Contract: Lockheed, $430.9M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $430,878,490 cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-firm contract for non-air vehicle spares, support equipment, Autonomic Logistics Information System hardware and software upgrades, supply chain management, full mission simulators and non-recurring engineering services in support of low-rate initial production Lot 9 F-35 aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants, and foreign military sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (70 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (17 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (7 percent); Owego, N.Y. (4 percent); Greenville, S.C. (1 percent); and Samlesbury, UK (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force (32 percent); Navy (7 percent); Marine Corps (8 percent); non-Department of Defense participants (44 percent); and FMS customers (10 percent) under the FMS program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-15-C-0114). (Source: DoD, 08/31/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Retired F-15 joins tech center

LYNN HAVEN, Fla. – A retired F-15C Eagle fighter has been transferred from Tyndall Air Force Base to Haney Technical Center on Sunday. The jet was towed from Tyndall, beginning at 5 a.m., and arrived at the school at 9 a.m. Haney's aviation program is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, and an FAA-approved curriculum will be designed around the jet. (Source: News Herald, 08/30/15)

Tyndall F-22s deploy

F-22 deploys to Germany. Air Force photo

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Four Tyndall F-22 Raptors and some 60 airmen assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, today to train with allied air forces and U.S. services through mid-September. This first-ever F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, and provides support to bolster the security of our NATO Allies and partners in Europe. The training will prove that 5th generation fighters can deploy successfully to European bases and other NATO installations while also affording the chance for familiarization flight training within the European theater. It will also give them the chance to conduct combat air training with different aircraft like U.S. F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons. (Source: 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, 08/28/15)

First RS-25 test series done

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- A former Space Shuttle Main Engine, 0525, that never pushed a Space Shuttle into orbit completed its seventh static fire Thursday in South Mississippi and will now be replaced by flight engine 2059 on the A-1 Test Stand for the next test series. NASA's Space Launch System program will continue high-tempo testing of Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engines at SSC through next year in preparation for the SLS vehicles first flight planned for 2018. (Sources: NASA, NASASpaceFlight, 08/27/15)

MQ-8C endurance demonstrated

POINT MUGU, Calif. – Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy demonstrated endurance capabilities with the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter. On a planned 10-plus hour flight and range out to 150 nautical miles flight from Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, the MQ-8C Fire Scout achieved 11 hours with over an hour of fuel in reserve. The flight was part of a series of capability based tests used by the Navy to validate their concept of operations and previously tested performance parameters. The MQ-8C Fire Scout completed its developmental flight test program earlier this year and has operational assessment planned for later this year. The MQ-8C Fire Scout has accumulated over 513 flight hours and flown 353 sorties. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 08/25/15) Gulf Coast note: The MQ-8C is built in part in Moss Point, Miss. It's a larger version of the original Fire Scout, the MQ-8B, also built in part in Moss Point.

Bell helo center formally opens

LAFAYETTE, La. – Bell Helicopter announced today the Bell Helicopter Lafayette Assembly Center is officially open for business. The company will assemble the new commercial helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, at the new facility. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Steven Grissom and other state, regional and local officials joined Bell Helicopter's president and CEO, John Garrison, to commemorate the occasion Thursday at the Lafayette Regional Airport. Bell Helicopter is a Textron company. (Source: Bell Helicopter, 08/27/15) Bell Helicopter, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, broke ground on the 82,300 square-foot helicopter assembly plant in August 2014. Lafayette is about 135 miles west of New Orleans.

Contract: Lakeview Center, $7.7M

Lakeview Center Inc., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $7,737,646 firm-fixed-price contract with options for dining facility attendants and contingency cook support at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2020. Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Funding will be determined with each order. Army Contracting Command, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, is the contracting activity (W911S8-15-D-0005). (Source: DoD, 08/27/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $89.3M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $89,265,000 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-12-C-0070). This modification provides for the system development and demonstration Phase I Increment 2, for the first aircraft arrival and initial operations in support of the F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) air system for the government of Israel under the Foreign Military Sales program. This modification includes the development and demonstration, integration and sustainment planning for the Israel F-35A CTOL Air System. Work will be performed at Fort Worth (67 percent); Redondo Beach, Calif. (12 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Samlesbury, U.K. (7 percent); and Newtown, Pa. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/27/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Site in Jackson County certified

The Marianna/Jackson County Distribution/Construction Services Park has become the second certified site in Jackson County, Fla., through Gulf Power's Florida First Sites program. The combined industrial park is 460 acres and is home to Family Dollar Distribution Center, Arizona Chemical and Hanson Precast Concrete. The site is adjacent to Interstate 10 with 213 developable acres available. Florida First Sites was created in 2013 to help communities prepare locations to attract new industries and new jobs to the region. Fourteen sites were initially submitted from public and private landowners. Eight have been certified in Northwest Florida under the program. The seven other Northwest Florida sites that have obtained certification include one more in Jackson County, two in Bay and Santa Rosa counties and one each in Okaloosa and Walton counties. (Source: Gulf Power, 08/27/15)

Historic hangar getting facelift

GULFPORT, Miss. – A hangar at Gulfport International Airport that was used during World War II is receiving a $2 million-plus facelift that will allow it to be used by the Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center. State and local officials unveiled a conceptual drawing Wednesday during a ceremony in front of the hangar. The hangar, built in 1944, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Airport Executive Director Clay Williams said construction will start in a few weeks and it should be completed in April. The project is funded by a $2 million grant from the Mississippi Development Authority and $400,000 from the airport. (Source: Sun Herald, 08/26/15)

NASA holds small businesses event

NEW ORLEANS -- NASA officials held a networking event Wednesday for small business owners who are interested in doing business with the federal space agency or its contractors. The event, held in conjunction with the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce at the Michoud Assembly Facility, drew a crowd of more than 100 people. The forum’s schedule included a series of panel discussions with NASA representatives. NASA contractors were also on hand to field questions from businesses and discuss opportunities to work together. (Source: The Advocate, 08/26/15)

GKN exec to head Airbus plant

Taylor chosen to head plant in Mobile, Ala.
Photo courtesy Airbus

Airbus has named GKN Aerospace executive Daryl Taylor to head its U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile, Ala. He will replace Ulrich Weber as VP and GM of the $600 million A320 plant at the Mobile Aeroplex. Its first plane will be an A321 for JetBlue, slated for delivery in the spring of 2016. Taylor will oversee all systems and support staff at the plant, reporting to Airbus Americas president Barry Eccleston. Taylor has been VP and GM of GKN Aerospace facilities in Kansas and California, and previously worked for Bombardier. He'll train for his new role at Airbus facilities in Europe before assuming leadership in Mobile in coming months. (Source: Airbus, ATWOnline, WKRG-TV, 08/25/15) The inauguration of the plant is scheduled for Sept. 14.

B-2 test stand tower finished

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Work has been completed on a steel tower for tests of the world's most powerful rocket, the Space Launch System. Engineers completed the addition of about 1 million pounds of structural steel work on the SLS core stage test frame on the B-2 test stand at SSC. The addition of the structural framework to the historic test stand is needed to support the height and weight of the massive rocket's core stage while allowing test teams access and providing for thrust takeout, which will hold the core stage in place during testing. NASA has been renovating the B-2 Test Stand for more than two years in preparation for the SLS test series. The historic test stand was built in the 1960s and previously used to test both the Saturn V and the space shuttle propulsion system. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/25/15)

More F-35 training systems ordered

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Cubic Global Defense is to produce and enhance the Air Combat Training System in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the company announced. Included in the work contracted by Lockheed Martin Aerospace is the addition of an internally mounted subsystem of the P5 Combat Training System, or P5CTS, that enables the F-35 to maintain its stealth characteristics while training. The P5 training system is an encrypted system interoperable with the P5CTS/Tactical Combat Training System used by the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard, Navy, Marines and international partners. (Source: UPI, 08/20/15) Gulf Coast note: The training systems are used by the military throughout the Gulf Coast region; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Potomac River Grp, $35.3M

Potomac River Group LLC, Ashburn, Va., is being awarded a $35,300,000 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to obtain certified contractor support to administer polygraph examinations for Naval Criminal Investigative Service counterintelligence scope polygraph examinations in support of the Navy Insider Threat program. This contract includes a 60-month ordering period. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C. (27 percent); San Diego, Calif. (22 percent); Virginia Beach, Va. (14 percent); Pensacola, Fla. (11 percent); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (8 percent); Fort Meade, Md. (7 percent); San Antonio, Texas (7 percent); and Hanover, Md. (4 percent). Work is expected to be completed by August 2020. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00189-15-D-Z025). (Source: DoD, 08/20/15)

Contracts: Multiple, $490M

AeroJet Rocketdyne Inc., Rancho Cordova, Calif. (FA8656-15-D-0260); BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Nashua, N.H. (FA8656-15-D-0261); The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo. (FA8656-15-D-0262); General Dynamics Inc., Niceville, Fla. (FA8656-15-D-0263); L-3 National Security Solutions Inc., Reston, Va. (FA8656-15-D-0264); Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla. (FA8656-15-D-0265); MBDA Inc., Huntsville, Ala. (FA8656-15-D-0266); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., El Segundo, Calif. (FA8656-15-D-0267); Alliant TechSystems Operations LLC, Rocket Center, W.Va. (FA8656-15-D-0268); Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz. (FA8656-15-D-0269); Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa (FA8656-15-D-0270); Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nev. (FA8656-15-D-0271); Textron Systems Corp., Wilmington, Mass. (FA8656-15-D-0272); Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, N.M. (FA8656-15-D-0273); Cummings Aerospace, Huntsville, Ala. (FA8656-15-D-0274); Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Ala. (FA8656-15-D-0275); HART Technologies, Manassas, Va. (FA8656-15-D-0276); Integrated Solutions for Systems, Huntsville, Ala. (FA8656-15-D-0277); Intuitive Research and Technology Corp., Huntsville, Ala. (FA8656-15-D-0278); SURVICE,* Belcamp, Md. (FA8656-15-D-0279); Systima Inc., Kirkland, Wash. (FA8656-15-D-0280); and Yulista Aviation, Anchorage, Alaska (FA8656-15-D-0281), have been awarded a ceiling $490,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Agile Acquisition program. Contractors will provide for pre-program activities, technology development activities, engineering and manufacturing activities, and production activities for development of new systems or modification of existing systems. The location of performance is Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The work is expected to be completed by Aug. 30, 2020. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Rapid Acquisition Cell, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: 08/20/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $82.8M

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems, Inc., Bethesda, Md., was awarded an $82,751,404 cost-plus-fixed-fee incrementally funded contract for next generation technical services. Work will be performed in Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Vicksburg, Miss.; Lorton, Va.; and Bethesda with an estimated completion date of June 19, 2016. Fiscal 2014/2015 research, development, testing and evaluation funds in the amount of $14,400,505 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W912DY-15-F-0164). (Source: DoD, 08/19/15)

IndiGo firms up Airbus order

India's largest domestic airline by market share, IndiGo, firmed up last year's commitment and ordered 250 A320neo family aircraft. The agreement was signed Aug. 15, the 69th Independence Day of India. With this order the A320neo order backlog is catapulted to over 4,100 aircraft. (Source: Airbus, 08/17/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus has a new A320 family assembly plant in Mobile, Ala. The $600 million plant, which will help Airbus fill its huge list of orders for the popular aircraft, will have its official opening Sept. 14.

Survival squadron inactivated

NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The multi-service Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape aircrew program here was inactivated Monday and will be consolidated with water survival at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. The 66th Training Squadron's Detachment 2 was inactivated in a ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum. The survival school has prepared aircrews from the Air Force, Army, Navy and NASA with training on how to prepare for survival after bailing out of an aircraft. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/17/15)

Concourse named for Metcalfe

MOBILE, Ala. – The Mobile Regional Airport's concourse on Monday was dedicated to Matthew S. "Matt" Metcalfe, who served for 35 years at the Mobile Airport Authority. Metcalfe's service with MAA began at its 1970s inception and continued until his 2014 retirement. He now serves as director emeritus. Among other things, Metcalfe played key roles in developing the regional airport and with the redevelopment of the former U.S. Air Force Base at Brookley Field in downtown Mobile into a general aviation facility and industrial park. Roger Wehner, the authority's executive director, said there's not a single aspect of the organization Metcalfe has not helped shape. (Source: al.com, 08/17/15)

Contract: Roy Anderson, $38.3M

Roy Anderson Corp., Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $38,343,900 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of the Bolden Elementary-Middle School at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. The work to be performed provides for demolition of the existing Bolden school and construction of a new two-story elementary-middle school for grades three through eight. The contract also contains one planned modification, which if issued, would increase the cumulative contract value to $40,097,400. Work will be performed in Beaufort, S.C., and is expected to be completed by June 2018. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N40085-15-C-5006). (Source: DoD, 08/18/15)

RS-25 has another test

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – An RS-25 rocket engine had a 535-second test firing today at NASA's South Mississippi rocket engine test facility. More than 1,200 people viewed the test. One final test of this RS-25 developmental engine is planned in this series. Testing of flight engines begins later this fall. Four RS-25 engines along with boosters will power the first stage of NASA's Space Launch System, which will launch the Orion crew vehicle and astronauts on deep space missions. The RS-25 is a modified version of the engines that powered the Space Shuttle. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/13/15)

Contract: Multiple, $45M

SA Technical Services Inc., Niceville, Fla. (FA0021-15-D-0001); Advanced Concepts Enterprises Inc., Shalimar, Fla. (FA0021-15-D-0002); and Streamline Defense LLC, Tampa, Fla. (FA0021-15-D-0003), have been awarded a combined not-to-exceed $45,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command. Contractor will provide systems engineering and technical assistance services. Work will be performed at multiple locations both in the U.S. and overseas, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 11, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 13 offers were received. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,500 are being obligated at the time of award, with additional funding obligated on individual task orders. Air Force Installation Contracting Agency and 765 Special Contracting Flight, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/12/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $26M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $26,069,178 modification (P00611) to previously awarded cost-plus, firm-fixed-price contract FA8611-08-C-2897 for the F-22 sustainment system. Contractor will provide for the integrated maintenance information system of execution. Work will be performed at Fort Worth and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2017. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $26,069,178 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/12/15) Gulf Coast note: F-22 pilots are trained at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

Gen III F-35 helmet delivered

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Sen. Joni Ernst, Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Collins executives Tuesday commemorated the delivery of the first Gen III F-35 Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS). Rockwell Collins, through its joint venture, Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems LLC, is providing the HMDS, which includes an improved night vision camera, improved liquid-crystal displays, automated alignment and software improvements is to be introduced to the fleet in low rate initial production Lot 7 in 2016. It also developed the Gen 2 helmet currently in use. Overall, Rockwell Collins has built and fit more than 200 helmets for F-35 pilots who are being trained for the program. (Source: Business Wire, 08/11/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

SSC gets new deputy director

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. -- Randy Galloway was named Deputy Director of Stennis Space Center, succeeding Jerry Cook, who will return to Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Galloway has served at several other NASA centers in key leadership roles. "Randy demonstrates the leadership and managerial skills found in senior level executives to ensure technical excellence and alignment with the agency’s vision," said Stennis Space Center Director Richard Gilbrech. In his previous position, Galloway was director of the Engineering and Test Directorate at SSC, NASA's premier rocket engine test facility, beginning in 2007. His successor there is John Bailey. Cook will serve in Huntsville as the Exploration Systems Development chief engineer and director of Cross-Program Systems Integration. (Source: NASA/SSC, 08/10/15)

Ford using Eglin for cold tests

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Ford vehicles and Ford employees are spending three week at the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, testing the vehicles in extreme cold conditions. Testing will involve the smallest Fiestas and biggest Super Duty trucks. The lab, the largest facility of its kind, is being used to test the vehicles in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It was the size of the lab that appealed to Ford, which can put up to 72 vehicles in the lab. Ford has been coming to the lab for at least a decade. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 08/07/15)

Italian tanker refuels F-35

An Italian KC-767A tanker has refueled an F-35A for the first time in a test on the West Coast. The milestone comes as Italy prepares to flight test its first domestically-assembled F-35A, which rolled off the Cameri assembly line in March and will eventually be flown to the United States to support pilot training at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The joint strike fighter top-up took place 29 July over Edwards AFB, Calif., with 25 boom contacts and 16,000 pounds of fuel offloaded to the F-35 (AF-4). (Source: Flightglobal, 08/06/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and the reprogramming lab. In addition, Eglin will host the Norway-Italy Reprogramming Lab. Groundbreaking will be in 2016.

Vartan opening facility in Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. -- Vartan Product Support, interior cabin specialists, will open a 3,300-square-foot facility at the Mobile Aeroplex in October. The office space, workshop and spare part space will allow Vartan to provide on-site cabin interiors support to the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility at the Aeroplex, which begins production this month. It was not immediately clear how many people Vartan will employ in Mobile. Vartan, founded in 1997, also has operations in Charleston, S.C., and Seattle to support Boeing facilities and in Toulouse, France, and Tianjin, China, to support Airbus final assembly lines. (Source: al.com, 08/05/15)

Two airmen die in jump

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – Two airmen from the 24th Special Operations Wing died during a free-fall parachute training accident Monday at Eglin Air Force Base. The two were identified as Tech. Sgt. Timothy A. Officer, 32, and Tech. Sgt. Marty B. Bettelyoun, 35. The accident happened at an Eglin range near Camp James E. Rudder. The airmen were assigned to the 720th Operations Support Squadron, part of the 24th SOW at nearby Hurlburt Field. The cause is being investigated. The airmen were taking part in routine training to help prepare them to be inserted into hostile environments where aircraft can't land. Special tactics airmen are the Air Force's ground special operations forces who often embed with Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces to integrate air power for the special operations ground force. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 08/04/15)

Boeing ops special for region

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- Boeing 100 years ago supplied planes for fledgling Navy fliers, and today its Northwest Florida operation is expanding its role of keeping U.S. warplanes the most up-to-date in the world. For 20 years now, Boeing has been a part of the Panhandle's Fort Walton Beach. And its footprint in Fort Walton Beach is growing with the opening of a second building. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, August issue, 08/04/15) Full newsletter

Selex Galileo in right place to grow

KILN, Miss. -- For a company that works on large, loud, multi-engine military aircraft, it's helpful to be in a place where engines can be run at any time day or night without any complaints from neighbors. And that's precisely what Selex Galileo can do at its two-hangar South Mississippi operation located within the massive acoustical buffer zone of NASA’s Stennis Space Center. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, August issue, 08/04/15) Full newsletter

Contract: Lockheed, $431.3M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $431,322,997 modification to the previously awarded Lot IX F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter 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 Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps; non-U.S. Department of Defense participants; and foreign military sales customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (35 percent); Palmdale, Calif. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (8 percent); Preston, U.K. (7 percent); San Diego, Calif. (5 percent); Orlando, Fla. (4 percent); Marietta, Ga. (4 percent); Torino, Italy (4 percent); Merrimack, N.H. (4 percent); Eagan, Minn. (4 percent); Hauppauge, N.Y. (2 percent); Baltimore, Md. (2 percent); Alpharetta, Ga. (2 percent); Rolling Meadows, Ill. (2 percent); Cheltenham, U.K. (2 percent); Grenaa, Denmark (1 percent); Hoogeveen, Netherlands (1 percent); Melbourne, Fla. (1 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (1 percent); and Garden Grove, Calif. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2018. This modification combines purchase for the Air Force (34.81 percent); Navy (17.40 percent); Marine Corps (17.40 percent); non-U.S. Department of Defense participants (17.48 percent); and foreign military sales customers (12.91 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/04/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and reprogramming lab.

Cluster engineering Mobile's future

MOBILE, Ala. -- Phil Gurvitz doesn't hedge when asked why France's AKKA Technologies decided to set up shop not far from where Airbus will assemble U.S.-built jetliners. It's one of several engineering companies that have decided to set up shop at the Mobile Aeroplex, the start of a new aerospace engineering cluster. While AKKA's initial staffing is small, Gurvitz sees a bright future for aerospace engineering at the Mobile Aeroplex, which he sees as being in the "perfect position" for growth. "I believe this will really develop exponentially," Gurvitz said. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, August issue, 08/04/15) Full newsletter

Growth in cards for VT MAE

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The president of VT MAE, Bill Hafner, will tell you he's "bullish" about the Gulf Coast I-10 aerospace region, which he sees as primed for growth. Indeed, his company has had a maintenance, repair and overhaul operation in Mobile, Ala., since 1991, and is in the midst of expanding into Pensacola International Airport with a 300-500 worker "ninth hangar." And as if that's not big enough, Hafner said there's already talk about a "Phase II" that would double the footprint with a second hangar at the site. (Source: GCRL aerospace newsletter story, August issue, 08/04/15) Full newsletter

Singapore ambassador visits PNS

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Ashok Kumar Mirpuri, Singapore's ambassador to the United States, toured the site at Pensacola International Airport where VT MAE plans to build a $37 million maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. He was joined on the tour by Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and other city and Singapore officials. VT MAE, owned by Singapore Technologies Engineering, has had an MRO in Mobile, Ala., since 1991 and is using the Pensacola site to expand. Pensacola's 160,000-square-foot operation is expected to open in 2017. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/03/15) Note: The Aug. 4 edition of the Gulf Coast Reporters' League aerospace newsletter has a feature story about VT MAE.

Sea Knight logs final flight

For more than 25 years Marines have flown into battle the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter. On Aug. 1, the Corps made its final flight in a Sea Knight during a ceremony outside Washington D.C.. An aircrew with the reserve Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 774 made the final flight. The MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft has replaced the Sea Knight. (Source: Time-Picayune 08/02/15) Gulf Coast note: HHM 774 is a unit under Marine Air Group 49 and the parent command of reserve Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773, Detachment A, at Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse, La.

Contract: General Dynamics, $7.2M

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Aerospace, Bothell, Wash., has been awarded a $7,238,385 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for heated and mobile munitions employing rockets. Contractor will provide phase 1A prototype design, development and subsystem tests. Work will be performed at Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be complete by April 29, 2016. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8681-C-15-0020). (Source: DoD, 07/31/15)