Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced $9.5 million in investments for Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing (M3) Initiative through the 'Make it in Michigan' Competitiveness Fund.
$5.9 million will support construction of a Connected Vehicle Cybersecurity Center and System Integration Lab/Hardware Integration lab at Selfridge. The 25,000-square-foot facility will include labs, classrooms, vehicle storage, and administrative offices designed to bolster cybersecurity protections for military and commercial vehicles. The investment will support 107 construction jobs and leverage $29.5 million in federal funding from the National Defense Authorization Act.
Selfridge Air National Guard Base generates an estimated $850 million in annual economic impact and supports approximately 30,000 jobs statewide. In April 2025, the Air Force announced the base would be the future home of the F-15EX fighter mission, and the base previously was selected to host eight KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, replacing its aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet.
$3.6 million will support workforce training in shipbuilding and related maritime manufacturing industries. Through the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, resources will train up to 720 workers. Approximately 300 shipbuilding suppliers are located in Michigan. The state investment will leverage $8 million in federal funding from the Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Launched in July 2024, the M3 Initiative focuses on training workers in critical skills such as welding and machining through partnerships with community colleges and connects K-12 students with hands-on career and technical education in maritime manufacturing.
The FY27 bipartisan budget provides $109.3 million to operate Michigan's veteran homes, $11.3 million in the Michigan National Guard Member Benefit Fund for new childcare and healthcare assistance programs, and $8.5 million for County and Statewide Veteran Service Grants.