Contract: Lockheed, $1.4B

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $1,421,735,530 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for recurring logistics services for delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter air systems in support of the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and foreign military sales (FMS) 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. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (62 percent); Orlando, Fla. (22 percent); Greenville, S.C. (7 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (5 percent); and Redondo Beach, Calif. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); non-DoD participant; and FMS funds in the amount of $1,403,206,015 will be obligated at time of award; $845,359,517 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force (42.07 percent); Marine Corps (18.41 percent); Navy (12.29 percent); non-DoD participants (20.01 percent); and FMS customers (7.22 percent). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/30/18) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $24M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $23,970,414 for modification P00034 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-16-C-0004) for the development and delivery of multi-spectral data bases for incorporation into F-35 training systems for the Navy, Air Force and F-35 international partners. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be completed in September 2020. Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement (Navy and Air Force); and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participant funds in the amount of $23,970,414 will be obligated at time of award, $10,721,229 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This effort combines purchases for the Navy ($2,502,229; 10.4 percent); Air Force ($8,219,000; 34.3 percent); and non-DoD participants ($13,249,185; 55.3 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/30/18) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Draeger, $7M

Draeger Inc., Teleford, Pa., is being awarded a $7,030,944 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award delivery order contract for Anesthesia Recording and Monitoring Devices (ARMD) medical equipment hardware and ancillary software refresh services in support of military treatment facilities for the Navy, Army, Air Force, and the national capital region inside and outside of the continental U.S.. Work may be performed at locations throughout the U.S. to include Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Md. (6 percent); Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va. (6 percent); Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas (5.5 percent); Naval Medical Center San Diego, Calif. (4 percent); Fort Bragg, N.C. (3 percent); Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii (3 percent); Wright-Patterson Air Force Medical Center, Ohio (2.5 percent); Eglin Air Force Base Hospital, Fla. (2 percent); Fort Gordon, Ga. (2 percent); Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Va. (2 percent); Fort Benning, Ga. (2 percent); Fort Carson, Colo. (2 percent); Fort Stewart, Ga. (2 percent); Fort Bliss, Texas (2 percent); Fort Hood, Texas (2 percent); Lackland Air Force Base, Texas (2 percent); Elmendorf Air Force Base Hospital, Alaska (2 percent); Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (2 percent); Travis Air Force Base, Calif. (2 percent); Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (2 percent); Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Fla. (2 percent); Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla. (2 percent); Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, N.C. (2 percent); Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Calif. (2 percent); Fort Campbell, Ky. (2 percent); Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Md. (1 percent); Andrews Air Force Base Hospital, Md. (1 percent); U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital, Calif. (1 percent); Langley Air Force Base Medical Center, Va. (1 percent); Fort Wainwright, Alaska (1 percent); Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. (1 percent); Fort Riley, Kan. (1 percent); Fort Polk, La. (1 percent); Naval Hospital Lemoore, Calif. (1 percent); West Point Academy, N.Y. (1 percent); Fort Irwin, Calif. (1 percent); U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Texas (1 percent); Naval Hospital Beaufort, S.C. (1 percent); Naval Hospital 29 Palms, Calif. (1 percent); Naval Hospital Cherry Point, N.C. (1 percent); and Air Force Medical Operations Agency Lab, Texas (0.5 percent). Work may also be performed at locations outside of the contiguous U.S. to include Landsuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany (2 percent); Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan (2 percent); Naval Hospital Guam, Guam (2 percent); Hospital Ameridcano De La Base Naval, Spain (1 percent); Yokota Air Force Base Hospital, Japan (1 percent); U.S. Naval Hospital Naples, Italy (1 percent); U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan (1 percent); Kandahar, Afghanistan (1 percent); Misawa Air Force Base, Japan (1 percent); Osan Air Base Hospital, Korea (1 percent); Lakenheath Air Force Base Hospital, United Kingdom (1 percent); Aviano Air Base Hospital, Italy (1 percent); Waegwan, South Korea (1 percent); U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella, Italy (1 percent); Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (1 percent); and Iwakuni, Japan (0.5 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 24 months and is expected to be completed by April 29, 2020. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds totaling $7,030,944 will be obligated on task orders immediately following the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force $1,739,812 (25 percent); Army $2,486,660 (35 percent); Navy $2,299,780 (33 percent); and the national capital region $504,692 (7 percent). This contract was a non-competitive, sole-source procurement in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(c) via Federal Business Opportunities. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Md., is the contracting activity (N62645-18-D-5016). (Source: DoD, 04/30/18)

Workforce training gets boost

Workforce training in a variety of high-paying, high-tech and skilled trades, including aerospace, got a boost thanks to money resulting from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Triumph Gulf Coast, the organization charged with overseeing the distribution of the money, Friday approved nearly $19 million in grants for counties in Northwest Florida. It includes $3 million in funding for Escambia County School District and Pensacola State College for workforce development, allowing both to expand its pipeline for training and certifying students for careers in information technology, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing and aviation/aerospace. The money will allow the district to build a new aviation maintenance training hangar for adult students at George Stone Technical Center and to provide aviation maintenance education at Booker T. Washington High School. The grant was one of the first four projects approved in what is expected to be $1.5 billion worth of job-creating initiatives funded over the next 12 years by an economic damages settlement between the state of Florida and BP as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Other projects included $10 million to the Port of Panama City for a major expansion, $1.5 million to improve infrastructure and attract businesses in Okaloosa County, and almost $4 million for workforce development in Wakulla County. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/28/18)

Contract: General Dynamics, $23.3M

General Dynamics, Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Niceville, Fla., has been awarded a $23,307,129 firm-fixed-price low-rate initial production modification (P00009) to previously awarded contract FA8681-16-C-0002 for BLU-134/B improved lethality warhead. This modification provides for the exercise of an option for an initial quantity of BLU-134 warheads produced under the basic development contract. Work will be performed in Niceville and is expected to be complete by Oct. 26, 2019. Fiscal 2018 procurement funds in the full amount 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, 04/27/18)

Contract: Boeing, $11.3M

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded an $11,308,108 firm-fixed-price modification (001705) to previously awarded contract FA8681-14-D-0028 delivery order 0017 for Joint Attack Direct Munition (JDAM) high compact telemetry modules. This modification provides for the exercise of options under the basic contract delivery order, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $22,153,073. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be complete by October 2019. Fiscal 2016 and 2018 procurement funds; and fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/18)

Contract: Lockheed, $38.5M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $38,499,120 modification to the previously awarded F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides additional funding for the low-rate initial production of long lead materials, parts, components, and effort for economic order quantity increases for the Navy (Lot) 12; and the government of Italy (Lots 13 and 14). 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 2019. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy); and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participant funds in the amount of $38,499,420 are obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy (74 percent); and non-DoD participants (20.03 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/25/18) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and reprogramming labs.

Contract: DynCorp Int., $59.6M

DynCorp International, Fort Worth, Texas has been awarded a $59,636,368 modification (P00019) to previously awarded contract FA8617-17-C-6210 for continued contractor operated and maintained base supply support. This modification provides for the exercise of an option to extend services, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $247,013,876. Work will be performed at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.; Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; Randolph Air Force Base, Texas; Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas; Vance Air Force Base, Okla.; Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla.; Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas; Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.; and Army Flight Test Directorate, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Work is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2018. Fiscal 2018 Air Force operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $13,846,971; Navy operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $12,890,966; Navy test and evaluation funds in the amount of $224, 215; Navy Defense working capital funds in the amount of $115,207; and Army operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $99,573 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Training Aircraft Division, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/25/18)

Contract: Raytheon, $8.5M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $8,527,930 fixed-price modification (P00002) to previously awarded contract FA8672-18-C-0010 for Small Diameter Bomb Increment II. This modification provides for additional weapons and containers, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $85,920,688. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be complete by July 2020. Fiscal 2018 production funds in the full amount 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, 04/25/18)

Contract: Raytheon, $12M

Raytheon Missile Co., Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $12,099,569 fixed-price-incentive contract modification (P00004) to previously awarded contract FA8675-18-C-0003 for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) Production Lot 32 field spares and initial depot spares. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2021. This modification involves foreign military sales to Australia, Korea, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Turkey. Fiscal 2018 production funds in the amount of $4,840,654; fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $477,392; fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $196,793; and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $6,584,730 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Dominance Contracting Office, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/24/18)

Contract: Lockheed, $10.9M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $10,891,280 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0045). This modification provides additional funding for flight test software sustainment in support of the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. 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, United Kingdom (9 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (7 percent); and Greenville, S.C. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2018. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); and non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $10,891,280 will be obligated at time of award, $8,709,539 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force (39.98 percent); Marine Corps (19.99 percent); Navy (19.99 percent); and non-DoD participants (20.04 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/24/18) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and reprogramming labs.

Parker takes HT-8 command

Cmdr. Stephen Audelo turned over command of Helicopter Training Squadron Eight (HT-8) of Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., to Cmdr. Jessica Parker April 20 during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Pensacola's Naval Aviation Museum. HT-8 is the Navy's oldest currently active helicopter training squadron, responsible for flying more than 26,000 flight hours and graduating an estimated 168 Naval aviators every year. Cmdr. Lena Kaman became the new executive officer of HT-8 during the ceremony, beginning her preparations to take the helm of HT-8 at the next change of command. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, HT-8 public affairs, 04/20/18)

Frontier service begins

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Frontier Airlines and Pensacola International Airport are holding an inaugural celebration to kick off Frontier’s nonstop service to and from Denver International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The inaugural event will be April 24, at 3 p.m. at the company’s ticket counter. (Source: City of Pensacola, 04/20/18)

DoD honors environment winners

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is honoring nine winners with the 2018 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards for exceptional environmental achievements and innovative, cost-effective environmental practices. Among the winners is Frederick A. Javier, 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., who provided outstanding leadership by training installation staff on environmental management and engaging with the local community to promote DoD’s mission and science education. The department has honored individuals, teams and installations each year since 1962 for remarkable achievements in these environmental management strategies that successfully support mission readiness. (Source: DoD, 04/20/18)

Senate confirms Bridenstine

WASHINGTON - The Senate confirmed Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Okla., to be the 13th NASA administrator. The partisan vote was 50 to 39. Democrats opposed President Trump’s nominee, in part because he is not a "space professional." Bridenstine had previously said he's an advocate of the current Space Launch System and Orion programs, as well as NASA working with commercial space companies. NASA's acting administrator, Robert Lightfoot, is retiring. (Sources: multiple, including CNN, Science Magazine, Air and Space, 04/19/18) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in the SLS/Orion program as well as commercial space activities. Previous

Contract: Lockheed, $928M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Space, Huntsville, Ala., is the successful offeror of a $928,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the hypersonic conventional strike weapon. This contract provides for the design, development, engineering, systems integration, test, logistics planning, and aircraft integration support of all the elements of a hypersonic, conventional, air-launched, stand-off weapon. Work will be performed in Huntsville. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be obligated at the time of award on the first task order. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8682-18-D-0003). (Source: DoD, 04/18/18)

Contract: Vectrus, $15.8M

Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colo., has been awarded a $15,800,659 firm-fixed-price modification (A00027) to previously awarded contract FA3002-17-C-0001 for Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Miss., operations support services. This modification provides for exercise of the second option, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $32,989,794. Work will be performed at Keesler AFB and is expected to be complete by May 31, 2019. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler AFB, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/17/18)

Contract: L3, $30M

L3 Communication, Vertex Aerospace, Madison, Miss., has been awarded an estimated value $30,000,000 predominantly firm-fixed-price modification (P00004) to previously awarded contract FA8106-17-D-0001 for contractor logistics support of the Air Force C-12 fleet. This modification provides for the exercise of an option under the basic contract, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $28,255,628. Work will be performed in Madison; San Angelo, Texas; Okmulgee, Okla.; Buenos Ares, Argentina; Gaborone, Botswana; Brasilia, Brazil; Bogota, Columbia; Cairo, Egypt; Accra, Ghana; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Budapest, Hungary; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Nairobi, Kenya, Rabat, Morocco; Manila, Philippines; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Bangkok, Thailand; Ankara, Turkey; Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Yokota Air Base, Japan. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Jan. 30, 2018) (Source: DoD, 04/17/18)

Contract: Raytheon, $83.3M

Raytheon Co., Portsmouth, R.I., is being awarded an $83,312,265 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the design, test and deployment of the Barracuda mine neutralization system. The Barracuda mine neutralization system is an expendable, autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle intended to identify and neutralize bottom, near surface and drifting sea mines. It will field a shallow water capability and be an expendable modular neutralizer consisting of a kill mechanism, propulsion, sensors, and communications buoy that enables wireless communication to the deployment platform. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $362,740,742. Work will be performed in Portsmouth (96 percent); and DeLeon Springs, Fla. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by November 2022. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $11,392,392 will be obligated at time of award and $1,594,935 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured on the basis of full and open competition via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with one offer received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-18-C-6303). (Source: DoD, 04/17/18)

Contract: Rockwell, $15.2M

Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a $15,218,918 modification (P00090) to previously awarded contract FA8678-10-C-0058 to support the third production lot of the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System for upgrading the test and evaluation instrumentation at Air Force, Navy and Army test ranges. This modification provides for the exercise of options for an additional quantity of nine Configuration-4 light production pods; 15 Configuration-4 heavy production pods; 12 Configuration-5 1553 production pods; five Configuration-5 fiber channel production pods; 14 Configuration-6 production pods; 16 portable test sets; one lot general production data; one remote ground station; four central control centers; 10 mission room equipment; and eight reference receivers. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $328,679,174. Work will be performed at Rockwell Collins facilities in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Richardson, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Oct. 16, 2019. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy, Air Force, and Army) funds in the amount of $15,218,918 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Armament Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/16/18)

Contract: Speegle, $15.1M

Speegle Construction Inc., Niceville, Fla., was awarded a $15,140,800 firm-fixed-price foreign military sales (United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, France, Greece, India, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Oman, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Turkey) contract for the construction of a foreign military sales facility at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.. Bids were solicited via the Internet with six received. Work will be performed in Eglin with an estimated completion date of Oct. 3, 2019. Fiscal 2016, 2017, and 2018 military construction funds in the amount of $15,140,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-18-C-0016). (Source: DoD, 04/13/18)

Contract: Lockheed, $13.9M

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $13,920,004 fixed-price incentive modification (P00012) to previously awarded contract FA8682-17-C-0037 for Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) Lot 1 production. This modification provides for four LRASM missiles. Work will be performed in Orlando and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2020. Fiscal 2017 missile procurement funds in the amount of $13,920,004 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, 04/12/18)

CH-53E crash victims IDd

Four Marines killed when a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed April 3 near El Centro, Calif., during training have been identified as Capt. Samuel A. Schultz, First Lt. Samuel D. Phillips, Gunnery Sgt. Derik R. Holley, and Lance Cpl. Taylor J. Conrad, all with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Three have Gulf Coast ties. Schultz, 28, of Huntington Valley, Pa., and Phillips, 27, of Pinehurst, N.C., were pilots who had previously served at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Conrad, 24, the helicopter crew chief, is from Baton Rouge, La. The crew was conducting training for “aircraft landings in unimproved zones,” according to the Marines. (Source: USNI News, 04/05/18)

Pilot killed in crash IDd

The Thunderbirds pilot killed in a fighter jet crash in central Nevada was an experienced aviator who had logged more than 3,500 flight hours. The Air Force identified the pilot as Maj. Stephen Del Bagno, who had joined the elite Thunderbirds team this season and was on a routine demonstration training flight when he was killed on Wednesday. He was alone in the F-16 Fighting Falcon when it departed from Nellis Air Force Base and crashed at the Nevada Test and Training Range at about 10:30 a.m. PT. (1:30 p.m. ET). Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, Del Bagno served as an F-35A Evaluator Pilot and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Sources: multiple, 04/05/18) Previous

STEM program expands

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Middle school, high school and college students near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Robins Air Force Base, Ga., and the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado, will get personalized, one-on-one training from leading professionals as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s Educational Outreach office expands its Leadership, Experience, Growing, Apprenticeships Committed to Youth program to those locations this summer. The three locations began taking applications in January with coursework starting this summer. So far, the four sites have a total of 631 student applications. Eglin, Robins and the Air Force Academy were chosen for their strong STEM programs already in place. (Source: Fairborn Daily Herald, 04/04/18)

Airport getting new leader

LAKE CHARLES, La. – W. Kevin Melton will be the new executive director of Chennault International Airport Authority later this month. Melton, who retired as a colonel from the Air Force after 24 years of service, joins Chennault from American Airlines, where he was a project manager, facilitating and directing airport terminal and hangar construction projects for national and international sites. Chennault International Airport and its tenants employ some 1,500 persons and account for $300 million in annual economic impact. (Source: KPLC, 04/04/18)

Contract: Multiple, $25.5B

L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss. (W58RGZ-18-D-0008); AAR Supply Chain Inc., Wood Dale, Ill. (W58RGZ-18-D-0030); DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas (W58RGZ-18-D-0031); Arma Aviation Corp., Tampa, Fla. (W58RGZ-18-D-0032); North American Surveillance Systems Inc., Titusville, Fla. (W58RGZ-18-D-0033); and Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Ala. (W58RGZ-18-D-0034), will share in a $25,500,000,000 hybrid ( cost-plus-fixed-fee, and firm-fixed-price) contract for aircraft and support equipment maintenance, minor modification, and supply chain management primarily for performance outside the continental U.S. to support equipment and personnel in known theaters of operations. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 3, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/04/18)

Fort Rucker assignments

The Army chief of staff announced the assignment of Brig. Gen. Timothy J. Daugherty, deputy chief of staff, G-3, U.S. Army Europe, Germany, to commanding general, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center; and director of Army Safety, Fort Rucker, Ala. Also announced was the assignment of Brig. Gen. David J. Francis, commanding general, U.S. Army Combat Readiness Center; and director of Army Safety, Fort Rucker, to director, Army Aviation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C. (Source: DoD, 04/04/18)

Plane display fix $25K

MILTON, Fla. – The city of Milton is facing a bill to repair a U.S. Navy training plane that has been on static display outside Milton High School since 1976. Cleaning, painting, abating corrosion and doing other repairs will likely cost more than $25,000, said City Manager Brian Watkins on Tuesday. The plane, which was loaned to the city by the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station, was flagged for repairs after an inspection by the Naval History and Heritage Command. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/03/18)

Nelson views range in T-38

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., visited Tyndall Air Force Base during a stop in Northwest Florida and got a bird’s-eye view of the Gulf Range Training Complex, a large range used by the military in the Gulf of Mexico. Nelson said he has protected such training areas by opposing oil drilling too close to Florida’s shore. His flight was in a T-38 Talon jet piloted by 325th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Michael Hernandez. (Source: News Herald, 04/04/18)

Mobile joining new jetliner front

The jet that Airbus and Bombardier plan to build in Mobile will bring coastal Alabama into a new front in the ongoing battle between Airbus and Boeing, the world’s two dominant passenger jet builders. Airbus and Boeing have been battling for years in the midsize single-aisle market through the A320 series and 737. Mobile entered that fight when it began building A320s. The new front is a fight over the smaller single-aisle jets that seat from 100 to 150 passengers. Airbus has lined up with Canada’s Bombardier and now Boeing is considering a tie-in with Brazil’s Embraer. Mobile will be a player in this potentially lucrative jetliner segment. (Source: al.com, 04/2/18)

Contract: Lockheed, $211.3M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aerospace Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $211,295,230 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Block 4.1 common capabilities pre-modernization efforts in support of the F-35 Lightning II preliminary design review in support of the Air Force and international partners. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force); and international partnership funds in the amount of $45,018,007 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-18-C-1004). Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center and reprogramming labs.

Hardin: GKN sale won't impact plant

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The acquisition of GKN Aerospace in what the British media call "a hostile takeover" is not expected to affect the company's new manufacturing facility at VentureCrossings in West Bay. Becca Hardin, president of the Bay Economic Development Alliance, told the News Herald that the new plant is poised to start making parts this summer. Turnaround specialists Melrose Industries secured an $11 billion takeover of the British engineering firm and defense contractor earlier this week. Hardin said GKN's building near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is open now, with furniture being moved in and the 170 employees in the process of being hired. She said the undisclosed aviation products that will be manufactured there are part of a long-term federal government project. (Source: News Herald, 03/30/18) Previous. Background story in Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter, April 2017, "Two projects ensure growth," pages 1-2