Czechoslovak Group (CSG), through its U.S. subsidiary CSE USA, today announced plans to establish an advanced propulsion manufacturing facility in Central Wisconsin. The project will be developed and operated by Firecrest Aerospace Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CSE USA, a CSG Group member company.
“This investment marks an important step in building a strong U.S.-based manufacturing capability for advanced propulsion systems,” said Paul Lemke, Chief Executive Officer of CSE USA Inc. “We are combining rapid deployment with a long-term vision to scale production in the United States and support the evolving needs of U.S. and allied customers. It is both professionally and personally meaningful for me to bring this project to Central Wisconsin, where I have deep roots.”
“Wisconsin continues to attract high-impact global investments that strengthen our economy and create opportunities for our workforce,” said John W. Miller, Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the state’s leading economic development organization. “This project reinforces Wisconsin’s position as a center for advanced manufacturing and aerospace innovation.”
The project represents an initial investment of up to $15 million, with additional expansion planned, and is expected to create approximately 125 skilled jobs over the next three years. Initial assembly is expected to begin within months, followed by initial deliveries, with full-scale manufacturing targeted for 2027.
Project Details and Strategic Context
Firecrest Aerospace will establish advanced manufacturing operations in Stevens Point, supported by dedicated facilities at the Stevens Point Municipal Airport for engine integration, ground testing, and flight validation. This purpose-built operating model combines scalable industrial manufacturing with direct access to aviation infrastructure, creating an efficient pathway from production through testing and flight validation while preserving the flexibility required for future expansion.
The project will be executed in phases, beginning with assembly, integration, and testing for U.S. customers before expanding into full-scale domestic manufacturing, engineering, and product development. As operations mature, annual production is expected to grow from hundreds of propulsion systems to several thousand engines, supporting U.S. government, allied, and commercial aerospace requirements.
Firecrest Aerospace will manufacture advanced small turbojet and turbofan engines for unmanned aircraft systems, precision defense systems, target drones, and other next-generation aerospace applications. The facility is intended to address increasing demand for reliable, affordable propulsion technologies while strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity in a sector critical to U.S. national security and aerospace competitiveness.
The Stevens Point location was selected because it offers a distinctive combination of industrial capacity, a highly skilled manufacturing workforce, and immediate access to dedicated airport infrastructure. Separating manufacturing from flight operations allows each facility to be optimized for its specific mission while creating a cohesive aerospace operating environment capable of supporting future expansion and additional advanced aviation programs.
As a wholly owned subsidiary of CSE USA, Firecrest Aerospace will serve as a dedicated U.S. platform for the development, industrialization, and production of advanced propulsion technologies. The company will leverage the broader capabilities, resources, and international market access of CSE USA and CSG Group while building an enduring domestic manufacturing, engineering, testing, and product-development capability in Wisconsin.
The project is being advanced through close collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the City of Stevens Point, the Stevens Point Municipal Airport, and regional economic development partners, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening Wisconsin’s advanced manufacturing economy.
By establishing an integrated propulsion manufacturing, testing, and flight-validation capability in Central Wisconsin, Firecrest Aerospace will help reinforce the nation’s aerospace industrial base, improve supply-chain resilience, and position Stevens Point as a growing center for advanced aerospace and defense manufacturing for decades to come.
About AviaNera Technologies
AviaNera Technologies a. s. is a European technology company and a member of the industrial technology group CSG. It specializes in the development, production and commercialization of technologies for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and other advanced defence and aerospace applications. Building on the long-standing Czech aviation tradition, AviaNera’s ambition is to become one of the world’s leading technology players in the UAS segment. AviaNera focuses on in-house development, serial production and maximum vertical integration of key technologies. The company builds on expertise in propulsion units, design, electronics, warheads and ammunition, further strengthened through close synergies with other CSG companies. Its objective is to build an industrial platform capable of developing and manufacturing advanced technologies for unmanned systems, including turbojet, turbofan and other propulsion units, while gradually localizing manufacturing capabilities in key markets.
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