Nestled in the heart of Lawton, Oklahoma, near the sprawling grounds of Fort Sill—the largest artillery training facility in the world—a former dilapidated shopping mall has undergone a remarkable transformation. Central Plaza, once bankrupt and abandoned, is now the Fires Innovation Science Technology Accelerator (FISTA) Innovation Park, a thriving hub where military, industry, and academia converge to pioneer war-fighting solutions. For economic development professionals seeking a model to replicate, FISTA’s story offers a compelling narrative of collaboration, innovation, and community revitalization.
The vision for FISTA emerged from a pressing need: the military’s shift toward technology-driven warfare demanded faster, more innovative solutions. Dr. Krista Ratliff, President and CEO of FISTA, explains, “When the community realized we needed innovative solutions to support our war fighters, the city decided to move forward with it.” Lawton, in partnership with Fort Sill, seized the opportunity to create a military innovation hub, purchasing the old mall and launching FISTA in 2023. The park began leasing in March of that year, with Torch Technologies as its first tenant, marking the start of a new era for the region.
FISTA’s ecosystem thrives on its proximity to Fort Sill, which hosts two of the Army’s six modernization priorities: Long Range Precision Fires and Air and Missile Defense. This strategic location allows for immediate collaboration with soldiers, a critical advantage in developing technologies like Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (Counter UAS) to combat drone warfare—a key focus for FISTA’s partners. “The military doesn’t do innovation; they contract it out,” Ratliff notes. FISTA bridges that gap, serving as a collaboration space where defense contractors like Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Dynetics, and Torch Technologies work alongside the Army Futures Command, Combat Capabilities Development Command, and Aviation Missile Center to deliver cutting-edge solutions.
Torch Technologies, for instance, partners with Oklahoma State University (OSU) to advance artificial intelligence and machine learning for army air defense and field artillery systems. Spencer Knight, Oklahoma Site Lead for Torch, highlights the benefit of being “in the backyard” of Fort Sill’s soldiers. “We’re able to instrument soldiers with heart rate, brain waves, pulse, and eye trackers to get the data we need to see how AI can be best built for future technology,” he says. This direct access allows Torch to test targeting aids in real-world conditions, ensuring solutions meet soldiers’ needs—a process that would take years if conducted remotely.
Raytheon, another key tenant, leverages FISTA to address missile defense challenges. Retired Brigadier General Randy McIntire, Raytheon’s Site Executive, emphasizes the urgency of modernization: “When I was in uniform, it took way too long to build capabilities. By the time it hit the street, the technology was outdated.” At FISTA, the “triangle of talent”—defense industry, academia (including OSU, Cameron University, and Great Plains Technology Center), and the military—shortens this timeline. Soldiers provide instant feedback, industry engineers innovate, and universities train the next generation of talent, creating a seamless loop of development and deployment.
Beyond military innovation, FISTA is a catalyst for economic growth in Lawton. The park, owned by the city as a freestanding non-profit, is funded through tenant rents, with initial startup capital from municipal investment. “We’re trying to bring high-tech, high-paying, innovative jobs to the Lawton community,” Ratliff says, aiming to inspire local youth to pursue careers in coding and physics and return to the area after college. Torch Technologies reinforces this mission by hiring locally and offering paid internships at its Huntsville office, while Raytheon collaborates with universities to ensure curricula align with industry needs. “It ensures they have a needed skill set when they graduate,” McIntire notes.
FISTA’s growth is evident in its expansion. By August 2024, the park had leased its entire standardized office space and began custom builds for new tenants, such as Dynetics’ Cyber Electromagnetic Activities (CEMA) Research and Development headquarters. The park also hosts r4 Technologies, which uses AI to tackle workforce deployment and food desert logistics, testing solutions in Oklahoma. Additionally, the Lawton-Fort Sill Economic Development Corporation supports broader economic initiatives, like Westwin Elements’ 2024 pilot plant for nickel, cobalt, and manganese refining—a critical step in securing America’s supply chain for national security and energy needs.
The key takeaways for economic development professionals are clear: FISTA’s success stems from its public-private partnership model, strategic proximity to a military customer, and a focus on community integration. By repurposing underutilized infrastructure, fostering collaboration across sectors, and prioritizing local workforce development, FISTA has turned Lawton into a hub for innovation and economic opportunity. As McIntire puts it, “The synergy of being close to the customer, defense industry, and academia creates a triangle of talent that can be leveraged to go faster.” For cities looking to emulate this model, FISTA offers a roadmap to transform challenges into opportunities, proving that innovation can thrive where vision and collaboration intersect.
Sidebar: FISTA’s Innovation Highlights
- Counter UAS Focus: FISTA prioritizes Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems to combat drone warfare, hosting conferences like the November 2023 event to address training gaps.
- Torch Technologies’ STRC: The Missile Science and Technology Soldier Touchpoint Research Center, a 5,000-square-foot lab, enhances AI and machine learning research with OSU.
- Raytheon’s Missile Defense: Specializes in radars, shooters, and command/control, addressing Fort Sill’s modernization priorities in air defense and precision fires.
- Economic Impact: FISTA’s high-tech jobs and local hiring initiatives, like Torch’s internships, aim to retain and attract talent to Lawton.
- Westwin Elements Refinery: Opening in 2024, this pilot plant addresses the U.S. critical metals supply chain crisis, supporting national security and energy sectors.
