Air USA, a company that provides tactical aircraft services to U. S. defense agencies, defense contractors and NATO allies will relocate its corporate headquarters from Quincy, Illinois to Albuquerque, New Mexico, creating 200 jobs in the next five years.

"We are pleased to make New Mexico the new home of Air USA," said Don Kirlin, Air USA founder and president. "New Mexico has a significant veteran population and a local, skilled workforce in Albuquerque that understands fighter aircraft operations, and we believe that our proximity to local training ranges and flight test ranges will help us support our customer base and lead to further growth for our company. New Mexico plays such an important role in our national security, and given the state's efforts to encourage and promote business development, we feel New Mexico will be a great fit for the work we do."

Governor Susana Martinez's office said Air USA primarily hires U.S. military veterans, many of whom would fill the same type of positions as would be present in an operational fighter squadron.

"Air USA is the kind of company that complements New Mexico's existing workforce and infrastructure," Governor Martinez said. "We welcome not only the 200 direct jobs that will be created as a result of their corporate headquarters moving to Albuquerque, but we also anticipate important economic benefit from hosting numerous out of state military units that will be traveling to New Mexico throughout the year to train with Air USA's fleet of foreign fighter aircraft."

Air USA will hire accountants, contracts experts and proposal writers, qualified pilots, crew chiefs, avionicsmen, weapons loaders, munitions handlers, and life support personnel. With growth in personnel, additional middle and upper level management positions will be needed similar to the structure and organizational make-up of an operational fighter squadron, Martinez's office said.

The Governor's Office said the firm will be able to apply for a variety of tax credits including incentives for relocating to the state, job creation and hiring veterans.