Contract: Bell-Boeing, $25.5M

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is awarded a $25,523,136 modification (P00005) to cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price order N00019-20-F-0315 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-17-G-0002. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of nine right aft sponson fuel tank kits in support of V-22 Production Aircraft 9-17 for the government of Japan. Additionally, this modification provides development and updates to existing technical data as well as services in support of aircraft deliveries and aircrew pilot and crew chief training for the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, N.C. (35%); Chiba Provence, Japan (35%); Ridley Park, Pa. (20%); Stennis, Miss. (5%); and Fort Worth, Texas (5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $25,523,136 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, 01/27/21)

NAS Whiting wins state award

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northwest District, recognized Naval Air Station Whiting Field with the Outstanding Environmental Stewardship award in early January. The environmental stewardship award program recognizes businesses, professional and community organizations, and local governments within DEP’s Northwest District for proactive, innovative, and exceptional achievements that prevent or reduce impacts on the environment beyond measures that are required by permit or rules. To be considered for recognition, participants must demonstrate significant and measurable achievements above and beyond what is required by law. Whiting Field was recognized for several initiatives such as using prescribed burning to maintain and enhance habitat health, prevent wildfires and control invasive species. During fiscal year 2019, nearly 1,500 acres were managed through prescribed fire to aid in habitat recovery, training and the revitalization of rare and endangered species such as the Reticulated Flatwoods Salamander and Gopher Tortoise. The Northwest District in which the competition was based runs from Escambia County to Jefferson County, and is one of six Florida districts. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, 01/27/21)

New round of RS-25 tests slated

No. 0528 hoisted on A-1. NASA

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss - NASA is set to begin a new round of tests for development of RS-25 engines that will help power the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on future missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars. The first test of the new series is set for Jan. 28 on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Southwest Mississippi. The seven-test series will use RS-25 developmental engine No. 0528, and will provide data for Aerojet Rocketdyne as it begins production of new RS-25 engines for use after the first four SLS flights. The new engines and components will be manufactured with cutting-edge and cost-saving technologies. The SSC test engine will be fired seven times for a total of 3,650 seconds during the first half of 2021. (Source: NASA/SSC, 01/27/21)

Contract: BAE, $81.3M

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, N.H., is awarded an $81,348,624 firm-fixed-price modification (P00005) to previously awarded contract N00019-19-C-0001. This modification exercises an option to procure 1,512 radio frequency countermeasures for Lot 12 of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in support of non-U.S. Department of Defense participants, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers and for the Navy. Work will be performed in Nashua (74%); Landenberg, Pa. (7%); Topsfield, Mass. (2.5%); Industry, Calif. (1.6%); Hamilton, N.J. (1.5%); Carson, Calif. (1.3%); Dover, N.H. (1.1%); Londonderry, N.H. (1%); Chartley, Mass. (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Fiscal 2021 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $27,761,832; fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $26,040,168; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,925,392; and FMS funds in the amount of $11,621,232 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/26/21) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center and reprogramming labs.

Contract: Lockheed, $64.1M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $64,121,341 modification (P00013) to firm-fixed-price order N00019-20-F-0571 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This modification exercises options for the procurement of Digital Channelized Receiver/Techniques Generator and Tuner Insertion program technology to upgrade F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft with Digital Tuner Insertion Program electronic warfare racks and high efficiency low voltage power supply. These upgrades will enable for future upgrades to Lot 15 Block 4 configuration, including Technical Refresh Three for the Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in June 2025. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $57,865,601; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $6,255,740 will be obligated at the 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, 01/26/21) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center and reprogramming labs.

FlightPath9 grads find work

MOBILE, Ala. - The first graduating class of FlightPath9 has completed studies and entered the workforce at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility. FlightPath9 is a workforce training program designed to provide high school seniors the skills needed for a career in aerospace. The training program was created by Flight Works Alabama, a nonprofit education organization at the Mobile Aeroplex, along with partners from the state of Alabama, Southwest Alabama Partnership for Training and Employment, local businesses and education institutions. After completing FlightPath9, students gained additional training in the Airbus Fast Track program, a gateway to an aerospace career without a college degree or prior experience. (Source: Alabama News Center, 01/24/21)

Three bases get buffering funds

Three Florida bases in Pensacola, Milton, and Jacksonville recently received in excess of $4 million in Readiness and Environmental Protection (REPI) funds that will be used exclusively to help protect them from ncompatible nearby development. The money to support future buffering projects includes $2.4 million for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, $1.4 million for Naval Air Station Whiting Field,  and $179,000 for Naval Air Station Pensacola. REPI funds buy restrictive-use easements as a less expensive way to protect military missions. Landowners participate in the program because it provides immediate income and allows the traditional use of the property. (Source: Naval Air Station Whiting Field, 01/22/21)

ST Engineering inks MRO pact

ST Engineering has signed a five-year airframe maintenance contract with an unnamed air cargo carrier. Under the agreement, ST Engineering will provide heavy maintenance for “multiple fleet types” as well as landing gear MRO. It will also cover “special maintenance visits of various aircraft types,” says the company. The services will primarily be carried out at the company’s Mobile, Ala., facility in the US. (Source: Flightglobal, 01/17/21) ST Engineering also has an MRO operation in Pensacola, Fla.

Green Run test completed

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss - NASA today tested the core stage of the Space Launch System, firing all four RS-25 engines in a test that was closed to the public because of COVID-19 concerns. But the test that began about 4:20 CST was shown live on NASA television. The firing ended after just over a minute rather than going the full eight minutes. The next step could be putting the core stage on the Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy Space Center in Florida unless a second test is done. Area residents were told a few days ago to expect elevated decibel levels for today's hot fire test. The engines produced a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust, producing a noise about 10-20 decibels higher than during a normal single engine test at the site. (Source: GCAC, 01/16/21) Previous

Contract: Lockheed, $13M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $13,036,252 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N00019-21-F-0227) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This modification procures non-recurring site stand-up activity, capability development, information technology systems integration and associated changes to F-35 Lightning II program and industry processes as needed to allow the Defense Logistics Agency and U.S. Transportation Command to assume North American regional warehouse and global transportation and distribution product support provider responsibilities. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (63.9%); Orlando, Fla. (26.6%); Bethesda, Md. (8.5%); and Greenville, S.C. (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,518,126; and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $6,518,126, will be obligated at time of award, $6,518,126 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, 01/15/21) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of F-35 training and reprogramming labs.

NAS Whiting changes command

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Capt. Paul N. Flores, U.S. Navy, relieved Capt. Paul D. Bowdich as the 43rd commanding officer of Naval Air Station Whiting Field in a mostly virtual ceremony onboard the installation Thursday. Typically, the long-standing, traditional ceremony would be held with a large audience from the base and community, but due to COVID-19, the event was smaller and broadcast virtually. Under Bowdich’s leadership the past three years, Whiting Field provided air traffic control, emergency fire and rescue services, and runway and grounds maintenance to more than 13,000 acres of property at 12 outlying landing fields in Florida and Alabama. It supported some 400,000 flight hours and 3.5 million flight evolutions, as well as classroom and simulator training for about 3,700 student naval aviators. Productivity at the twelve outlying airfields under Bowdich’s direct control supported Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force and allied forces operations, roughly 60 percent of the Navy’s primary aviation training, and averaging 17 percent of all Navy flight hours. All helicopter pilots in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive their helicopter advanced training at Whiting. Bowdich also saw the first Navy land exchange to fruition with the swap of OLF Site 8 in Escambia County for a fully operational OLF Site X in Jay, Fla. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, 01/14/21)

4 RS-25s to roar Saturday

SLS on B-2 stand. NASA photo

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss - Area residents can expect elevated decibel levels as Stennis Space Center targets Saturday for the final hot fire test in the Green Run test series on NASA’s new Space Launch System core stage. The acoustic level is not expected to reach high enough to have any damaging effect. The test will involve firing four RS-25 engines to produce a combined 1.6 million pounds of thrust. The acoustic level produced is expected to be about 10-20 decibels higher than during a normal single engine test at the site. NASA is targeting a two-hour test window that opens at 4 p.m. CST Jan. 16, for the hot fire test of the SLS core stage. Due to COVID-19, the public will not be allowed to view the test. (Source: NASA/SSC, 01/13/21)

NAS Whiting Navy's best small base

NAVAL AIR STATION Whiting Field, Fla. - Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton in Northwest Florida has been named recipient of the 2021 Installation Excellence Award in the small base category. The honor was announced by Commander, Navy Installations Command, Vice Adm. Yancy Lindsey, in a message Jan. 11. CNIC is the Navy command tasked with overseeing 70 U.S. Navy shore installations worldwide. The award lauds the top Navy commands at shore for their installation management, program excellence and community outreach. Installations are graded across a number of key areas including: facilities management, quality of life, environment, energy, property stewardship, communication, safety and health as well as many other categories. Each entrant is judged on a write-up of accomplishments plus supporting documentation and photographs. NAS Whiting Field is home of Training Air Wing Five, which supports some 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. It's the busiest aviation complex in the world with roughly 1 million flight operations flown at the installation annually. (Source: NAS Whiting Field Public Information, 01/12/21)

Contract: Boeing, $20.9M

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is awarded a $20,864,609 modification (P00008) to previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00019-19-C-0033. This modification adds new scope for integrated logistics support for 22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets in support of the government of Kuwait. Work will be performed in St. Louis (86%); San Diego, Calif. (8%); China Lake, Calif. (5%); and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. (1%), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $20,864,609 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, 01/05/21)

JetBlue gets new A220-300

MOBILE, Ala. - Airbus has delivered the first A220 aircraft built in Mobile, Ala., to JetBlue Airlines. JetBlue on Thursday announced it has formally taken delivery of the A220-300 passenger jet, marking the start of a new era for the airline's fleet. The aircraft – tail N3008J – arrive at JetBlue's home at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport Thursday evening. It is the first delivery of 70 A220 aircraft JetBlue has on order, which will be phased in to ultimately replace the existing fleet of 60 Embraer 190 aircraft. (Source: Business Wire, 12/31/20)