Northrop now arming Fire Scouts

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Northrop Grumman has started work outfitting the Navy's MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter with a weapons system. The Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System laser-guided 70mm rocket will allow ship commanders to identify and engage hostile targets without calling in other aircraft for support. With delivery set for March 2013, Fire Scout will be Navy's first sea-based unmanned system to carry weapons. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 11/08/11) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.

NASA: Orion test flight in 2014

WASHINGTON - NASA plans to add an unmanned flight test of the Orion spacecraft in early 2014 to its contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems for the multi-purpose crew vehicle's design, development, test and evaluation. The test supports the new Space Launch System that will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. The Exploration Flight Test will fly two orbits to a high-apogee, with a high-energy re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, then make a water landing. The test mission will be launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The agency has posted a synopsis explaining its intention on NASA's procurement website. (Source: NASA, 11/08/11) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., is testing engines for the SLS and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, will build portions of the heavy lift launch vehicle.

Aviation park $12M away

MILTON, Fla. - Santa Rosa County is $12 million away from an aviation park near Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The county commission received the master plan for the 269-acre Whiting Aviation Park this week from the architect. In an arrangement with the Navy, tenants would be able to use Whiting's 6,000-foot south air field. TEAM Santa Rosa, the economic development group of the county, thinks the $12 million, which would be used for infrastructure, could be covered by grants. The county began buying land for the park in 2001. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 11/08/11)

Panetta hints at BRAC round

One likely consequence of the budget-trimming exercise the Pentagon is conducting is a new round of base closures, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the New York Times last week. Panetta painted a broad picture of the kinds of spending categories that would be slashed as DOD officials search for $450 billion in savings over the coming decade. Panetta said priorities that could gain funding include special operations, unmanned aircraft and cyber operations. (Source: New York Times, 11/06/11) Gulf Coast note: The region has a dozen bases involved in a range of activities, including the priority fields mentioned by Panetta. Last week cuts were announced for Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Hurlburt Field, Fla., Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.

J-2X may do 500-second burn

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - It's not an official objective, but the J-2X rocket engine being test fired at NASA's Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi Wednesday may fire for 500 seconds. The media has been invited to see the test, and officials from several NASA centers also will be there, according to the Huntsville (Ala.) Times. The J-2X, which will power the upper stage of the heavy-lift rocket NASA is developing, has already been tested at SSC, but not for the duration that would occur during a space mission. (Source: Huntsville Times, 11/07/11)

Offensive cyberweapons sought

Pentagon researchers plan to bolster their efforts to create offensive weapons for cyber warfare, U.S. officials said Monday. "Malicious cyber attacks ... are a real threat to our physical systems, including our military systems," Regina Dugan, director of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, told a conference. "To this end, in the coming years we will focus an increasing portion of our cyber research on the investigation of offensive capabilities to address military-specific needs," she said. (Source: AFP via SpaceWar, 11/07/11) Gulf Coast note: Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., is a cyber security training center; Corry Station in Pensacola, Fla., is home of the Navy's Center for Information Dominance.

Eglin's space junk trackers

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – It's not one of the better-known space-related programs in the Gulf Coast, but tucked in the woods of Eglin Air Force Base is the 20th Space Control Squadron. Its mission is to track space debris. There's about 25,000 separate objects circling earth, with one re-entry into the atmosphere a week. Most burn up. The radar is behind a 9-story wall, and personnel use a screen with objects assigned numbers, similar to an air traffic control screen. (Source: WEAR-TV, 11/03/11) Note: The phased array radar at Site C-6, some 35 miles east of the main gate, is one of the most powerful in the world and has been tracking debris in near and deep space for 40 years. For background, see Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor 2011-2012, Part II, Space Activities, pages 36-37.

F-35 testing picking up

FORT WORTH, Texas - October was the busiest month yet for flight tests of all variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, with 122 completed flights and significant progress on a number of fronts, Lockheed Martin reported Friday, according to the Star-Telegram. Overall, 837 test flights were completed this year through Thursday. Both the number of individual flights and number of test points are running about 9 percent ahead of a restructured plan set out in January by the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office. (Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11/05/11) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the JSF training center.

334th TRS gets new ATC simulator

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - A radar approach control simulator was delivered by the 81st Training Support Squadron late last month for use in the 334th Training Squadron's air traffic control course. Officials say it saves costs while increasing course capacity. The new radar approach control simulator features a touch entry display platform to replicate a real-world ATC console at a significantly lower cost, $278,000 compared to $2.1 million. The simulator, developed over 18 months by the 81st, has the look and feel of the real thing, using identical cabinetry. (Source: 81st Training Wing Public Affairs, 11/03/11)

Singapore Technologies 3Q profit up

MOBILE, Ala. – Singapore Technologies Engineering Inc., which employs more than 3,000 in South Alabama and Mississippi through its aerospace and marine subsidiaries, boosted third quarter profit this year despite a decline in sales. ST Engineering owns ST Aerospace Mobile at Brookley Aeroplex and VT Halter Marine shipyards in Mississippi’s Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa. ST Engineering earned profit of $105 million in the three months that ended Sept. 30, up from a year ago. That came despite overall revenue falling 6 percent in the quarter. The aerospace division saw revenue fall about 4 percent, but operating profit rose 18 percent. (Source: Mobile Press Register, 11/04/11)

Leader worried about Eglin future

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - At least one local leader is looking past the announcement of a workforce reduction at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is concerned about the base's future. David Goetsch, an economist, college vice president and the newly sworn chairman of the Okaloosa County Economic Development Council, anticipates a future battle for Eglin's valuable, multimillion-dollar research, development, test and evaluation function. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/05/11)

Media invited to J-2X engine test

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The media has been invited to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss., next week to see the next test firing of the J-2X rocket engine, which will be used by NASA's Space Launch System. The test is Wednesday, Nov. 9. The SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft, its crew, cargo, equipment and science experiments beyond Earth orbit. Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne is developing the J-2X for NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The SLS rocket engines will use a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion system, which will include the J-2X engine for the upper stage and RS-25D/E engines, Space Shuttle Main Engines, for the core stage. (Source: NASA, 11/03/11)

Keesler to lose 68 civilian positions

BILOXI, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base is slated to lose 68 civilian positions in 2012 as part of mandated cuts affecting thousands of Department of Defense workers. The cuts at Keesler are part of about 9,000 civilian jobs being eliminated throughout the Air Force. While the Air Force is cutting those jobs, which are in management, staff and support areas, there are plans to add 5,900 positions across the Air Force in acquisition, nuclear enterprise, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and other areas deemed a higher priority. About 3,600 civilians currently work at Keesler. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/03/11) Keesler is home of the Air Force's electronics training, including cyber training. It's also home to the 403rd Reserve Wing and a huge medical complex.

Airport shows new scanner

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Transportation Security Administration began using its new Advance Imaging Technology machines Thursday at Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport. TSA officers have been training on the two AIT machines over the past two weeks. Passengers who chose to opt out of going through the AIT will be subjected to alternative screening methods, which will include a pat-down by a TSA screener. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 11/03/11)

Eglin losing AAC, 96th ABW

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Armament Center is being eliminated at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., but the Florida Panhandle base will remain the Air Force's center for aerial weapons development. Maj. Gen. Kenneth Merchant, Air Armament Center commander, told reporters Thursday that 351 positions at Eglin are being eliminated as a result of the restructuring of the Air Force Materiel Command, but most of those positions are already vacant. Only 43 jobs remain in question. The changes are a result of the Air Force's bid to find more efficient ways of doing business. At least 9,000 positions Air Force-wide are being eliminated beginning next October. As part of the streamlining, the Materiel Command is consolidating 12 centers, including AAC, into five. In addition to the stand down of AAC, the 96th Air Base Wing, which serves as the Eglin commander, will be integrated into an expanded 46th Test Wing, which will take over installation management next October. Meanwhile, at nearby Hurlburt Field, home of U.S. Air Force Special Operations, 100 civilian positions in base support career fields are being eliminated. Over half those positions are already vacant. (Source: Tcp, 11/03/11)

Restructuring hits Eglin

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will lose some civilian positions as a result of restructuring of the Air Force Materiel Command. The command is eliminating the position now filled by Maj. Gen. Kenneth Merchant and 136 staff positions associated with the Air Armament Center, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. The Air Force Materiel Command is consolidating 12 centers to five. It’s all part of an effort to eliminate at least 9,000 positions Air Force-wide beginning next October. Leadership Eglin's Air Armament Center will change, but rank-and-file workers will continue to do their mission, said Ron Fry, a spokesman for the Materiel Command. (Source: Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs, Northwest Florida Daily News, 11/02/11)

Contract: Raytheon, $9.3M

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,321,529 firm-fixed-price contract modification to procure additional Griffin missiles in support of U.S. Special Operations Command. The following Griffin missiles are being purchased via this modification:70 Griffin Block II A all up rounds, and 21 Griffin Block II A telemetry rounds. The primary location of performance is Raytheon, Tucson, Ariz. Air Armament Center Contracting, Advanced Programs Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/02/11)

Contract: Speegle, $24.6M

Speegle Construction Inc., Niceville, Fla., was awarded a $24,645,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the construction of a Special Operation Forces Operation and Training Facility and an Unmanned Aerial Support Squad Operations Facility at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. Work will be performed in Curry County, N.M., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 7, 2014. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 19 bids received. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque, N.M., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/01/11)

Delay sought in F-35 flight training

The Air Force secretary and his chief of staff have been asked to decide what to do about a disagreement over when F-35 flight training should begin at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's top official for weapons testing, thinks the fall target date should be delayed by 10 more months of development. But Lt. Gen. Thomas Owen, the general who oversees aircraft development for the Air Force, and Vice Adm. David Venlet, who overseeing the F-35 program, disagree and said changing plans would drive up the program's cost. It boils down to whether the kinks in the F-35 system have been worked out. Gilmore said the JSF team at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., racked up 1,000 hours in F-35As, but historically flight training didn't begin until 2,000 to 5,000 hours of monitored flight tests. Right now the F-35 experiences in-flight problems three times higher. (Sources: multiple, including Reuters, Wired, Time (Battleland), 10/31/11) Gulf Coast note: Six F-35s have been delivered to Eglin, where pilots of all variants of the F-35 will be trained.

Terminal expansion nears completion

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Northwest Florida Regional Airport's terminal expansion construction is slightly behind schedule but expected to be completed under budget in the next week. The expansion adds two jet bridges to the terminal and two additional ground boarding gates. The expansion also includes new office space for the Transportation Security Administration, replacing the trailers they now use. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/31/11)