Newest OLF now open

JAY, Fla. – The Navy's newest outlying landing field is now open for helicopter training following a ribbon-cutting Wednesday and ceremonial handover of the key to the site. Site X's transfer to the Navy featured a first landing by Naval Air Station Whiting Field Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Bowdich. Exchange of the signed deeds, which is the act that finalized change of ownership for both properties of some 600 acres each, was on Tuesday. The Navy has ceased operations at OLF Site 8 in neighboring Escambia County. The National Defense Authorization Act in 2015 authorized the land exchange, the first of its kind for the Navy. In June 2016, the Navy and Escambia County signed a land exchange agreement to formalize the intentions to transfer the property at Site 8 to Escambia County, in exchange for a suitable landing field in Santa Rosa County to replace Site 8. Escambia County plans to develop the former Site 8, possibly as a commerce park. (Source: GCAC, 01/30/19) Previous

Contract: Northrop, $55M

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is awarded $55,062,919 for modification P00011 to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract (N00019-16-C-0055). This modification provides for the procurement of five Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems and two lightweight fuel cells. Work will be performed in San Diego (33 percent); Ozark, Ala. (27 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (18 percent); Moss Point, Miss. (16 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in August 2021. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,062,919 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/30/19)

Contract: Boeing, $56.8M

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is awarded a $56,755,269 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that provides program management support as well as engineering and integrated logistics support by the original equipment manufacturer for the post-production support phase of the T-45 aircraft lifecycle. This contract includes special tooling and test equipment, data accessibility and obsolescence identification, and resolution in addition to field services support that will provide subject matter expertise in the areas of environmental control systems, cockpit pressurization and On-Board Oxygen Generation Systems integration. Work will be performed in St. Louis (96.1 percent); Meridian, Miss. (1.3 percent); Kingsville, Texas (1.3 percent); and Pensacola, Fla. (1.3 percent), and is expected to be completed in January 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61340-19-D-0003). (Source: DoD, 01/28/19)

Contract: Lockheed, $31.3M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $31,335,203 for modification P00044 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-16-C-0004) for sustainment services for F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production Lot X aircraft for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in Williamtown, Australia, and is expected to be completed in January 2021. Non-U.S. Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $31,335,203 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/28/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Navy to open newest OLF

MILTON, Fla. – The Navy's newest outlying landing field will be open for helicopter training operations beginning Jan. 30. Escambia County will hand over Navy outlying landing field Site X in Santa Rosa County, thus opening the site for operations. The Navy will cease operations at NOLF Site 8 in neighboring Escambia County, and turn the property over to the county in a unique real estate land exchange. The President signed the National Defense Authorization Act in 2015 authorizing the land exchange. In June 2016, the Navy and Escambia County signed a land exchange agreement to formalize the intentions to transfer the property at Site 8 to the county, in exchange for a suitable landing field to replace Site 8. Efforts to build a landing field began in 2016. Naval Facilities Southeast Region in Jacksonville, Navy Installations Command and Whiting Field coordinated with Escambia County project managers to ensure requirements for the training mission at NAS Whiting Field were met. Exchange of the signed deeds, which is the act that finalizes change of ownership for both properties, is slated for Jan. 29, and a ribbon cutting for NOLF Site X is scheduled for Jan. 30. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, 01/24/19) Escambia County plans to develop the former Site 8 as a commerce park.

Frontier to serve downtown airport

MOBILE, Ala. - Denver-based Frontier Airlines will offer service to and from the Downtown Airport at Brookley Field beginning May 1 from a new passenger terminal. The low-cost carrier will provide non-stop service to Chicago's O'Hare Airport and to Denver. Frontier becomes the first airline to offer service from Brookley. Via Airlines has talked about providing service at Brookley but currently operates out of the Mobile Regional Airport where United, Delta, and American Airlines also operate.There was a large turnout of political figures for the announcement. Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said the start of passenger service out of Brookley was something that had been desired for years. A feasibility study commissioned by the Mobile Airport Authority found that the benefits of moving passenger service from the regional airport to downtown outweighed the drawbacks. They say that the Brookley airfield's advantages, it's near downtown, has easy interstate access and is closer to potential patrons in Baldwin County, would make it more competitive with airports in Pensacola and Biloxi. (Sources: WKRG-TV, al.com, 01/22/19)

Contract: Lockheed, $542.2M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $542,225,679 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for ancillary mission equipment (AME) and associated AME initial spares in support of Lot 13 F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force,); non-U.S. DoD participant, and FMS funds in the amount of $437,333,989 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 Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N0001919D0015). (Source: DoD, 01/22/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Relativity gets launch pad

Relativity Space, a three-year-old start-up that aims to build rockets using 3D printers, announced a contract Thursday with the Air Force to build and operate a launch facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The five-year “multi-user” agreement means Relativity can begin operating out of Launch Complex 16 (LC-16), the historic location built in the 1950s and site of hundreds of American space launches. There is no monetary exchange or lease payment to the Air Force. The agreement includes an option to extend for an exclusive 20-year term. It's the fourth privte company to have an orbital launch site at Cape Canaveral. The others are SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin. Reltivity CEO Tim Ellis estimates the launch facilities represent more than $10 million worth of existing infrastructure. Relativity has built one of the world’s largest 3-D printers, called Stargate, and has developed its own rocket engine, Aeon 1. Relativity has a 20-year leasing agreement with NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC), Miss., to test fire its rocket engines. The contract gives Relativity access to four robust testing chambers at SSC. Relativity, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., is looking for more space in L.A. It has grown from 14 employees a year ago to 60. (Source: CNBC, 01/17/19) Previous

General officer announcements

Marine Corps Reserve Col. Leonard F. Anderson IV has been nominated for appointment to the rank of brigadier general. Anderson is currently serving as the assistant wing commander, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, New Orleans, La. The nomination was among multiple nominations announced today by Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan. (Source: DoD, 01/16/19)

Ground broken for A220 plant

MOBILE, Ala. - Fireworks were set off Wednesday morning after the ceremonial groundbreaking for the $300 million A220 final assembly line at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. About 700 people were on hand for the invitation-only event north of the current A320 assembly line. Work is already underway on the site that will eventually produce four A220 passenger jets every month. The first delivery is expected in 2020. Dignitaries on hand for the event included Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Airbus CEO Tom Enders. The A220 is the smallest member of the Airbus line of passenger jets and is the former Bombardier CSeries. Airbus took over majority interest in the program under an Airbus/Bombardier partnership. Airbus is already seeking workers for the new assembly line, and is also expanding its A320 workforce. In total, the company expects to hire some 600 new employees over the next 18 months. (Source: GCRL, 01/16/19) Previous: Airbus posts first jobs for A220 line; A220 incentives detailed; Two airlines order A220s; Airbus Mobile delivers 100th jetliner

VPS getting new air service

Allegiant Air announced the debut of non-stop service from the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) to Omaha's Eppley Airfield (OMA) and Tulsa International Airport (TUL) beginning June 6, 2019. Tracy Stage, Okaloosa County Airport Director, said the new services brings the airport's total of non-stop destinations to 30. Tickets are on sale now. (Source: Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, 01/15/19)

Contract: Lockheed, $68.9M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $68,933,454 for cost-plus-incentive fee delivery order 0104 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This order provides for the design, development, documentation, integration, and test of upgrades to the U.S. Reprogramming Laboratory to execute the Mission Data (MD) programming and reprogramming mission for the F-35 Digital Channelized Receiver/Technique Generator and Tuner Insertion Program (DTIP) and non-DTIP configurations. These efforts are in support of Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps operational aircraft, as well as all training aircraft within the continental U.S. with MD products. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (65 percent); Baltimore, Md. (25 percent); and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2021. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $20,000,000 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($34,466,727; 50 percent); Navy ($17,233,364; 25 percent), and the Marine Corps ($17,233,363; 25 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/15/19)

Contract: C4 Planning, $45.5M

C4 Planning Solutions, Blythe, Ga., is awarded a maximum ceiling $45,488,761 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a five-year ordering period and option to extend services up to six months for tactical systems support and professional engineering services for the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity. This contract contains an option, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $49,999,196. Work will be performed at Camp Pendleton, Calif. (41 percent); Okinawa, Japan (15 percent); Camp Lejeune, N.C. (four percent); Norfolk, Va. (four percent); Alexandria, Va. (four percent); Quantico, Va. (four percent); New Orleans, La. (two percent); and additional various locations outside the continental U.S. (26 percent), and work is expected to be completed by March 6, 2024. If the option is exercised, work will continue through Sept. 6, 2024. Fiscal 2017 (Marine Corps) operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $515,910; and fiscal 2019 (Marine Corps) operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $146,903 will be obligated under the initial task order immediately following contract award. Although expired, the fiscal 2017 contract funds in the amount of $515,910 are available for this effort in accordance with 31 U.S. Code 1558. The contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, is the contract activity (M68909-19-D-7605). (Source: DoD, 01/15/19)

Shutdown impacting SLS

The government shutdown is impacting NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). Qualification testing on the SLS’s intertank and hydrogen tank has stopped at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. “The intertank was undergoing testing when the government shut down, so that’s been interrupted,” according to John Shannon, the SLS program manager at Boeing. It also means testing can’t even begin on the hydrogen tank, which arrived at Marshall last week. The testing to ensure rocket components can withstand harsh launch conditions has already been completed for the engine. The furlough also means NASA and Boeing employees have halted modifications to the stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss., that will hold the rocket during a test-fire of all four engines. “That test stand is owned by NASA,” said Shannon, who worked for space agency for 25 years before joining Boeing in 2015. “[So] that work has come to a halt during the shutdown.” Boeing thinks it will be able to catch up and deliver the first completed rocket to NASA as planned in the late fall. (Source: Polico Space, 01/14/19)

Contract: Raytheon, $21M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $21,000,000 modification (P00004) to the ceiling amount of the previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8675-15-D-0135) for advanced medium range air-to-air missile system improvement program software architecture and design risk reduction efforts to counter evolving threats. This modification provides an increase in the maximum ordering amount of the contract, from $50,000,000 to $71,000,000, to facilitate new task orders. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona. All orders under this contract will be placed on or before Sept. 30, 2019 with a period of performance not to exceed Sept. 30, 2022. No additional funds 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, 01/10/19)

Airbus posts first jobs for A220 line

MOBILE, Ala. - Airbus is seeking its first candidates to fill manufacturing positions for its newest assembly line in Mobile. The positions are the first wave of production jobs announced for the company’s A220 aircraft assembly line. The open positions include aircraft structure/installation mechanics, installers for aircraft cabin furnishings and aircraft electricians. Successful candidates for all positions will participate in several weeks of training at AIDT in a combination of classroom and on-the-job training. Some candidates will also have the opportunity for on-the-job training with the company’s manufacturing team in Mirabel, Canada before returning to Mobile. Production on the first aircraft begins in Q3 2019. In addition to the positions for the new A220 production facility, Airbus is also hiring for similar production positions in its current A320 production facility. In total, the company expects to hire approximately 600 new employees over the next 18 months.For a full job description of all the positions and to apply, go to airbususmanufacturing.applicantpro.com/jobs. (Source: Airbus, 01/09/19)

A220 incentives detailed

MOBILE, Ala. - Details are emerging on incentives that will be offered to Airbus as it builds a new A220 passenger jet assembly line, including $4 million in cash from the city and an equal amount from Mobile County. That $8 million, plus tax abatements and fee waivers, is spelled out in a project agreement on Tuesday's Mobile City Council agenda. While the council will have the option of immediate action, normal procedure will be for it to lay the measure over for a week's consideration before voting. Meanwhile, a county spokesperson confirmed the Mobile County Commission will consider its approval of the measure this Thursday for a presumed vote at its regular meeting on Jan. 14. The cost of the project is $210 million and the new line will employ more than 400 workers. Airbus already builds A320 jetliners at the Mobile Aeroplex and will begin construction on the A220 line this month. (Source: al.com, 01/07/19) Previous

Two airlines order A220s

Two airlines have ordered a total of 120 of the A220 passenger jets that will be made at a still-to-be-built assembly line in Mobile, Ala. JetBlue, which received the first A321 assembled in Mobile, has confirmed an ordered for 60 A220-300 aircraft that will be produced in Mobile, according to Airbus. Also, a low-cost carrier code-named Moxy Airlines, also has confirmed an ordered for 60 A220-300 aircraft, according to Airbus. The A220, previously called the CSeries, is being produced in a partnership between Airbus and Canadian manufacturer Bombardier in a deal reached last year. Construction of a new final assembly line to assemble the A220 aircraft will begin later this month at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, according to Airbus. The first plane is expected to be delivered in 2020. (Sources: Airbus (release 1, release 2) WKRG, WPMI, WALA, 01/03/18) Previous

Contract: Risk Mitigation, $95M

Risk Mitigation Consulting Inc., Destin, Fla., is awarded a maximum amount $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for mission assurance assessments of installation/facilities infrastructure and facility-related control systems for the Department of the Navy. The work includes, but is not limited to the collection and evaluation of data concerning the criticality of facilities, utilities, industrial control systems, and supporting infrastructure based on mission impacts, probable threats and hazards, and degrees of vulnerability to determine the overall risk posture of the asset. Work will be performed at various Navy and Marine Corps installations at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic area of responsibility, both inside and outside the continentalU.S., including, but not limited to, California (24.6 percent); Virginia (13.0 percent); Florida (10.1 percent); Maryland (7.2 percent); Washington (5.8 percent); Hawaii (4.3 percent); Texas (4.3 percent); South Carolina (4.3 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (2.9 percent); North Carolina (2.9 percent); Mississippi (2.9 percent); Georgia (2.9 percent); Tennessee (1.5 percent); Rhode Island (1.5 percent); Pennsylvania (1.5 percent); New York (1.5 percent); New Jersey (1.5 percent); Louisiana (1.5 percent); Indiana (1.5 percent); Illinois (1.5 percent); Connecticut (1.4 percent); and Arizona (1.4 percent). The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months with an expected completion date of January 1, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,000 are obligated on this award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps). This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website, with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N62470-19-D-2002). (Source: DoD, 01/02/19)