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.