Contract: AAI, $21.8M

AAI Corp. (doing business as Textron Systems), Hunt Valley, Md., is awarded a $21,795,236 fixed-price incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-6322 for low rate initial production for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) Unmanned Surface Vehicle Program. Work will be performed in Hunt Valley, Md. (70%), and Slidell, La. (30%), and is expected to be completed by August 2021. The UISS will allow the littoral combat ship to perform its mine countermeasure sweep mission and will target acoustic, magnetic, and magnetic/acoustic combination mine types. The UISS program will satisfy the Navy's need for a rapid, wide-area coverage mine clearance capability, required to neutralize magnetic/acoustic influence mines. UISS seeks to provide a high area coverage rate in a small, lightweight package with minimal impact on the host platform. Fiscal 2018 other procurement (Navy) and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $21,795,236 will be obligated at time of award. Funds in the amount of $7,950,616 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/28/20)

Contract: Lockheed, $141.7M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas is awarded a $141,655,639 modification (P00028) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract (N00019-18-C-1048). This modification provides for the stand-up of organic level repair capabilities for the combat aircraft F-35 communications, navigation and information system. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif. (39%); Fort Worth, Texas (28%); Melbourne, Fla. (12%); Genoa, Italy (10%); White Plains, N.Y. (5%); Oslo, Norway (4%); and Beverly, Mass. (2%), and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $70,827,820, fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $35,413,910 and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $35,413,909 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, 02/28/20) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Tyonek, $15M

Tyonek Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a $15,060,087 contract modification (P00006) to previously awarded FA8773-19-C-A004 for cyber operations formal training support. The contract modification exercises option year one of the four year contract. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $ $3,765,021 are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/28/20)

Saudi flight training resumes

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Saudi Arabian international military students resumed flight training this week on U.S. bases including Naval Air Station Pensacola, as new policies are being put in place regulating firearm ownership by all foreign military trainees on U.S. soil. In a press release issued Wednesday, the Navy said Saudi Arabian students had resumed training on Tuesday. The students, stationed at NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field and NAS Mayport in Florida, were ordered to stand down just days after the Dec. 6 terrorist attack on NAS Pensacola that left three sailors dead and eight wounded. The gunman was also killed. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/27/20) Previous

Assignments announced

The chief of staff, U.S. Air Force announces the assignment of the following general officers: Brig. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, vice commander, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Air Combat Command, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., to deputy commander, operations and intelligence, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command; and commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force-Levant, Air Combat Command, Southwest Asia; Brig. Gen. David A. Harris Jr., director, strategic plans, programs, and requirements, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations, Hurlburt Field, Fla., to deputy director, Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration, and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; Brig. Gen. (select) Steven G. Edwards, special assistant to the commander, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla., to director, strategic plans, programs, and requirements, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source: DoD, 02/28/20)

Economic symposium kicks off

MIRAMAR, Fla. - The 23rd Annual Gulf Power Economic Symposium got underway Thursday, and included a panel discussion on the partnership that led to the expansion of the ST Engineering repair, maintenance and overhaul facility at Pensacola International Airport. Amy Holloway, founder and CEO of Avalanche Consulting and moderator of a panel on economic development in action, said successful communities have one thing in common: encouraging partnerships. She said there's power in partnership, "and that’s the next generation of economic development." Scott Luth, president and CEO of FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, in talking about the MRO campus expansion, said there were “30 to 40 different partners participate in the project.” He pointed out that it was an eight-year journey in building the relationships. Bill Hafner, chief integration officer for ST Engineering, said the project needed partners in every sector, including education. Rick Harper, economic advisor of Triumph Gulf Coast, said backers knew it would be good for the economy. The result will be four MRO hangars, an administrative building and 1,600 jobs paying in excess of 115 percent of the county average. "It was clear the economic project was going to be transformational," he said. The symposium, which has attracted more than 500 participants, continues Friday. (Source: GCAC, 02/27/20) Previous related

Contract: LMR, $7M

LMR Technical Group LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has been awarded a $7,053,303 contract for the Optimizing the Human Weapon System Services. The contractor provides services to increase the physical capacity of fighter aircrew, decreasing the rate of injuries and accelerating return to duty. Contractor personnel will work with active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Component fighter aircrew to optimize physical performance targeting neck and back pain prevention while monitoring, analyzing and resolving physical readiness concerns. Work will be performed at multiple bases across the Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and United States Air Force Europe. The award provides services for the base year with a completion date of March 22, 2021. This contract is issued as a result of a competitive acquisition with ten offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being obligated at the time of the award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., is the contracting activity (FA4890-20-C-0005). (Source: DoD, 02/27/20)

Contract: Raytheon, $15M

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded a $15,000,000 ceiling increase to a pre-existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) technical support. The total value of the IDIQ contract will increase from $100,000,000 to $115,000,000. This contract provides for lifecycle technical support throughout engineering and manufacturing development (EMD), 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. No funds are being obligated at the time of ceiling increase. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8672-17-D-0019). (Source: DoD, 02/26/20)

Contract: Sierra Nevada, $129M

Sierra Nevada Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has been awarded an undefinitized contract action with a not-to-exceed (NTE) of $128,998,320 contract for light attack aircraft. This contract provides for two light attack aircraft with associated contractor support and sparing. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Aug. 23, 2024. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 production funds in the amount of $63,001,990 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8637-20-C-1000). (Source: DoD, 02/26/20)

VT-6 command changing

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Lt.Col. John “Jiggety” James, U.S. Marine Corps, former Marine One commanding officer, Training Squadron Six (VT-6), Training Air Wing Five, will relinquish command to Cmdr. David Mims, executive officer of VT-6, in a change of command ceremony at Naval Air Station Whiting Field Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. In 2006, James had the distinction of serving with Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), and held the position of HMX-1 White House Liaison Officer. Lt.Col. Jason Dale, U.S. Marine Corps will replace Mims as the squadron’s executive officer. VT-6 is one of three fixed wing training squadrons at NAS Whiting Field that trains prospective pilots in primary aviation training. Upon successful completion, aviators receive their follow on aircraft platform assignment. Whiting Field supports approximately 60 percent of all primary fixed-wing flight training and 100 percent of all initial helicopter training for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps.(Source: NAS Whiting Field, 02/26/20)

Students get job offers

PENSACOLA, Fla. - An entire class of aviation maintenance students at George Stone Technical College received job offers from ST Engineering last week. ST Engineering, which has a maintenance, repair and overhaul hangar at Pensacol International Airport, will get three more MRO hangars in a $218 million expansion. The company expects to bring 1,700 new jobs to the area. The company has been ramping up its staffing efforts over the past few years. Last week all 24 students who are set to complete their certification process this May were offered jobs when they finish school. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/25/20) Previous

MRO campus gets funding

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday announced a $4.8 million grant for the Pensacola International Airport, the final piece of the $210 million project to expand the airport's ST Engineering campus. The expansion project, which calls for building three more maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hangars and office space for ST Engineering in addition to the one already in operation, is expected to bring more than 1,300 jobs to the airport. ST Engineering opened its first MRO hangar at the airport in June 2018. That hangar is expected to employ 400 people when operating at full capacity, putting the number of jobs at the entire facility at more than 1,700 people. In January ST Engineer had 163 employees at the airport. The announced grant is from the Florida Job Growth Fund. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/19/20) ST Engineering also has an MRO operation in Mobile, Ala.

Airbus, Baldwin to partner

Airbus and the Baldwin County Commission plan to partner to provide new training opportunities for students. Airbus is offering new technical programs through its Flight Works Alabama program. The 18,000-square-foot Flight Works Alabama at the Mobile Aeroplex is designed to be a hub for students to explore opportunities in the aerospace industry. It will house an interactive exhibition area, workshop, classrooms and more. Airbus will invite 50 10th-graders from every Baldwin County High School for a day of hands-on learning. Once in 11th grade, interested and qualified students will be able to apply for the FlightPath9 training program. Airbus in Mobile builds A320 and A220 jetliners, and has grown to nearly 1,100 employees in five years and will be adding more. Baldwin County Commissioners, who met with the head of the Airbus Mobile plant Tuesday, will vote on the partnership at the next regular meeting. Baldwin County students will be able to enter the program in the fall of 2020. (Source: FOX10, 02/18/20)

New assignment at Hurlburt

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force announced Feb. 13, the assignment of Maj. Gen. Eric T. Hill, commanding general, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, U.S. Central Command, Baghdad, Iraq, to deputy commander, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source: DoD 02/13/20)

Bombardier out of A220

Bombardier gives up A220. Airbus photo

Airbus, Québec. and Bombardier have agreed on a new ownership structure for the A220 programme, with Bombardier transferromg its remaining shares in Airbus Canada Limited Partnership to Airbus and the Government of Québec. The transaction is effective immediately. As sole owners, Airbus now has a 75 percent share and Quebec 25 percent. Bombardier developed the plane but was driven to the brink of bankruptcy by the spiraling costs of the program. The deal marks Bombardier’s exit from commercial aviation. Bombardier will receive $591 million, net of adjustments, for its stake in the A220 program, of which $531 million was paid at closing with $60 million to be paid in installments through 2021. Bombardier also said the deal will allow it avoid paying roughly $700 million it would have been on the hook for to fund an expansion of production of the 100- to 150-seat single aisle plane. (Sources: multiple, including Airbus, Forbes, 02/13/20) Previous

Contract: Titan Facilities, $10M

Titan Facility Services LLC, Gilbert, Ariz., has been awarded a $10,012,679 modification (P00019) to contract FA8052-18-C-0009 for Healthcare Aseptic Management Services to exercise Option Year One for medical aseptic housekeeping, waste management and linen management. Work will be performed at Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB), Ark.; Barksdale AFB, La.; Keesler AFB, Miss.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Hurlburt Field AFB, Fla.; MacDill AFB, Fla.; Tyndall AFB, Fla.; Patrick AFB, Fla.; Charleston AFB, S.C.; Shaw AFB, S.C.; Moody AFB, Ga.; Robins AFB, Ga.; Columbus AFB, Miss.; Altus AFB, Okla.; Tinker AFB, Okla.; and Vance AFB, Okla., and is expected to be completed Feb. 13, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,012,679 will be obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative value of this contract including Option One is $19,858,371. The 773rd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/12/20)

Airbus eyes Bombardier A220 share

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Airbus is in advanced talks to acquire Bombardier's remaining stake in the A220 passenger jet program. A deal for the sale of Bombardier's nearly 34 percent stake in the two companies' joint A220 commercial jet program could be reached as early as this week, ahead of both companies' Feb. 13 earnings reports. Quebec, which owns 16 percent of the program, would retain its stake. Bombardier invested more than $6 billion in the A220’s development before ceding control of the program to Airbus in 2018 as it struggled to sell the single-aisle plane. Mobile, Ala., is the site of an A320 and A220 assembly lines. (Sources: multiple, including Reuters, 02/07/20, NASDAQ, 02/08/20, Bloomberg, 02/09/20) Previous

Afghanistan claims 2 Eglin soldiers

Two soldiers with the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., were killed in Afghanistan, according to the Department of Defense. Sgt. 1st Class Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas and Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez, 28, of Las Cruces, N.M., were both assigned to 3rd Battalion. Both died Feb. 8 in Nangarhar Province as a result of wounds sustained while engaged in combat operations. The incident is under investigation, according to the Department of Defense. (Source: WEAR-TV, 02/09/20)

Contract: Lockheed, $347.7M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a not-to-exceed $347,714,510 modification to a previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target advance acquisition contract (N00019-20-C-0009). This modification procures long lead materials, parts, components and support necessary to maintain on-time production and delivery of 43 lot 15 F-35 aircraft for non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (30%); El Segundo, Calif. (25%); Warton, United Kingdom (20%); Orlando, Fla. (10%); Nashua, N.H. (5%); Nagoya, Japan (5%); and Baltimore, Md. (5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $204,964,510; and FMS funds in the amount of $142,750,000, 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, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/07/20)

Contract: Northrop, $172.4M

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is awarded a $172,424,000 modification (P00004) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract (N00019-19-C-0008). This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of two MQ-4 Triton unmanned air systems for the Navy, one Navy main operating base, trade studies and associated technical and administrative data. Work will be performed in San Diego (30.5%); Red Oak, Texas (12%); Palmdale, Calif. (10%); Baltimore, Md. (9.7%); Salt Lake City, Utah (7.9%); Bridgeport, W.V. (4.9%); Indianapolis, Ind. (3.8%); Moss Point, Miss. (3.6); Chantilly, Va. (3.5%); Waco, Texas (1.7%); San Clemente, Calif. (1.3%); Newton, N.D. (.9%); various locations within the continental U.S. (8.8%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1.4%), and is expected to be completed in January 2024. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $172,424,000 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, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/06/20)

China A320 plant closed for now

The A320 assembly line in China has been shut down due to concerns about the coronavirus. Airbus assembles the A320 series of passenger jets in Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; Tianjin, China; and Mobile. Ala. The manufacturer has been pushing production levels at all those locations to reduce a backlog of orders. There was no indication the move will impact Airbus operations in other parts of the world. Mobile-based Airbus spokeswoman Kristi Tucker said that “production continues on schedule here in Mobile” with no anticipated impacts. (Source: Airbus, al.com, 02/05/20) Boeing and Safran also closed facilities in China. (Source: Bloomberg, 02/05/20)

Contract: Cray, $26.5M

Cray Inc., Seattle, Wash., was awarded a $26,480,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Department of Defense high performance computing modernization. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Stennis Space Center, Miss., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2025. Fiscal 2020 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $26,480,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (W912DY-20-F-0126). (Source: DoD, 02/03/20)

Contract: H2 Direct, $39M

H2 Direct LLC, Gulf Breeze, Fla., was awarded a $39,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items and non-personal services necessary to provide information technology management support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2025. The 418th Contracting Support Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas, is the contracting activity (W91151-20-D-0009). (Source: DoD, 02/03/20)

Contract: Dynetics, $93M

Dynetics, Huntsville, Ala., has been awarded a $92,999,625 basic, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Test Systems and Equipment Capabilities (TSEC) support and $30,934,550 delivery order for the Guided Weapons Evaluation Facility (GWEF) Radio Frequency (RF) Modernization Design. The contract provides for the specific needs to include: Hardware-in-the-loop simulators for the GWEF RF Modernization and AFRL Kinetic Kill Vehicle Hardware in the Loop Simulator system upgrades; joint multi-platform advanced combat identification development; calibration sets integration, and software updates; Air Defense Artillery Phased Technology Digital Command Link, and immediate need technologies to support Department of Defense (DoD) ranges. Work will be performed in Huntsville and other DoD locations. The contract has a five year ordering period with work expected to be completed by Jan. 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,500,000 are being obligated at the time of award via incremental funding. The Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2487-20-D-0071; first delivery order FA2487-20-F-0072). (Source: DoD, 01/31/20)