Contract: Georgia Tech, $24.5M

Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, has been awarded a $24,500,000 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity cost contract. Contractor will provide research, analysis, integration, systems engineering, development, flyable and non-flyable technology demonstrators, prototypes, test and evaluation, and rapid delivery of cutting-edge weapon solutions. Work will be performed at Atlanta and is expected to be complete by Dec. 21, 2020. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $350,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA8651-16-D-0049) (Source: DoD, 12/28/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $47.5M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $47,514,822 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-15-C-0114) for modification management and unit level augmentation for Lot 9 F-35A, including technical, administrative, and financial data. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (55 percent); Hill Air Force Base, Utah (19 percent); the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. (12 percent); MCAS Yuma, Ariz. (4 percent); Eglin AFB, Fla. (2 percent); Nellis AFB, Nev. (2 percent); MCAS Beaufort, S.C. (2 percent); Edwards AFB, Calif. (2 percent); and Luke AFB, Ariz. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2016. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force (51 percent); U.S. Marine Corps (32 percent); the U.S. Navy (10 percent); international partners (6 percent) and FMS customers (1 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/28/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $60.4M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $60,412,726 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0031) for recurring logistics services support for delivered Air Systems for the F-35 for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, international partners, and foreign military sales customers. Services to be provided include ground maintenance activities; action request resolution; depot activation activities; Automatic Logistics Information System operations and maintenance; reliability, maintainability and health management implementation and support; supply chain management; and activities to provide and support pilot and maintainer initial training in support of delivered Air Systems. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent). Work is expected to be completed in January 2016. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force (47 percent), the U.S. Marine Corps (27 percent); U.S. Navy (17 percent); and international partners (9 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/28/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Fallen airmen identified

An officer assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., was among six airmen who died Monday of wounds when their patrol was attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle near Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Maj. Adrianna M. Vorderbruggen, 36, of Plymouth, Minn., was assigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, 9th Field Investigations Squadron at Eglin. The other dead airmen were identified as Staff Sgt. Michael A. Cinco, Staff Sgt. Peter W. Taub, Staff Sgt. Chester J. McBride, Technical Sgt. Joseph G. Lemm, and Staff Sgt. Louis M. Bonacasa. (Source: DoD, 12/22/15)

Contract: SURVICE, $11.9M

SURVICE Engineering Co., Belcamp, Md., has been awarded an $11,926,329 cost-plus-fixed-fee with a performance incentive contract for SEEK EAGLE modeling, analysis, and tools support. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 22, 2016. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal year 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,716,062.00 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2486-16-C-0051).

Falcon 9 successfully lands

SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket Monday for the first time, a major milestone in the drive to cut costs and waste by making rockets as reusable as airplanes. The Falcon 9 made a graceful arc back to Earth and touched down upright at Cape Canaveral, Fla., minutes after launching a payload of satellites to orbit, video images showed. SpaceX, headed by Internet tycoon Elon Musk, is striving to revolutionize the rocket industry, which currently loses many millions of dollars in jettisoned machinery and sophisticated rocket components after each launch. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's rocket company Blue Origin announced last month it had successfully landed its New Shepard rocket after a suborbital flight. (Source: Space Daily, 12/22/15) Previous. Gulf Coast note: SpaceX is testing new generation engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss., where Blue Origin has also done tests.

150 kW laser test planned

General Atomics next month will begin testing a 150-kilowatt class laser. Other companies also are developing laser weapons, and "we're looking at all of them," said Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, in an interview with Breaking Defense. He said the technology is ripe for application on an AC-130 gunship. General Atomics hopes to see AFSOC install a version of the weapon on the gunship in the next few years. The Air Force Research Laboratory and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will run the live-fire tests at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. (Source: Breaking Defense, 12/21/15) Gulf Coast note: AFSOC is headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

Contract: Lockheed, $1.2B

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $1,171,206,489 advance acquisition contract for the advance procurement of long lead time materials, parts, components and effort to maintain the planned production schedule for F-35 low rate initial production lot 11 aircraft. The advance acquisition effort includes 80 F-35A aircraft (28 for the U.S. Air Force; 6 for the government of Norway; 4 for the government of Turkey; 8 for the government of the Netherlands; 8 for the government of Australia; 10 for the government of Israel; 6 for the government of Japan; and 10 for the government of South Korea); 7 F-35B aircraft (6 for the U.S. Marine Corps; and 1 for the United Kingdom); and 4 F-35C aircraft for the U.S. Navy. This contract also includes an undefinitized contract action for production of 2 F-35A aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and F-35C aircraft for the U.S. Navy. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (55 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (15 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (10 percent); Orlando, Fla. (5 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); Baltimore, Md. (5 percent); and Nagoya, Japan (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2019. This contract combines purchase for the Air Force (34.3 percent); Navy (21.9 percent); Marine Corps (9.1 percent); non-U.S. DoD partners (17.7 percent) and foreign military sales (17 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-16-C-0033). (Source: DoD, 12/21/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $84.4M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an $84,434,012 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the previously awarded Lot 9 F-35 advance acquisition contract (N00019-14-C-0002) for the procurement of production non-recurring items. These items include special tooling and special test equipment items that are critical to meeting current and future production rates for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy , U.S. Marine Corps; and non-U.S. DoD participants. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (98 percent) and Fort Worth (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2018. This modification combines purchase for the Air Force (46.42 percent); Navy (23.21 percent); Marine Corps (23.21 percent); and non-U.S. DoD participants (7.16 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/21/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: BAE, $278.5M

BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has been awarded a $278,500,000 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursable contract for the Instrumentation Radar Support Program. Contractor will provide serviceable components and subsystems to include radar, telemetry, and optics systems for 28 test ranges across the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, and seven foreign governments. Work will be performed at Fort Walton Beach and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received. The 45th Contracting Squadron, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA2521-15-D-0010). (Source: DoD, 12/17/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $8.2M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., has been awarded an $8,203,917 cost contract. Contractor will provide development, design, and integration and demonstration of a low SWaP-C (size-weight-power and cost) seeker prototype capable of providing day and night navigation and precision terminal homing to a weapon platform which may engage moving, locatable and stationary targets in a contested environment where the Global Positioning System may not be reliably available. Work will be performed at Orlando and is expected to be complete by Dec. 18, 2017. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with 17 offers received. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,500,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8651-16-C-0331). (Source: DoD, 12/17/15)

Airbus seeks various mechanics

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas is seeking aircraft cabin interior, aircraft mechanics structures and aircraft electrical mechanics for the Airbus Manufacturing Facility at the Mobile Aeroplex. Among other qualifications, successful candidates must have minimum of a high school diploma or GED and more than one year of experience with aircraft maintenance or comparable industry experience. For a complete list of Airbus jobs in Mobile, visit the Alabama Industrial Development Training website. (Source: Airbus, 12/16/15)

Contract: Boeing, $55.5M

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded a $55,533,609 undefinitized contract action delivery order (RH01) to previously awarded contract FA8213-15-D-0002 for 2,192 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits. Contractor will provide JDAM strap-on inertial guidance kits with capability to receive guidance updates from global positioning systemsto increase weapon accuracy for conventional inventory bombs. Work will be performed at St. Louis and is expected to be complete by Dec. 15, 2017. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/15/15)

Airbus lists more job openings

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas is seeking three quality conformance specialists for the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility at the Mobile Aeroplex. The quality conformance specialists are responsible for maintaining the production quality system and associated organization approvals for the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility. Among other qualifications, successful candidates must have a minimum of five years of experience in aircraft manufacturing/lean management/quality inspection of entire aircraft or aircraft installation; and a degree in aerospace/industrial engineering or business/quality management is preferred. For a complete list of Airbus jobs in Mobile, visit the Alabama Industrial Development Training website. (Source: Airbus, 12/15/15)

Hurlburt squadron wins award

The 801st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (801 SOAMXS) of Hurlburt Field, Fla., is this year’s winner of the Phoenix Award for Maintenance Excellence. It was announced at the secretary of defense awards ceremony Dec. 8. The Phoenix Award is presented to the single best maintenance unit out of that year's six field-level maintenance award winners. In FY 2014, the 801 SOAMXS’s maintenance actions produced over 1,200 sorties and 3,500 flying hours, more than 28 percent of the 1st Special Operations Wing's mission. Heavily engaged in Overseas Contingency Operations, the unit facilitated safe transportation and recovery of three battle damaged CV-22 aircraft valued at $267 million dollars for subsequent depot repair. In addition, the unit achieved a deployed mission capable rate that exceeded the command standard by 24 percent. Vigilant in innovation, the 801 SOAXMS authored 328 engineer requests resulting in modifications that saved over $8 million dollars and 2,000 man-hours. (Source: DoD, 12/10/15)

Contract: Rockhill Group, $13.2M

The Rockhill Group Inc., Molino, Fla., has been awarded a $13,166,915 firm-fixed-price contract for Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center aircrew instruction support services. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2016. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with 11 offers received. Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA0021-16-C-0001). (Source: DoD, 12/10/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $21.5M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $21,500,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-13-C-0008) to purchase, manufacture, and install various components to update the configuration of four conventional takeoff and landing variant F-35 aircraft for the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program. In addition, this modification provides for updates to associated systems engineering products. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting authority. (Source: DoD, 12/10/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Multiple, $157M

Segers Aero Corp., Fairhope, Ala. (N68335-16-D-0002); Standard Aero Inc., San Antonio, Texas (N68335-16-D-0001); and Turbopower LLC, Hialeah, Fla. (N68335-16-D-0003), are each being awarded fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contracts for T56 Series III engine depot-level repair. The aggregate, not-to-exceed amount for these multiple award contracts is $157,075,454. This contract is for the receipt, inspection, disassembly, repair and/or modification, assembly, testing, and preservation of the T56 Series III propulsion system, modules, quick engine change kit, and components. The three major modules of the engine to be maintained and repaired under this contract will be power sections, reduction gear assemblies, and torquemeters, with a maximum quantity of 252 power sections, 285 reduction gear assemblies, and 231 torquemeters. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Fairhope and Hialeah. Work is expected to be completed in December 2020. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/09/15)

New summer flights added

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Pensacola International Airport announced that June 10 and extending through July 31, Southwest Airlines will offer a non-stop Saturday flight to Dallas and a non-stop Saturday flight to Kansas City. Southwest also has daily non-stop flights to Houston and Nashville. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 12/08/15)

Contract: Kaman, $20.3M

Kaman Precision Products, Inc., Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $20,285,171 firm-fixed-price modification (P00038) to previously awarded contract FA8681-13-C-0029 for Lot 12 production of Joint Programmable Fuze systems. Contractor will provide an additional quantity of 7,733 state-of-the-art fuze systems being produced under the basic contract. Work will be performed at Orlando and is expected to be complete by Sept. 29, 2017. This contract involves foreign military sales to the United Kingdom, Singapore, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/08/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $17.5M

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $17,472,496 fixed price modification (P00004) to previously awarded contract FA8682-16-C-0005 for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile program (JASSM). Contractor will provide labor, material, management, technical, and logistical support for the JASSM Lot 14 tooling effort. Work will be performed at Salt Lake City, Utah, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 30, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/04/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $302.2M

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $302,222,015 fixed-price incentive firm target modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8682-16-C-0005 for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) program. Contractor will provide JASSM production, system upgrades, integration, sustainment, management and logistical support. Work will be performed at Troy, Ala., and is expected to be complete by June 29, 2019. This contract involves foreign military sales (FMS) to Poland and Finland. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/03/15)

MQ-8C wraps up assessment

The Navy and Northrop Grumman have completed a three-week operational assessment of the MQ-8C Fire Scout at Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, Calif. It included 11 flights for a total of 83.4 flight hours, in which the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter was assessed for its performance, endurance and reliability against maritime and surveyed land targets. The C model is an upgraded, larger version of the MQ-8B Fire Scout, currently deployed on the USS Fort Worth. The smaller Fire Scout has flown more than 16,000 hours and has also demonstrated the ability to operate alongside the MH-60 manned helicopter during ship-based operations. (Source: Naval Technology, 12/02/15) Gulf Coast note: Final assembly of the Fire Scout is done by Northrop Grumman in Moss Point, Miss.

NAS Whiting wins award

Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., won first place in the small installation category in a just completed 2016 competition. The Navy's annual Installation Excellence Award winners were announced today by the Navy Installations Command. The program recognizes the Navy's top three large and small installations. The top large installation is Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. (Source: NNS, 12/02/15) NAS Whiting trains Navy, Marine and Coast Guard helicopter pilots.

F-35 sims link pilots

ORLANDO, Fla. -- F-35A pilots are now training with four Full Mission Simulators linked together at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. It moves the 34th Fighter Squadron closer to meeting its goal to be combat ready by August 2016. The squadron will be the first Air Force F-35A unit to reach initial operational capability. The ability to link four pilots together during training using virtual technology not only gives them a chance to hone their individual skills but to develop tactics as a unit against ground and airborne threats in a high fidelity environment. According to Lockheed Martin, more than 190 F-35 pilots and 1,000 maintenance personnel for the Air Force will be mission ready by August 2016. The Marine Corps was the first to declare initial operational capability last summer. The Navy plans to reach IOC in 2018. (Source: Defense News, 12/01/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Hurlburt officer promoted

Air Force Col. Sean M. Farrell has been nominated by the president for appointment to the grade of brigadier general, according to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's office. Farrell is currently serving as commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source: DoD, 12/01/15)

Contract: UTC, $214.6M

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney, Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $214,597,057 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0004) for Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 10 annualized sustainment in support of the F-35 for the U.S Navy, U.S Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, Non -U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants and foreign military sales customers. This effort includes support services for LRIP 10 propulsion systems as well as hardware and training course material and equipment. Work will be performed in East Hartford (76 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (18 percent); Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (2 percent); Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (1 percent); Hill Air Force Base, Utah (1 percent); Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. (1 percent); and Beaufort, S.C. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2019. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force (47 percent); U.S. Marine Corps (27 percent); the U.S. Navy (11 percent); international partners (12 percent); and foreign military sales customers (3 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/25/15)

History made by Blue Origin

VAN HORN, Texas -- Blue Origin today announced that its New Shepard space vehicle successfully flew to space, reaching its planned test altitude of 329,839 feet, then made a historic upright landing back at the launch site in West Texas. "Now safely tucked away at our launch site in West Texas is the rarest of beasts -- a used rocket," said Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin. Like something from an old science fiction movie, the launch vehicle came in for a controlled landing just over four feet from the center of the pad. The spacecraft, powered by a single BE-3 liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen engine, is named in honor of the first American in space, Alan Shepard. (Source: Blue Origin via Business Wire, 11/24/15) Gulf Coast note: Blue Origin has used Stennis Space Center, Miss., to test engine components.

Keesler officer promoted

Air Force Col. Daniel J. Heires has been nominated by the president for appointment to the rank of brigadier general, according to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter's office. Heires is currently serving as the mobilization assistant to the commander, 2nd Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (Source: DoD, 11/23/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $13M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $12,972,450 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-15-C-0114) to provide interim contractor support for F-35A aircraft located at Luke Air Force Base, Glendale, Ariz. Work will be performed in Glendale and is expected to be completed in November 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/23/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract awarded for engine

NASA picked Aerojet Rocketdyne of Sacramento, Calif., to restart production of the RS-25 engine for the agency's Space Launch System, the world's most powerful rocket. SLS will use four RS-25 engines to carry the agency's Orion spacecraft and launch explorers on deep space missions. The first four missions will be flown using 16 existing, upgraded engines that were used in the Space Shuttle program. Under the $1.16 billion contract, the heritage engines will be made more affordable and expendable, with fewer parts and welds and certified to a higher operational thrust level. The new engines will benefit from improvements in materials and manufacturing techniques, such as five-axis milling, 3D manufacturing and digital X-rays. The contract runs November 2015 and continues through Sept. 30, 2024. Engine testing will be done at NASA's Stennis Space Center, in South Mississippi. (Source: Space Daily, 11/24/15)

Leap-1A gets FAA-EASA OK

The CFM Leap-1A turbofan has gained joint certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency, clearing the engine to power the Airbus A320neo in revenue service in mid-2016. Airbus expects to gain certification of the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered A320neo by the end of this year. With the Leap-1A's simultaneous FAA and EASA approval, CFM stands as the only engine manufacturer to gain dual original certification from both agencies, it said. Typically, a lead agency issues type certification and the second agency validates it. The Leap-1A flew for the first time on the Airbus A320neo on May 19, 2015. A second aircraft was added to the test program in September and, to date, the two airplanes have logged a combined total of more than 140 flights and 360 hours of flight testing. CFM International is a joint venture of Snecma (Safran) of France and GE of the United States. (Source: AIN, 11/20/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building the A320 series of jetliners in Mobile, Ala.

SpaceX gets nod

SpaceX received orders Friday from NASA to send astronauts to the International Space Station in the coming years, helping restore U.S. access to space, NASA said. The announcement was a formal step in a process that began earlier this year when Boeing was given the nod by NASA to send crew to the orbiting outpost by late 2017. Both Boeing and SpaceX have received billions in seed money from NASA to restore American access to the ISS, after the U.S. space shuttle program was retired in 2011. The announcement of $4.2 billion for Boeing and $2.6 billion for SpaceX was made in September 2014. (Source: Space Daily, 11/20/15) Gulf Coast note: SpaceX is using Stennis Space Center, Miss., for research into its next generation of rocket engines.

Drone sale to Japan OKd

The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Japan for RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.2 billion. Japan has requested a possible sale of three aircraft. (Source: Australian Defense, 11/23/15) Gulf Coast note: Fuselage work on all variants of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk is done in Moss Point, Miss.

Luxion named associate director

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Stephen Luxion, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, has been named associate director of the Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aerial Systems through Research Excellence center, according to a Mississippi State University news release. The ASSURE center is based at MSU, but involves numerous universities, government agencies and private firms. Drone testing in Mississippi is conducted at NASA's Stennis Space Center on the Gulf Coast, over farms in the Delta, and at the Raspet Flight Research Lab in Starkville. Luxion retired from the military in 2014. He established the Air Force's first armed drone squadron after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; helped NATO establish its first “ aerospace center of excellence;” and taught aerospace studies and tested drones at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. (Source: Starkville Daily News, 11/20/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $18.1M

Raytheon Co. - Missile Systems Div., Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $18,082,165 modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8675-15-C-0004 for contractor logistics support. Contractor will provide CLS High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile Targeting System depot repairs and sustainment activities. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2016. Fiscal year 2016 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,157,324 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (FA8675-15-C-0004) (Source: DoD, 11/19/15)

NASA, Loyola partner

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- NASA’s Stennis Space Center and Loyola University in New Orleans have announced a partnership agreement to educate young entrepreneurs and tomorrow's industry leaders about the benefits of NASA research and development and the use of NASA intellectual property in commercial applications. Under a recently-signed Space Act Agreement, students in the Loyola College of Business will select a Stennis-developed technology and build a business plan for its commercial use. The effort is part of NASA’s Technology Transfer University (T2U) initiative, which seeks to engage business students to use NASA intellectual property and spur economic development and growth. The Loyola College of Business has embraced the initiative as part of its Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. (Source: NASA, 11/19/20)

Northrop lease extended

MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Jackson County has reached an agreement with Northrop Grumman to extend the lease for the Moss Point Unmanned Systems Center for eight years. The plant at Trent Lott International Airport does finishing work on the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter and fuselage work on all variants of the Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft. The plant's lease will extend to 2023, according to a press release from the office of Sen. Thad Cochran. The center opened in 2006 and employs 70 workers. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/18/15)

New position opens at Airbus

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas is seeking a manufacturing engineer-flightline for the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility at the Mobile Aeroplex. The engineer manages non-conformities/design deviation and late changes to support production. He or she answers technical questions, prepares new modifications for country-specific constraints and explains work orders and drawings, especially for aircraft cabin, electrical, mechanical or systems related items. Among other qualifications, successful candidates must have at least two years of experience as a technician or foreman with a focus on cabin, electrical, mechanical or systems installation with an aviation company and/or have a degree in aerospace, industrial or mechanical engineering. For more information, visit the AIDT website. (Source: Airbus, 11/17/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $25.7M

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $25,713,978 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00017) to previously awarded contract FA8675-15-C-0022 for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile production lots 28-30 contract. Contractor work will include special tooling and special test equipment in support of form, fit, function, refresh (F3R) transition to full-rate production, testing of F3R test software, fixtures and equipment modification. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2018. This contract involves foreign military sales. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-15-C-0022 P00017). (Source: DoD, 11/17/15)

Crack in F-35C wing spar

Inspectors found a crack in one of the 13 wing “spars” of an F-35C Navy variant test aircraft, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office. The discovery will not impact current F-35 operations. The jet was undergoing cyclic loadings to the airframe in order to simulate operational flying durability, and to identify potential problems. During durability tests, aircraft are tested to 16,000 flight hours. The F-35C with the crack had more than 13,700 test hours, equivalent to 6,850 flight hours. One potential modification-fix may include adding about a half-pound to the weight of the aircraft. Any fixes will be incorporated to the remainder of the F-35 fleet. (Source: Defense News 11/16/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Airbus job opens

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas is seeking a manager of health, safety and environment for the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile. The position is responsible for all aspects of health, safety and environmental impact in and around the plant and property. Among other qualifications, candidates must have extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental, health and safety laws, experience with ISO 14001, a minimum of five years of experience in industrial and/or environmental, health and safety engineering, and at least five years of supervisory experience. For a full job description, visit the AIDT site. (Source: Airbus, 11/13/15)

Contract: BAE, $22.4M

BAE, Nashua, N.H., has been awarded a $22,391,886 C-type contract for AC/MC-130J radio frequency countermeasures. Contractor will improve AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft system survivability and the capability to detect, identify, locate, deny, degrade, disrupt and defeat threat systems in operational environments applicable to the AC- and MC-130J missions. Work will be performed at Nashua and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2016. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with four offers received. Fiscal 2015 research and development funds in the amount of $4,654,401 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity on behalf of U.S. Special Operations Command. Options are also being awarded but not exercised at this time, and the award amount above does not account for these options (FA8540-16-C-0003). (Source: DoD, 11/13/15) Gulf Coast note: Hurlburt Field, Fla., is home of Air Force Special Operations command and its AC-130J and MC-130J aircraft.

Airbus seeks flight dispatcher

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas is seeking a flight dispatcher for the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile. The flight dispatcher is responsible for the preparation and dispatch of production and delivery flights. This role is also responsible for the preparation of customer ferry flights and monitoring of these flights in progress. Candidates must have a U.S. Flight Dispatcher license and five or more years of experience as an aviation flight dispatcher. A minimum of two to three months training abroad is required. (Source: Airbus, 11/12/15) For a full job description, go to the AIDT site.

Contract: Boeing, $130.1M

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded a $130,125,899 modification (P00006) to previously awarded contract FA8681-10-D-0071 increase the contract ceiling for foreign military sales Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB I) production. This modification increases the contract's ceiling from $98,000,000 to $228,125,899 to meet current and future foreign military sales procurements under this contract. Work will be performed at St. Louis and is expected to be complete by April 15, 2019. This contract is 95 percent foreign military sales. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/10/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $112.8M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $112,779,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-15-C-0003) for the procurement of additional long-lead time items necessary for the manufacture and delivery of low-rate initial production Lot 10 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force and Lot 11 F-35A aircraft for the government of the Netherlands. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); Baltimore, Md. (5 percent); and Cameri, Italy (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2019. This contract combines purchase for the Air Force (88 percent) and non-U.S. DoD participants (12 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/09/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

AC-130J accident report released

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – An AC-130J conducting a flying qualities test over the Gulf of Mexico in April was "over G'd" and exceeded its design limit load, nullifying its airworthiness and rendering it a total loss. The value was placed at $115 million. Air Force Materiel Command released an Accident Investigation Board report for the mishap involving the Ghostrider that occurred on April 21 during a sortie 40 miles south of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. There were no injuries and the aircraft returned to base. The incident occurred while the crew from the 413 Flight Test Squadron at Eglin was performing steady heading sideslips at an altitude of 15,000 feet. The aircraft exceeded the targeted angle of sideslip and momentarily inverted before being recovered after losing about 5,000 feet of altitude. The accident was caused by a bad decision on the pilot's part by applying "excessive rudder input during the test point followed by inadequate rudder input to initiate a timely recovery." The report also points out there were four contributing factors: instrumentation and warning system issues, spatial disorientation, confusion, and inadequate provision of procedural guidance or publications to the team. (Source: Air Force Materiel Command, 11/06/2015) Previous

Aerospace an economy brightspot

MOSS POINT, Miss. -- The U.S. economy is nowhere near as bad off as many fear, Tulane University economics professor Peter Ricchiuti told more than 100 community leaders during the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation's investors meeting Thursday. "The economy is doing a lot better than you're hearing in the media," he said. "I see some very positive numbers. The stock market has tripled in the last six years." According to stock index performance for the year ending Sept. 30, the aerospace/defense index is up 3.2 percent, he said. That's especially good for Jackson County because of its existing businesses and potential to draw in more aerospace-related companies. "You are really in the sweet spot," he said. (Source: gulflive, 11/04/15) Moss Point is home of the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center, which builds portions of the unmanned Global Hawk and Fire Scout. It's also close to Mobile County, Ala., which is building Airbus jetliners.

Base getting solar project

FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Plans have been approved for construction of a 10-megawatt solar power project at Fort Rucker, one of two major solar projects approved for the state Tuesday by the Alabama Public Service Commission. The facility is known as a Photovoltaic Solar Array System, and supports the Defense Department's plan calling for 25 percent of energy used at Army facilities to come from renewable sources by 2025. The Army is expected to consume a minimum of 51 percent of the power through an existing area contract with Alabama Power, which will own and operate the facility. The series of networked solar arrays will be located on about 110 acres within a former trailer park near an electrical substation that will be used for connectivity. The Public Service Commission approved a similar project Tuesday for the Anniston Army Depot. (Source: Dothan Eagle, 11/04/15) Fort Rucker is home of the Army's aviation training center.

Funds OKd to lure airline

Okaloosa County Commissioners have unanimously backed a plan to spend $3 million over the next three years to bring a new airline to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport in Northwest Florida. The money will come from the county bed tax reserves. Airport officials have shared no details about the airline being courted, citing concerns over confidentiality. What is known is the airline would bring new areas of service to the airport. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/04/15)

Blue Angels slate command change

NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The Navy's Blue Angels demonstration squadron will hold a change of command ceremony Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. at the National Naval Aviation Museum. Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi will relieve Capt. Tom Frosch. Bernacchi joined the Blue Angels in November. Prior to selection as commander, he served as a Federal Executive Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Frosch joined the Blue Angels in November 2012 and led the team through more than 130 air shows and flyovers. His next assignment will remain in Pensacola at the Naval Education Training Command headquarters. (Source: Blue Angels, 11/04/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $5.3B

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an undefinitized contractual action not-to-exceed $5,370,955,495 to the previously awarded low-rate initial production Lot IX F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter advance acquisition contract (N00019-14-C-0002). This modification provides for the procurement of 41 F-35A aircraft, including 26 F-35As for the Air Force; six F-35As for Norway; seven F-35As for Israel; two F-35As for Japan; 12 F-35Bs, including six for the Marine Corps and six for the British Royal Navy; and two F-35Cs for the Navy. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (30 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); Nagoya, Japan (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2017. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/03/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

County eyes more flexible lease

CRESTVIEW, Fla. -- Okaloosa County plans to ask Eglin Air Force Base for significantly more flexibility in its lease and operation of Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. County commissioners are set to discuss the proposal at their meeting Tuesday. The 130-acre airport is at the base on land owned by the Air Force. Three months ago the county said it could no longer afford the annual lease payment. Under the new agreement, the county would pay Eglin a flat fee of $400,000 year, and 50 cents per departing passenger for every passenger above the 400,000 mark. The county also plans to ask Eglin to allow the construction of a gas station or convenience store on airport property. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/01/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $120.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $120,555,991 modification to the previously awarded low-rate initial production Lot IX F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter advance acquisition contract (N00019-14-C-0002) to procure the non-recurring engineering effort necessary to develop build-to-print packages by variant (F-35A, F-35B, F-35C), to provide Group A and Group A enabler provisions to support future Band 2/5 capabilities of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in June 2018. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $64.5M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $64,500,000 modification to a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract (N00019-15-C-0003) for long lead materials and efforts associated with the production of the low-rate initial production 11 Japanese F-35A air systems for the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in February 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: UTC, $104.3M

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney, Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $104,290,158 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-14-C-0004) for low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot IX non-annualized sustainment in support of the F-135 propulsions systems for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, non -U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants and foreign military sales customers. This effort includes support equipment and depot activation services and supplies for LRIP 9 propulsion systems. Work will be performed in East Hartford (88 percent); and Indianapolis, Ind. (12 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2018. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force (31 percent); the Navy (31 percent); the Marine Corps (11 percent); non-U.S. DoD participants (26 percent); and foreign military sales (1 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Multiple, $75M

2H&V Construction Services, Bonifay, Fla. (N69450-16-D-0601); Birmingham Industrial Construction LLC, Alabaster, Ala. (N69450-16-D-0602); ESA South Inc., Cantonment, Fla., (N69450-16-D-0603); Firewatch Contracting of Florida LLC, Tampa, Fla. (N69450-16-D-0604); J.A.M. Construction Services, Merritt Island, Fla. (N69450-16-D-0605); and York-Brawley JV, Hampton, Va. (N69450-16-D-0607), are each being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years for all six contracts combined is $75,000,000. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, general building type projects (new construction, renovation, alteration, demolition, and repair work) including industrial, airfield, aircraft hangar, aircraft traffic control, infrastructure, administrative, training, dormitory, and community support facilities. Firewatch Contracting of Florida LLC is being awarded task order 0001 at $1,136,022 for Buildings 38, 40 and 223 window replacement and repair, at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by January 2017. All work on this contract will be performed primarily within the NAVFAC Southeast AOR including Pensacola (50 percent); Panama City, Fla. (20 percent); Whiting Field, Fla. (20 percent); and the remainder of NAVFAC Southeast AOR (10 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of October 2020. These six contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/15)

New hike in A320 production?

Airbus is poised to increase production of its best-selling A320 jet after reaching a compromise with suppliers over the capacity of the supply chain, people familiar with the matter said. The decision could be announced as early as Friday. It would push output of the jet beyond its latest target of 50 a month, but fall short of recent expectations of a new goal of as high as 63. Airbus declined to comment. (Source: Reuters, 10/29/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus this summer began building A320 family jetliners at its newest manufacturing center in Mobile, Ala. It also builds them in Germany, France and China.

Contract: Raytheon, $11.2M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $11,200,000 undefinitized contract action for 225 Enhanced Paveway II /Guided Bomb Unit-49 kits. Contractor will provide 225 each Enhanced Paveway II munitions, also referred to as GBU-49 kits. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Aug. 30, 2016. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales to Canada. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (F A8681-16-C-0059). (Source: DoD, 10/29/15)

Big Navy UAVs set for service

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy expects to begin operations of its unmanned fixed-wing Triton and the larger version of the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter in 2018. Speaking Oct. 29 at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International symposium, Pat Buckley, the Navy’s deputy program executive officer for unmanned aerial systems, said the MQ-4C Triton, the maritime version of the Global Hawk, and the MQ-8C version of the Fire Scout would reach initial operational capability in 2018. He said the operational assessment of the MQ-8C would begin “in a couple of months.” He also said a surface-search radar and possibly a weapons capability would be added to the MQ-8C in 2019. (Source: Seapower magazine, 10/29/15) Gulf Coast note: Fuselage work on Global Hawk variants and finishing work on Fire Scouts is done by Northrop Grumman in Moss Point, Miss.

Whiting hosts fly-in

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. – This base in Milton in Northwest Florida this week is hosting the 26th annual Naval Helicopter Association Fleet Fly-In. The four-day event, which began Tuesday, is designed to show students the aircraft they will fly when they go out in the fleet, and give them an opportunity to fly in the aircraft. More than two dozen Navy, Marine and Coast Guard helicopters are involved. Aerospace companies, including Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Bell Helicopter and Sikorsky, have displays at the event. (Sources: Whiting Tower, 10/26/15, Pensacola News Journal, 10/29/15)

Airbus seeks quality inspectors

MOBILE, Ala. -- Airbus Americas and its hiring partner AIDT are seeking four quality inspectors for its U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile. The quality inspectors-final assembly line are responsible for the execution and confirmation of quality inspections in the production process in the Final Assembly Line Hangar. Among other qualifications, candidates should have five years of experience, preferably with quality inspection of aircraft installations in an international aviation company, and experience as a technician with a focus on quality inspection in structure and/or system manufacturing in the aviation industry with a high school diploma. For more information and to apply, go to the AIDT site. (Source: Airbus, 10/26/15)

NASA forum scheduled

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce will host a NASA Business Forum at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 4. The cost is $75 per person, includes breakfast and lunch, and is open to all area and regional businesses. Featured at the forum will be senior procurement experts from four NASA centers in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, as well as representatives from major aerospace prime contractors. Topics on the agenda include NASA's acquisition process, upcoming business opportunities, best practices to win a direct contract or subcontract, and marketing tools and advice. Following the presentation, attendees will also meet face-to-face with the representatives in a trade-show style forum. Reservations are required. Contact Brenda Rembert at 251-431-8607 to register or for more information. (Source: Mobile Chamber of Commerce, 10/22/15)

SLS completes design review

NASA's Space Launch System program has completed its Critical Design Review, and major subsystems such as Orion’s launch abort system and the SLS RS-25 engines have recently completed successful testing. This is the first time since the 1970s that NASA has completed CDR on a major new launch vehicle. Experts from NASA and industry validated that the SLS, as designed, meets all system requirements and is within cost and schedule constraints. Boeing, Orbital ATK, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Lockheed Martin are building the SLS and Orion spacecraft for NASA's crewed exploration missions that will travel beyond the moon and into deep space. Boeing and Lockheed are using Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and Aerojet Rocketdyne is using engine test facilities at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Sources: Business Wire, 10/22/15, Space Daily, 10/23/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $13M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $13,080,225 modification (P00653) to exercise the option on previously awarded contract FA8611-08-C-2897 for F-22 air vehicle sustainment. Contractor will provide depot touch labor services. Work will be performed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2015. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/22/15) Gulf Coast note: F-22 pilots are trained at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Whiting nominee for award

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. -- Naval Air Station Whiting Field has been named one of two Navy Region Southeast nominees for Commander Navy Installation Command's national "Installation Excellence Award" in the small base category for 2015. The Santa Rosa County base, along with NAS Pensacola, was CNIC’s "excellence" award winner last year. The second base selected was Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga. (Source: NAS Whiting Facebook page, 10/21/15)

S. Korean RQ-4Bs on track

Northrop Grumman will deliver the first pair of South Korea's four RQ-4B Block 30 Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft in 2018. Speaking with Flightglobal at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, Global Hawk vice-president Michael Jaggers said the first of Seoul's aircraft is already under construction. South Korea's $657 million purchase was announced in December 2014. (Source: Flightglobal, 10/20/15) Gulf Coast note: Fuselage work on all variants of the Global Hawk is done by Northrop Grumman in Moss Point, Miss.

Contract: Lockheed, $7.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $7,566,978 modification (P00567) to previously awarded contract FA8611-08-C-2897. Contractor will provide F-22 sustainment for Reliability and Maintainability Maturation Program Project SE21, Stores Management System wrap around tester cable sets (quantity of 20) and self testers (quantity of 2). Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2017. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/20/15) Gulf Coast note: Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is home of F-22 training and an operational squadron.

Contract: L-3, $12M

L-3 Communications Corp., Systems Field Support, Madison, Miss., has been awarded an estimated $12,000,000 modification (P00035) to exercise the option on previously awarded contract FA8106-11-D-0002 for C-12 contractor logistics support. Contractor will provide maintenance, repair and support functions. Work will be performed Accra, Ghana; Andrews Air Force Base, Md.; Ankara, Turkey; Bangkok, Thailand; Bogota, Columbia; Brasilia, Brazil; Budapest, Hungary; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cairo, Egypt; Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; Gaborone, Botswana; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; Islamabad, Pakistan; Manila, Philippines; Nairobi, Kenya; Rabat, Morocco; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; San Angelo, Texas; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Yokota Air Base, Japan, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2016. This contract involves foreign military sales. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/20/15)

Contract: Jacobs, $45M

Jacobs Technology Inc., Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $45,000,000 modification (0003) to contract W52P1J-13-D-0041 for global logistics and support services to the Army Sustainment Command Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) and Army Contracting Command-Rock Island (ACC- RI) LOGCAP and Reachback Divisions. Funding and work location will be determined with each order with an estimated completion date of Oct. 20, 2016. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Ill., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/20/21)

Contract: Lockheed, $17.6M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $17,599,996 not-to-exceed delivery order (550302) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This order provides for the procurement of retrofit modification kits and associated engineering installation services in support of the Block 3F upgrade of two F-35A aircraft for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (90 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2021. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/14/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Mayor: Airbus likely to hike output

Airbus is likely to increase aircraft output at its Mobile, Ala., plant beyond its current four-a-month target. That's according to Mayor Sandy Stimpson in an interview with Reuters. Airbus has said it could produce up to eight single-aisle jetliners a month at the plant, which had its inaugural opening last month. Stimpson said he based his view on public statements by Airbus and conversations with Airbus officials, not special knowledge of Airbus plans. An Airbus spokeswoman said the company plans to build four A320-family aircraft a month at the factory by 2017, and there are currently no plans to change that rate. Airbus has a backlog of 5,502 orders for A320-family planes, or nearly 11 years of production. (Source: Reuters, 10/13/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $305.5M

Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $305,457,460 firm-fixed-price and fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile production. Contractor will provide Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile production, system upgrades, integration, sustainment, management, and logistical support. Work will be performed at Troy, Ala., and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2018. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8682-16-C-0005). (Source: DoD, 10/13/15)

Contract: Boeing, $11.8M

The Boeing Co., Defense, Space & Security Missile and Unmanned Airborne Systems, St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded an $11,806,383 modification (P00049) to the previously awarded contract FA2103-13-C-0006 for engineering and manufacturing development of the B61-12 tailkit assembly. Contractor will provide additional test assets, materials, and hardware to enable the demonstration of the reliability of the B61-12 tailkit assembly. Work will be performed at St. Louis and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2017. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/13/15)

'Rightshoring' topic of symposium

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. -- A combination of factors, including increasing labor costs overseas and new technologies, has made the United States, and particularly the Southeast, the hot spot for aerospace manufacturing. That was the message Monday from Kevin Michaels, vice president of ICF International, during the 19th annual Gulf Power Symposium at Sandestin resort. Michael's talk was called "Rightshoring: The New Aerospace Supply Chain Imperative." He said the offshoring trend that began in 2000 has changed, and in 2012 something he calls rightshoring began. That occurred when labor costs outside the United States went up and labor became a smaller portion of the cost of manufacturing. He said one issue that may impact the Southeast is Airbus' request to suppliers to cut costs by 10 percent. He said that might prompt some European suppliers to take another look at the United States as an option. Airbus recently opened its A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala., a move that has helped reinforce the Southeast as an aerospace hotspot. The symposium continues Tuesday. (Source: GCAC, 10/12/15)

Airport growth a Katrina silver lining

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Since Hurricane Katrina, the airport in Gulfport has undergone $200 million in renovation work to improve, including a terminal twice as big as it was before the devastating storm. A feature story about the growth of the Mississippi airport. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, October issue, 10/06/15) Full newsletter

Space Grant a key STEM program

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The states with a piece of the Interstate 10 aerospace corridor have four NASA consortiums that can help the region prepare the next generation for exciting careers in the final frontier. A feature story about the NASA program. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, October issue, 10/06/15) Full newsletter

No. 6512 marks start of new era

MOBILE, Ala. -- It's still months from delivery to JetBlue, but the first Airbus made in the USA is beginning to look like the world class passenger jet that will make aviation history and launch a new era. A feature story about the assembly process at the new plant. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, October issue, 10/06/15) Full newsletter

A giant leap for robotkind

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- When humanoid robots one day build habitats on Mars for astronauts, it's likely they'll owe much of their locomotion capabilities to cutting-edge computer programs being developed by scientists from Pensacola's Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. A feature story. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, October issue, 10/06/15) Full newsletter

Contract: Jacobs, $85.4M

Jacobs Technology, Tullahoma, Tenn., has been awarded an estimated $85,429,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification (P00023) to exercise the option on previously awarded contract FA9200-12-D-0085 for additional technical and engineering acquisition support services. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Oct. 18, 2016. This contract involves foreign military sales. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 research, development, test, and evaluation; operations and maintenance; and procurement funds in the amount of $17,218,166 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/05/15)

A320neo engine has setback

An engine on one of the revamped Airbus A320neo jets was found to have suffered damage following flight trials in hot-weather conditions, a setback for the Pratt & Whitney-made turbine. The issue was found in one of the test aircraft's two engines, Airbus said Wednesday in an e-mailed statement that didn’t specify the source of the trouble. Deliveries of the single-aisle plane should still begin as scheduled later this year, Airbus said. The first A320neo, going to Qatar Airways, will be powered by PW1100G engines. A competing turbine is offered by CFM International, a joint venture of GE Aviation and Safran. (Source: Bloomberg, 09/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building A320 family jetliners in Mobile, Ala., and will eventually build neo variants.

Esri wins NASA agreement

NASA has awarded a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to Esri in Redlands, Calif., to provide geospatial software licenses and maintenance. This BPA offers provisions for issuance of firm-fixed calls, with a one-year base ordering period, four one-year option ordering periods, and a potential contract value of $9.5 million. The period of performance begins Oct. 1 and, if all options are exercised, the last ordering period will end Sept. 30, 2020. The contract will be administered by the Enterprise License Management Team at the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) at Stennis Space Center, Miss. The NSSC performs select business activities for all NASA centers. (Source: NASA/NSSC, 10/01/15)

T-2 ends Navy career

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The Navy's last flying T-2C Buckeye made its final flight at Naval Air Station Patuxent River Sept. 25, capping 56 years of the aircraft type's service to the fleet. Although the T-2s were officially retired from service in 2008 with a "sundown" ceremony, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 20 at NAS Patuxent River continued to use three Buckeyes as safety chase aircraft during test and evaluation flights of the E-2D Hawkeye, P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial system. (Source: NNS, 10/01/15) Gulf Coast note: The sundown ceremony was Aug. 22, 2008, at Naval Air Station Pensacola. See 2008 archives for the brief

Global Hawk contract won

Northrop Grumman has won a contract worth up to $3.2 billion for continued development, modernization and maintenance of Air Force variants of the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. The contract will allow the Air Force to order parts and services as needed through Sept. 30, 2020, with all work to be completed by Sept. 30, 2025. Northrop builds several variants of Global Hawk, including Triton, the maritime variant for the Navy. (Source: Reuters, 09/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk fuselage work is done in Moss Point, Miss.

NASA awards contract

NASA has awarded a contract to National Instruments Corporation of Austin, Texas, to provide system design software and measurement and control systems hardware while consolidating the procurement of agency end-user software licenses. This contract is an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with provisions for firm-fixed delivery/task orders, which consists of a one-year base period and four one-year options. The period of performance will begin Sept. 30, 2015, with a potential end date of Sept. 27, 2020 and total value of $37.7 million. The contract will be administered by the Enterprise License Management Team at the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) at Stennis Space Center, Miss. The NSSC performs select business activities for all NASA centers. (Source: NASA/NSSC, 09/30/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $28.8M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $28,777,974 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0031) to upgrade the low-rate initial production Autonomic Logistics Operating Unit and all fielded Autonomic Logistics Design Development (ALIS) systems to ALIS software release 2.0.2 in support of the F-35 aircraft. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (50 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (10 percent); Portsmouth, United Kingdom (5 percent); Willliamtown, Australia (5 percent); Nevatim, Israel (5 percent); Glendale, Ariz. (4 percent); Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (3 percent); Cameri Air Base, Italy (2.5 percent); Amendola Air Base, Italy (2.5 percent); Yuma, Ariz. (2 percent); Ogden, Utah (2 percent); Valparaiso, Fla. (2 percent); Beaufort, S.C. (1.5 percent); Las Vegas, Nev. ( 1.5 percent); Havelock, N.C. (1 percent); Norfolk, Va. (1 percent); San Diego, Calif. (1 percent), and Salt Lake City, Utah (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2017. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($12,164,704); Marine Corps ($6,236,157); Navy ($3,365,675); non-U.S. Department of Defense participants ($5,874,056); and foreign military sales customers ($1,137,382). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/30/15)

Contract: Pettibone, $48.9M

Pettibone Concrete Construction Inc., Panama City, Fla., has been awarded a $48,885,013 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Tyndall Air Force Base airfield civil works. Contractor will provide all management, supervision, labor, materials, equipment, and incidentals required for maintenance, repair and minor construction of airfield pavement and asphalt, including but not limited to grading of subgrade and base course; and resurfacing, full depth reconstruction. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 29, 2020. The 325th Contracting Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA4819-15-D-0002). (Source: DoD, 09/30/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $50M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $50,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for support to the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile AIM-120D system improvement program. Contractor will provide candidate studies/analyses and risk reduction efforts, laboratory and modeling and simulation improvements, and delivery of performance capability assessments as needed in support of the AMRAAM AIM-120D SIP. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2022. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-15-D-0135). (Source: DoD, 09/30/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $20.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $20,646,148 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-12-C-0004) to provide additional funding for concurrency related changes to the F-35 aircraft and the supporting subsystems for the Navy/Marine Corps and Air Force. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (95 percent); Marietta, Ga. (3 percent); and Palmdale, Calif. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2018. This modification combines purchase for the Navy/Marine Corps (75 percent), and the Air Force (25 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/29/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Flight Safety Int., $35M

Flight Safety International Inc., Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, N.Y., was awarded a $35,094,752 modification (P00157) to contract W9124G-04-C-0037 for an extension of the existing contract for fixed-wing flight training services. Work will be performed at Ft. Rucker, Ala., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2016. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $35,094,752 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Ft. Rucker, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/29/15)

Airbus still has tanker dream

Could military tankers for the U.S. Air Force eventually be built in Mobile, Ala.? Allan McArtor, Airbus Group CEO, told National Defense magazine that if a future competition required that military tankers be built domestically, Airbus would expand its facilities in Alabama to compete. "That is our industrial home. If we had an opportunity to bid on a tanker program, that is where it would be," he said. Airbus competed against Boeing to build tankers to the Air Force. Airbus won initially, but Boeing protested and eventually won. McArtor is convinced the Air Force would consider buying an Airbus tanker to supplement the Boeing 767-based KC-46A fleet. The opening of a U.S. manufacturing plant in Alabama is a milestone, McArtor says, and while the plant is for commercial planes, it's still a boost to Airbus’ marketing efforts at the Pentagon and could be expanded. (Source: National Defense Magazine, 09/26/15)

Contract: L-3 Vertex, $57.2M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., has been awarded a $57,231,214 (P00104) firm-fixed-price contract for logistics support of the T-1A aircraft. Contractor will provide contractor-operated maintained supply, over and above, on-equipment maintenance, and data and field service representatives. Work will be performed at Vance Air Force Base, Okla.; Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas; Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2016. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA8106-09-C-0001). (Source: DoD, 09/28/15)

Airbus tells suppliers to cut prices

Airbus is telling suppliers of its A320 family of jetliners to cut prices by at least 10 percent by 2019 in order to make the company's main cash cow more competitive, three people familiar with the matter said. The demand echoes rival Boeing's cost-cutting Partner for Success initiative, which has redrawn the relationship between suppliers and Boeing as the industry gears up for record output. Airbus has told suppliers that the prospect of increased volumes and a longer lifespan for its best-selling jet means it is time to review all options in its supply chain. (Source: Reuters, 09/25/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus this month opened its newest A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala.

Contract: Boeing, $36.3M

The Boeing Corp., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $36,350,863 modification (P00003) on previously awarded contract FA8681-15-C-0050. Contractor will provide research and development leading to the procurement of 60 long delay fuzes and development of an embedded fuze system. Work will be performed at St. Louis, and is expected to be complete by March 31, 2017. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation, and ammunition procurement funds in the amount of $13,188,088 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/15)

Module for Orion built

Airbus Defense and Space, prime contractor for NASA's Orion space vehicle's European Service Module (ESM), has completed four large titanium tanks for the module. The tanks are the first hardware to be supplied for the Orion space vehicle. The tanks will be transported to Italy, where the structural test model will be assembled before being tested in the United States. The primary goal of these initial tests is to verify whether the structural components can withstand the enormous loads. The next step is to build the engineering model that will be assembled and tested at Airbus Defense and Space in Bremen, Germany. (Source: Space Daily, 09/25/15) Gulf Coast note: Orion is assembled at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, which is also building the core state of the Space Launch System that will launch Orion; engines for the SLS are tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Airbus tackles supplier issue

Delivery of the first A321 jetliner produced at the company's new plant in Mobile, Ala., is several weeks behind schedule due to problems with a supplier. Still, Airbus said it expects to deliver it on time to JetBlue in the second quarter of 2016. Allan McArtor, chairman and CEO of Airbus Group, said there were issues with jigs and tools, the large structures that hold parts in place, as well as the tools used to join parts. But McArtor notes Airbus has enough flexibility to catch up. A second A321 for American Airlines will be delivered later in 2016. (Source: Global Trade Daily, 09/24/15) The plant, which began production in July, had its inaugural opening Sept. 14. Previous

Contract: L-3 Vertex, $160M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $160,238,440 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N00019-14-D-0011) to exercise an option for the organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance and logistics services in support of approximately 200 T-45 aircraft based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Miss.; NAS Kingsville, Texas; NAS Pensacola, Fla.; and NAS Patuxent River, Md. Logistics services to be provided include sustaining engineering, supply and government property management, and procurement of associated parts and materials. Work will be performed in Kingsville (48 percent); Meridian (44 percent); Pensacola (7 percent); and Patuxent River (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2016. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/22/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $180M

Raytheon Co., Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $180,000,000 fixed-price-incentive, firm target, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile program support and annual sustainment. Contractor will provide program support, service life prediction program, and contractor logistics support services. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. This contract involves foreign military sales. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-15-D-0062). (Source: DoD, 09/21/15)

Contract: UTC, $10.6M

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney, Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $10,642,496 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-14-C-0026) to retrofit the F-35B F-135 propulsion system for the Navy/Marine Corps and the international partners, including the installation of a redesigned lift fan inter-stage vane. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., and is expected to be completed in December 2016. This contract combines purchases for the Navy/Marine Corps (98 percent) and the international partners (2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/18/15)

Tax abatements for MAAS OKd

MOBILE, Ala. -- MAAS Aviation received tax abatements totaling nearly $2.2 million Wednesday for construction of a proposed $13 million second paint facility at Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Announced during the Paris Air Show in June 2015, the second paint facility would target third-party original equipment manufacturers; maintenance, repair and overhaul providers; and potential military clients. (Source: Alabama News Center (Alabama Power), 09/17/15) Ireland-based MAAS said in April 2014 that it would break ground on a $13 million paint facility at the Mobile Aeroplex to service Airbus jets. In June at the 2015 Paris Air Show MAAS said it would expand and build a two-bay $39 million facility. That figure included several long-term investment proposals, including the second paint facility.

Contract: Summit, $6.9M

Summit Construction Inc., Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., is being awarded a firm-fixed- price contract (HDEC03-15-C-0001) for the architectural and refrigeration upgrade to the commissary at Fort Myer, Va. The award amount is $6,902,588. The contract is for a 379-day period based on the issuance of the notice to proceed which is expected in October 2015. The contracting activity is the Defense Commissary Agency, Enterprise Acquisition Division, Construction and Design Branch, Joint Base San Antionio Lackland, Texas. (Source: DoD, 09/17/15)

Contract: Noble Supply, $9M

Noble Supply and Logistics, Rockland, Mass., has been awarded a $9,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a contractor operated civil engineer supply store. Contractor will provide a simplified method for authorized civil engineer personnel and self-help customers to purchase materials, equipment and supplies including, but not limited to, electrical, plumbing, sheet metal, welding, landscaping, heating/air conditioning/refrigeration/ventilation, pipe fitting and carpentry. These items shall be used for work orders, construction, recurring maintenance and repair and self-help type work. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2016. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2823-16-D-4007). (Source: DoD, 09/17/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $10.8M

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $10,793,422 contract modification (P00018) for the repair of legacy control sections for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) missile (AGM-88). Contractor will provide repair of government-furnished parts reused in HARM control section modification production that failed during the acceptance testing. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2017. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8675-10-C-0011). (Source: DoD, 09/17/15)

Contract: RoboTeam, $25M

RoboTeam, Gaithersburg, Md., has been awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for an explosive ordnance disposal small robot. Contractor will deliver a robot system with logistics and maintenance support. Work will be performed worldwide as necessary and is expected to be complete by Sept. 16, 2022. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8051-15-D-0009). (Source: DoD, 09/17/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $100M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $100,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) production support. Contractor will provide MALD system upgrades, integration, sustainment, management, and logistical support. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8682-15-D-0082). (Source: DoD, 09/17/15)

Contract: KTU+A, $7.5M

KTU+A, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a maximum amount $7,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering contract for professional planning and engineering services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). Task order 0001 is being awarded at $106,190 for developing basic facility requirements and Department of Defense 1391s (DD Form 1391s) for the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The work to be performed provides for plans, studies, and project and facility planning documents. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by September 2016. All work on this contract will be performed primarily at various activities within the NAVFAC Southeast AOR, but may also be used for professional planning services within the entire NAVFAC AOR (worldwide). The term of the contract is not to exceed 36 months with an expected completion date of September 2018. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity (N69450-15-D-0131). (Source: DoD, 09/16/15)

Contract: Scientific Systems, $6.6M

Scientific Systems Co. Inc., Woburn, Mass., has been awarded a $6,600,242 firm-fixed-price Small Business Innovation Research III contract for advanced navigation common capability (ANCC). Contractor will expand upon ANCC previous work by generalizing the process of integrating the technology into weapon systems. Work will be performed at Woburn and is expected to be complete by Sept. 14, 2017. Fiscal 2015 research and development funds in the amount of $6,600,242 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8656-15-C-0124). (Source: DoD, 09/16/15)

Contract: M1, $20M

M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, has been awarded a $20,029,841 fixed-price, cost-reimbursable modification (P00097) to exercise the option on previously awarded contract FA4890-11-C-0005. Contractor will provide program support of the Air Combat Command’s T-38 companion trainer program. Work will be performed at Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; Beale Air Force Base, Calif.; Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2016. Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/16/15)

Harman resigns as airport director

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- Sunil Harman has resigned as the director of Okaloosa County's airports to pursue other opportunities. The departure was announced by Okaloosa County Administrator John Hofstad at Tuesday's commission meeting in Fort Walton Beach. Harman, whose resignation is effective Sept. 30, was not at the meeting. He was hired in July 2013 to oversee the county’s airports. During his tenure, the county launched a rebranding where the name of county’s primary airport was changed to Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport and the Destin facility was renamed Destin Executive Airport. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 09/15/15) Prior to taking the Okaloosa job, Harman was director of the airport in Tallahassee.

Airbus plant officially opens

Airbus A320 plant officially opens in Mobile.
GCAC photo by Michelle R. Thomas

MOBILE, Ala. – Scores of dignitaries, including corporate officials, politicians and three ambassadors, were on hand today for the formal opening of the $600 million Airbus A320 assembly plant at the Mobile Aeroplex, the aircraft maker's fourth A320 assembly plant and its first in the United States. With partially built A321 jetliners flanking the assembled dignitaries and media representatives from around world, the crowd applauded and stood when a sign was placed on a plane sections that said “This aircraft proudly made in the USA by  the worldwide team from Airbus.” The event in Hangar 9, the name Airbus uses the final assembly lines in Hamburg, Tianjin, China and now Mobile, closed with the song “Sweet Home Alabama” playing in the background. The first jetliner being built at the plant is an A321 for JetBlue, which will take delivery in 2016. (Source: GCAC, 09/14/15)

Contract: Rehab Svcs, $7M

Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Madison, Miss., was awarded on Sept. 3 a $7,023,720 modification (P00036) to exercise an option on previously awarded contract FA3010-13-C-005 for full food services. Work will be performed at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2017. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/11/15)

Contract: Raytheon, $10.7M

Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC, Indianapolis, Ind., has been awarded a $10,667,190 modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract FA8672-13-C-0199 for engineering, manufacturing and development for Joint Miniature Munitions Bomb Rack Unit development. Contractor will provide development, design verification, design qualification, initial aircraft integration, fabrication of flight test assets and demonstration of production processes. Work will be performed at Indianapolis and is expected to be complete by May 31, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/11/15)

RR wins Airbus Beluga deal

Rolls-Royce won a $700 million deal to supply and maintain engines for Airbus's new fleet of Beluga cargo jets used to transport large sections of new planes, such as entire wings. Rolls-Royce is being awarded the contract to power the five new aircraft with its bestselling Trent 700 engine. The current Beluga fleet use engines made by GE. (Source: Telegraph, 09/11/15) Gulf Coast note: Rolls-Royce tests Trent engines at its outdoor test facility at Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Airbus is formally opening its A320 manufacturing plant in Mobile, Ala., Sept. 14. All the sections are sent by ship from Europe.

Public celebration of Airbus set

MOBILE, Ala. -- A public celebration will be held Saturday at the Mobile Aeroplex ahead of Monday's invitation-only inauguration ceremonies for the $600 million Airbus manufacturing plant. The celebration starts at 3 p.m. with the opening of the Kid Zone followed by the 5:30 p.m. start of a one-mile fun run. The Airbus 5K on the Runway race is scheduled for 6 p.m. The celebration is free and open to the public. Festivities are on the green space at the Mobile Aeroplex on Broad Street between 5th and 6th Streets. (Source: al.com, 09/10/15)

Italian-made F-35 takes flight

CAMERI AIR BASE, Italy -- Italy's first F-35A Lightning II, assembled at the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility, flew for the first time Monday. The flight was an hour and 22 minutes. The Cameri FACO is owned by the Italian government and operated by Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi in association with Lockheed Martin. F-35 production began in July 2013 and rolled out of Italy's first F-35A, AL-1, was in March. AL-1's official delivery to Italy is expected by the end of the year. The facility will assemble Italy’s F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant and the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant, and is planned to assemble the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s F-35A aircraft. The F-35A and F-35B will replace Italian Air Force and Italian Navy AV-8 Harriers, Panavia Tornados and AMX fighters. (Source: Lockheed, 09/07/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: DynCorp Int., $100M

DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $100,018,444 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract (N00019-15-D-0003) to exercise an option to provide organizational, intermediate, depot-level maintenance and logistics services for the T-44, and organizational maintenance for T-6 aircraft, in support of the Chief of Naval Air Training. Provided support includes labor, services, facilities, equipment, tools, related support equipment, direct and indirect material. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas (51 percent); Whiting Field, Fla. (34 percent); and Pensacola, Fla. (15 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/09/15)

Pieces come together for Orion

NEW ORLEANS – Engineers at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility on Saturday welded together the first two segments of the Orion crew module that will fly atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket on a mission beyond the far side of the moon. The primary structure of Orion's crew module is made of seven large aluminum pieces that must be welded together. The first weld connects the tunnel to the forward bulkhead, which is at the top of the spacecraft and houses many of Orion's critical systems, such as the parachutes that deploy during re-entry. Orion's tunnel, with a docking hatch, will allow crews to move between the crew module and other spacecraft. NASA's prime contractor for the spacecraft, Lockheed Martin, is doing the production of the crew module at Michoud. (Source: PRNewswire, 09/08/15) Engines for the core stage of the SLS are being tested at NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss. Previous

Contract: UTC, $249.8M

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney, Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $249,830,014 undefinitized modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive, firm-target contract (N00019-14-C-0004) to procure low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 9 propulsion system initial spares for the global spares pool to include initial spare engines, initial spare modules, and initial spare parts required in support of the LRIP Lot 9 F-135 propulsions systems for the F-35 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, international partners, and foreign military sales customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford, (93 percent); Indianapolis, Ind. (6 percent); and Bristol, UK (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in July 2018. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force (49 percent); Navy (23 percent); international partners (25 percent); and foreign military sales (3 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/04/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: American Systems, $6.8M

American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Va., has been awarded a $6,826,190 modification (02) to the previously awarded contracts FA7046-11-D-0001/0003 for F-35 operational test and evaluation verification and validation. Contractor will provide for the rescope of work to be performed for verification and validation for the F-35 verification simulation environment for operational test and evaluation. Work will be performed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2017. Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/04/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: L-3 Vertex, $12M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $12,009,064 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N00019-12-D-0016) to exercise an option for maintenance, repair, and logistics support for the Chief of Naval Air Training Aircraft's intermediate maintenance departments located at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., and NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Support to be provided includes labor, equipment, tools, services, and direct and indirect material. Work will be performed at NAS Pensacola (60 percent) and NAS Corpus Christi (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2016. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/03/15)