SPARTA Composite Products, a division of British aerospace manufacturer Cobham Plc, will invest $13.2 million to open a parts manufacturing facility in Suffolk, Virginia, according to the Virginia governor's office. The project is expected to create 198 new jobs over the next five years. "We explored many possible locations around the country, but the Commonwealth of Virginia and specifically the City of Suffolk offered the best overall value to our business case," says Paul Oppenheim, SPARTA's vice president and general manager, who cited attractive incentives, a strong work force through retiring military personnel, and close proximity to academic institutions with relevant curricula as factors in choosing the Virginia location. The governor's office says the company will begin hiring during the third quarter of this year and that the new facility will be operational in December. WTKR-TV reports that SPARTA Composite Products has received an incentives package from state and local government agencies valued at more than $1.6 million.