Contract: Lockheed, $211.2M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $211,200,000 for modification P00017 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-16-C-0003). This modification provides for the procurement of production non-recurring special tooling and special test equipment that are required to meet current and future F-35 production rates. Work will be performed Fort Worth, Texas (29.73 percent); El Segundo, Calif., (21.65 percent); Nashua, N.H. (19.60 percent); Orlando, Fla. (11.33 percent); and other locations in the U.S. (9.17 percent); Samlesbury, UK, (4.20 percent); Turin, Italy (1.83 percent); and other outside-of-the-continental U.S. locations (2.49 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2021. This contract combines purchases of the Air Force (35.2 percent); Navy (17.6 percent); and Marine Corps (17.6 percent); non-DoD Participants (16 percent); and FMS (13.6 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/31/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $3.7B

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $3,693,062,124 undefinitized not-to-exceed modification to the previously awarded low-rate initial production Lot 11 F-35 Lightning II advance acquisition contract (N00019-16-C-0033). This modification provides for the procurement of 50 aircraft for non-Department of Defense participants and foreign military sales (FMS) customers comprised of one F-35B aircraft for the UK; one F-35A aircraft for Italy; eight F-35A aircraft for Australia; eight F-35A aircraft for the Netherlands; four F-35A aircraft for Turkey; six F-35A aircraft for Norway; and 22 F-35A aircraft for FMS customers. In addition, this modification adds scope for mission equipment and chase maintenance activity for the above mentioned participants, as well as the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (50 percent); El Segundo, California (15 percent); Warton, UK (10 percent); Cameri, Italy (6 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (4 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (4 percent); Orlando, Florida (3 percent); San Diego, California (3 percent); Nagoya, Japan (2 percent); and other international locations (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Funding in the amount of $2,180,872,005 is being obligated on this award, $118,183 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($21,849,430; 0.6 percent); Navy ($2,213,825; 0.1 percent); Marine Corps ($3,879,316; 0.1 percent); international partner nations ($2,072,714,031; 56.1 percent); and FMS countries ($1,592,405,522; 43.1 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/28/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $218.7M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $218,729,862 for modification P0004 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0045) for recurring logistics support and sustainment services for F-35 aircraft in support of the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and foreign military sales customers. Sustainment 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. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (46 percent); Orlando, Fla. (32 percent); Warton, UK (9 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (7 percent); and Greenville, S.C. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2018. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/28/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Raytheon, $7.3M

Raytheon, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $7,288,591 modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract for GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II F-16 integration. The contract modification is for weapon integration support, travel, and integration-related hardware. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2021. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Direct Attack International Branch, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8681-16-C-0147). (Source: DoD, 07/28/17)

Fat Albert, other KC-130Ts grounded

The Navy has grounded C-130 aircraft similar to the one that crashed in Mississippi earlier this month while investigators are looking into what made the plane come down. Among the aircraft grounded is the Blue Angels’ Fat Albert, a KC-130T cargo plane that accompanies the Blue Angels to air shows. The 15 Marines and Navy corpsman died July 10 when the KC-130T taking them from Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina to El Centro Naval Air Station in California crashed in rural Mississippi. (Source: multiple, including ABCNews, Pensacola News Journal, 07/27/17)

Contract: Kapsuun, $70M

Kapsuun Group LLC, Lorton, Va., has been awarded a $69,992,808, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for linguist and analyst support services. The contractor will provide linguist and analyst support services for 25th Air Force’s 55th Wing, 70th and 480th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Wings, the 361st ISR Group and the 24th Air Force’s 67th and 688th Cyberspace Wings, to support the warfighter by providing near real-time intelligence and cyberspace intelligence to national decision makers, theater and combatant commanders with 1N3 ground linguists and 1A8 airborne linguists. Work will be performed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom; Fort Meade, Md.; Ft. Bragg, N.C.; Ft. Gordon, Ga.; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas; National Security Agency, Texas; Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas; Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; Utah Air National Guard, Salt Lake City, Utah; Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.; Joint Base Kunia, Hawaii; Kadena Air Base, Japan; Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Work is expected to be complete by July 31, 2021. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Detachment 2, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA7037-17-D-0002). (Source: DoD, 07/27/17)

Contract: Broadleaf, $22M

Broadleaf Inc., Haymarket Va., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $22,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base level software support services. This contract provides for services to purchase software and manage software licenses. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 research and development funds in the amount of $53,534 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2487-17-D-0001). (Source: DoD, 07/26/17)

Third RS-25 controller tested

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA successfully testing the third RS-25 flight controller, this one Unit 5, during a 500-second test Tuesday on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center. Four RS-25 engines providing 2 million pounds of thrust will power the first stage of NASA's deep-space Space Launch System. A pair of solid rocket boosters will produce an additional 6 million pounds of thrust. The test involved installing the controller unit, often characterized as the "brain," on an RS-25 development engine and firing it in the same manner, and for the same length of time, as needed during launch. The first integrated flight of SLS and the Orion spacecraft is known as Exploration Mission-1. NASA tested the first controller on the A-1 Test Stand at SSC in March. (Source: NASA/SSC, 07/25/17)

Contract: Lockheed, $8M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $8,002,763 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0045) for recurring logistics support and sustainment services for F-35 aircraft in support of the government of Israel under the Foreign Military Sales program. Sustainment services to be provided include ground maintenance, 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. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (70 percent); Greenville, S.C. (25 percent); and Fort Worth (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, 07/24/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Raytheon, $75M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $75,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Small Diameter Bomb II technical support. Contractor will provide lifecycle technical support throughout engineering and manufacturing development, production, and sustainment phases. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be complete by July 25, 2024. 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 (FA8672-17-D-0019). (Source: DoD, 07/21/07)

Contract: Multiple, $270M

Indyne Inc, (W912DY-17-D-0039), Reston, Va.; Spectrum Solutions Inc., Madison, Ala. ( W912DY-17-D-0041); and Williams Electric Co Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (W912DY-17-D-0040), was awarded a $270,000,000 type 1 contract for personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, non-personal services, and other items necessary to procure, install, service and maintain electronic security systems. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 34 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 20, 2022. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Support Center, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W912DY-17-D-0039, W912DY-17-D-0041, W912DY-17-D-0040). (Source: DoD, 07/21/07)

Training command changes

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Rear Adm. Kyle J. Cozad took the helm of the Naval Education and Training Command during a ceremony Thursday at the National Naval Aviation Museum. Cozad, a P-3 Orion pilot who helped lead the Navy’s recent transition to the P-8 Poseidon, took over from Rear Adm. Michael S. White. The command includes more than 12,500 military, civilian and contract employees who support 236 detachments worldwide. About 30,000 students are in training provided by the Pensacola-based command on any given day. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/20/17)

Frontier expanding service

Frontier Airlines announced it's adding new routes in New Orleans and Pensacola, Fla. The company, based in Denver, announced 21 new cities that will be served by the low-fare carrier as part of its nationwide network expansion. Beginning in the spring of 2018, Frontier will offer non-stop service to Denver, Colo., from Pensacola International Airport. In New Orleans, the airline is adding flights to Austin and San Antonio, Texas, Islip, N.Y., and Providence, R.I. The announcement increases the number of destinations served by the carrier by 30 percent and double the number of total routes. (Source: Frontier Airlines, 07/18/17)

Contract: CYE, $25M

CYE Enterprises Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $24,990,990 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the repair and/or replacement of roofs. This contract provides for the furnishing of all plant, labor, materials and equipment, and all other items or services necessary to perform all operations in connection with the repair and replacement of roofs on an as-needed basis at various facilities. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2022. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition that was set aside for small business concerns, and 15 offers were received. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA2823-17-D-4002). (Source: DoD, 07/19/17)

Relativity Space using SSC

Another commercial space company is using Stennis Space Center, Miss., to test rocket engines. Relativity Space is still keeping mum about its work, but the co-founder and CEO Tim Ellis was at a Capitol Hill meeting during the week and said the Los Angeles-based company is testing at SSC. The meeting was before the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competiveness, and the focus was on public-private space partnerships. "Relativity has begun testing of our liquid oxygen/liquid methane engine with over six dozen hot fires across multiple test articles at NASA Stennis Space Center, with plans for continued routine testing," said Ellis, a former engineer with Blue Origin. His partner, Jordan Noone, was formerly with SpaceX. (Source: GeekWire, 07/13/17) NASA, Space X, Aerojet Rocketdyne and Blue Origin also test or have tested rocket engines at SSC.

Contract: Lockheed, $9.2M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $9,222,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001) for additional long-lead material and parts in support of the low-rate initial production Lots 12, 13, and 14 F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the government of the Netherlands. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (30 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, UK (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 2019. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/14/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

VT-6 getting new leader

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. – Navy Cmdr. Kevin Murphy will take over command of Training Squadron SIX (VT-6) from Marine Lt. Col. Richard “DB” Roberts during a July 20 change of command ceremony. Murphy, designed a naval aviator in 2003, has been serving as executive officer of VT-6 since April 2016. Marine Lt. Col John James will become VT-6’s new executive officer. Roberts, designated a naval aviator in 1999, assumed command of VT-6 in April 2016. During his tour, the squadron flew more than 49, 800 flight hours in the completion of more than 31,700 syllabus events. VT-6 produced 642 Navy and Marine Corps primary aviators. (Source: Whiting Tower, 07/12/17)

Airport sets June record

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Pensacola International Airport had an all-time monthly record number of passengers in June, with a total of 162,618 individuals arriving and departing the facility. That compares to a 151,450 in 2016 and 155,045 in 2015, officials said. (Source: City of Pensacola, 07/13/17)

Contract: L3, $8.8M

L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded $8,790,461 for modification P00022 to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N00019-13-D-0007) for the procurement and installation of 96 automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) broadcast avionics kits (48 A kits and 48 B kits) required to upgrade the transceiver and transponders; navigation aid system wiring, radio/ADS-broadcast avionics; and global positioning systems in the TH-57 aircraft. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Fla. (70 percent); and Melbourne, Fla. (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2018. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training System Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/10/17)

Contract: UTC, $7.9M

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded not-to-exceed $7,906,242 for modification P00014 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0004). This modification provides for the procurement of one F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production II short take-off vertical landing full scale engine mockup training device to support sustainment activities for the United Kingdom’s initial operational capability. Work will be performed in East Hartford (95 percent); and Indianapolis, Ind. (5 percent), and is expected to be complete in May 2019. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/10/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $5.5B

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $5,577,714,486 modification to a previously awarded F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 11 advance acquisition contract (N00019-16-C-0033). The LRIP 11 contract contains requirements for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, international partner nations, and foreign military sales (FMS) customers. This modification provides for the procurement of 74 fiscal 2017 aircraft, comprised of 48 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force, 18 F-35B aircraft for the Marine Corps, and eight F-35C aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. In addition, this modification adds funding to previously awarded fiscal 2015 and 2016 aircraft contract line item numbers for the U.S. Services. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (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 Cameri, Italy (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force (61 percent); Navy (26 percent); and the Marine Corps (13 percent). An undefinitized not-to-exceed contract modification to fund procurement of 50 F-35 Partner and FMS aircraft for $2.2 billion is anticipated within the month of July 2017. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/07/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Whiting Field continues buffering

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. – Naval Air Station Whiting Field secured an easement to help protect the training mission of the installation last month. The contract provides for an easement over 163 acres of undeveloped property adjacent to the northern boundary of Navy Outlying Landing Field Pace. The easement issues protections that ensure incompatible development of the land cannot occur in the future. The property is under flight tracks for the helicopter training that occurs at NOLF Pace, helping to ensure that future construction does not occur under Accident Potential Zones (APZs) or clear zones. “This parcel of land offers a tremendous buffer with respect to our TH-57 training,” said Community Planning Liaison Officer Randy Roy. “These transactions will positively affect the installation’s mission for decades to come.” The easement was purchased for $571,000, with 75 percent paid by the Navy. Santa Rosa County picked up the rest of the cost. (Source: NAS Whiting, 07/07/17)

Airports get grants

The Mississippi congressional delegation announced 42 grants valued at $7.54 million for airports throughout the state, including at two in South Mississippi. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport will receive $2.35 million from the Federal Aviation Administration for taxiway widening, runway rehabilitation and security enhancement. The grant also provides partial reimbursement for work completed in 2014. The City of Picayune was awarded $162,540 for the Picayune Municipal Airport to fund Phase 2 and 3 of a taxiway construction program to improve access to aircraft hangars, including design and wetlands mitigation. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/05/17)

33rd goes to Red Flag

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Members of Eglin’s 33rd Fighter Wing are at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in a major training exercise. Officials said 120 members of the F-35 squadron will join the Red Flag exercise. It’s the first time the Nomads have taken part in a Red Flag since the squadron began flying F-35s in 2009. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/06/17)

Contract: Lockheed, $50.8M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $50,800,000 for modification P00611 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-02-C-3002) for the F-35 fighter verification simulation (VSim) / F-35 in-a-box software model development, integration and support. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (82 percent); Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. (15 percent); and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2018. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force (50 percent); Navy (25 percent); and the Marine Corps (25 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/05/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $44M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $43,974,520 modification P00001 to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides additional funding for long-lead time materials, parts, components, and effort for production of five additional low-rate initial production Lot 12 F-35B aircraft. 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); 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, 07/03/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $30M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $30,000,000 not-to-exceed modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-16-C-0033) for additional engineering and hardware assembly services in support of the F-35 low-rate initial production Lot 11 aircraft for the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Nagoya, Japan (80 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2018. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/03/17) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

F-35A pilot becomes Thunderbird

Air Force Thunderbirds. Air Force photo

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – The first F-35A pilot has been chosen to join the Air Force Thunderbirds. He’s Capt. Stephen Del Bagno of the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., who will fly the No. 4 slot position. The commander of the Air Combat Command, Gen. Mike Holmes, officially selected seven pilots on June 30 to join the flying demonstration team for the 2018 season. (Source: Thunderbirds, 06/30/17) The 58th FS is part of the 33rd Fighter Wing, which trains pilots and maintenance personnel.

Contract: Northrop, $10.5M

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum, Md., is being awarded $10,491,865 for firm-fixed-price job order N0016417FW094 under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00164-15-G-WS82. The requirement is for spare parts to be used to repair the AN/ALQ-240 Electronic Support Measures system at intermediate-level repair sites. The AN/ALQ-240 provides rapid detection, classification and geographical location of ground-based radar systems to provide situational awareness to the P-8A aircraft. The Navy's P-8A Poseidon aircraft also includes capabilities such as long-range anti-submarine, anti-surface, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. Work will be performed in Linthicum, (75 percent); San Jose, Calif. (10 percent); Ashburn, Va. (5 percent); Baltimore, Md. (5 percent); and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed by October 2020. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/17)

Contract: SA Technical, $12M

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 each been awarded a combined $12,000,000 modification (P00004) to a previously indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) V services. This modification increases the ceiling amount of the original contract. Performance locations will be determined on individual task orders. Work is expected to be complete by Aug. 11, 2020. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders. Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/17)