears $128,890.

These are national federal wage figures used as estimates; local pay moves with clearance level, shift and program. Dallas-Fort Worth production wages average $23.83 an hour, a little under the national $24.81, while cleared engineering roles pay toward the top of each band.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a security clearance for aerospace jobs near Arlington?

Not for every job. Lockheed's cybersecurity and weapons integration engineering postings in Fort Worth require Secret clearance eligibility and U.S. citizenship, but its electrical assembler posting required no clearance. Check each posting before you apply.

How long does it take to become an aircraft mechanic through TCC?

TCC's Airframe or Powerplant AAS takes about 2 years in day classes or 3 years at night, after a waitlist that usually runs about a year. Graduates then sit for the FAA General, Airframe and Powerplant exams.

Does Bell have operations in Arlington?

Yes. Bell runs a weapons systems integration lab in Arlington, while most of its roughly 4,000 Fort Worth employees work at its larger sites west of the city.

What is Twenty-Six Defense?

Twenty-Six Defense is the name Elbit Systems gave its U.S. operating business in September 2026. It is headquartered in Fort Worth, and Elbit America continues as a brand inside it, so older Elbit America postings now lead to the Twenty-Six Defense careers site.

Can you work in aerospace near Arlington without a college degree?

Yes. Assembly, composites and many technician roles are built on hands-on skills; Lockheed's electrical assembler posting asked for crimping and soldering ability and preferred fuel tank sealing experience. Mechanics need the FAA certificate, and engineering is the track that requires a bachelor's degree.

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