4th SOS gets upgraded gunship

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - The 4th Special Operations Squadron, part of the 1st Special Operations Wing, received an upgraded version of the Ghostrider gunship, the Block 30 model AC-130J. The 4th SOS, the Air Forces most deployed squadron, currently uses the AC-130U Spooky, which is slowly being retired from active duty after more than 20 years of operation. The new model will have the same role as the current one, air interdiction, armed reconnaissance and close air support, but with upgraded avionics, navigation systems and a Precision Strike Package that includes trainable 30mm and 105mm weapons. It also costs less to operate per flying hour because of upgraded turboprop engines. (Source: GCAC, 03/10/19)

NASA rethinks EM-1 date

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Director Jody Singer said the agency is reassessing the 2020 launch readiness date for Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), the first launch of Space Launch System (SLS) with an uncrewed Orion capsule. Singer, speaking at a Space Transportation Association (STA) meeting on Capitol Hill Tuesday, said the launch readiness date for EM-1 is still in 2020, but did not give a more precise estimate of the date. Singer outlined how much has been accomplished to date. All the segments for EM-1 are ready except the core stage being built at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. She said it's “almost ready,” but much testing remains. The “Green Run” all-up system test of the core stage and four RS-25 engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss., will take place late this year or early next, she said. Singer described SLS as “America’s rocket” because more than 1,100 companies in 44 states are involved in building it, supporting more than 32,000 jobs and producing $6 billion in economic benefit.(Sources: SpacePolicyOnline, SpaceNews, 03/05/19)

Contract: Northrop, $322.5M

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Northridge, Calif., is awarded a $322,504,595 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) of the AGM-88G, Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The EMD effort includes the design, integration and test of a new solid rocket motor for the AARGM-ER for use on the F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and F-35A/C aircraft platforms. Work will be performed in Northridge (98 percent); and Ridgecrest, Calif. (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2023. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $55,087,929 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 Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0050). (Source: DoD, 03/07/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Wing getting new leader

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Col. Dave Morris will turn over command of Training Air Wing Five March 14 during a change of command ceremony at Naval Air Station Whiting Field's Cmdr. Clyde E. Lassen Auditorium. Capt. Doug Rosa will assume command of the Navy's largest training wing and assume the title of commodore during the event. Morris, among his other assignments, was assigned to fly the Blue Angels C-130 during the 2001-2003 airshow season. He will take on an assignment at the Pentagon. Rosa reported to Training Air Wing Five in August 2017, and assumed the position of deputy commodore. Rosa will now be responsible for an estimated 43 percent of the Chief of Naval Air Training Command's total flight time and more than 14 percent of Navy and Marine Corps' flight time world-wide. (Source: Naval Air Station Whiting Field, 03/07/19)

Contract: SimVentions, $12M

SimVentions Inc., Fredericksburg, Va., is awarded a $12,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the continued development, extension, and upgrade of the AN/SLQ-32(V)X Tactical Simulator tools and capabilities delivered in support of Navy training and integration and test efforts. Work will be performed in Fredericksburg (88 percent); Fairmont, W.V., (8 percent); and Pensacola, Fla. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,514,452 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity (N00178-19-D-4502). (Source: DoD, 03/06/19)

Contract: Raytheon, $17.8M

Raytheon Co., El Segundo, Calif., has been awarded an estimated $17,828,176 firm-fixed-priced delivery order (SPRPA1-19-F-C303) against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPRPA1-17-G-C301) for aircraft radar system spare parts. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Mississippi, with a Dec. 20, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy and Canadian Armed Forces. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pa. (Source: DoD, 03/06/19)

ST Engineering scholarships

PENSACOLA, Fla. — ST Engineering on Tuesday announced the ST Engineering Scholarship Program. Starting in 2020, four scholarships will be awarded annually to Escambia County high school students. Each recipient will receive $2,500. The company says it’s important to get students involved in the aerospace industry sooner rather than later. “The aerospace industry is growing. The average age of an aircraft tech right now is about 50. So, we see in order to preserve aviation going forward, there will be a great need for techs going forward,” said Director of Maintenance Alvin Bass. Students can use the scholarships towards any accredited college or tech aviation school. (Source: WEAR-TV, 03/05/19) Previous: Group wants to rethink incentives; MRO project lands $20M more

Contract: Lockheed, $32.7M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $32,721,119 modification P00015 to a cost-plus-fixed-price delivery order (N0001918F2476) previously issued against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020 in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Aircraft for the Navy, Air Force; Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. The modification provides for the procurement of modification kits and special tooling required for modification and retrofit activities for delivered air systems. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in August 2027. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps); fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force); non-DoD U.S. participant and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $32,721,119 will be obligated at time of award, $2,136,568 of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($9,702,671; 30 percent); Navy ($9,212,841; 28 percent); Marine Corps ($7,844,070; 24 percent); non-U.S. DoD participant ($5,379,058; 16 percent); and FMS customers ($582,479; 2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/05/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $10M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $9,963,210 for modification P00001 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-19-D-0015). This modification increases the ceiling of the contract to procure additional production ancillary mission equipment in support of F-35 non-U.S. Department of Defense participant operational aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in May 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award, funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/05/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Navy now using new simulator

New TH-57 simulator with wrap around screen.
Navy photo

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Dozens of Navy and civilian officials along with members of the media were on hand Thursday for a demonstration of the first of 10 brand new TH-57 helicopter training simulator for Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The simulators, the first new ones at the base in nearly 40 years, will be used to train some 500 Navy, Marine and Coast Guard helicopter students each year. The one shown Thursday was a stationary, Level 6 trainer with a wrap-around screen. NAS Whiting will get three of them. It will also get seven full-motion Level 7 machines, which have larger vertical and horizontal wrap around screens, providing a larger field of view. The new simulators are designed to teach students on the ground so they can make mistakes there, rather than in the unforgiving environment of actual flight. The scenarios can change at the punch of button, from an outlying field to an aircraft carrier. The simulators can mimic any time of day and give students challenging weather and air traffic situations. Also included in the upgrade will be a central control station that will provide the capability to link all 10 simulators together in a single virtual environment. The new simulators were provided by Flight Safety Systems International of Denver, Frasca International of Urbana, Ill., and Aechelon Technology of San Francisco. The old simulators have been use since the Cold War era and have been modified over time to make them more capable. But they reached their limit of adaptability and will be replaced over the next year by the new simulators. (Source: GCAC, 02/28/19) Previous

RS-25 tested at high level

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA tested an RS-25 engine Thursday at its highest power level for an extended period of time. The 500-second test was conducted on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center (SSC) in south Mississippi. For the fourth time, NASA powered the engine to 113 percent of its original thrust design, this time for more than 430 seconds, about four times longer than any previous hot fire at that thrust level. The hot fire concluded a series of nine tests that began last August, using RS-25 developmental engine No. 0525. As with previous tests in the series, the Feb. 28 hot fire featured an RS-25 flight engine controller that will be used on a Space Launch System mission. The controller is the "brain" and a key component of engine modifications made to help power SLS, being built as the world’s most-powerful rocket to carry humans deeper into space than ever. The RS-25, originally used in the Space Shuttle, is being modified for SLS. Four RS-25s will provie 2 million pounds of thrust during SLS's launch and ascent. (Source: NASA/SSC, 02/28/19) Previous

Contract: Tyonek, $7.2M

Tyonek Global Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $7,236,566 predominantly firm-fixed-price contract for Cyber Operations Formal Training Support(CyOFTS) II. This contract provides for essential capabilities to support the Cyber Operations field training unit in course planning, administrative support, technical writing, course development, project management, instructor training, student mission training systems administration, network systems administration, training range engineering maintenance, computer help desk support, and hardware/infrastructure maintenance. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Fla.; and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be complete by February 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. The 38th Contracting Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8773-19-C-A004). (Source: DoD, 02/28/19)

Contract: Unisys, $76.3M

Unisys Corp., Reston, Va., has been awarded a $76,346,901 Other Transaction Agreement to execute the Enterprise IT as a service end user services risk reduction effort experiment. This agreement provides for an experiment of the commercial delivery of standardized, innovative, and agile Information Technology services, including an Enterprise service desk and end user devices, to a select group of bases. Work will be performed at Buckley Air Force Base (AFB), Colo., Maxwell AFB, Ala.; Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; Offutt AFB, Neb.; Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Cannon AFB, N.M.; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; and Pope Field, N.C., with possible scaling of up to 20 bases during the experiment. Work is expected to be complete by February 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass., is the contracting activity (FA8726-19-9-0001) (Source: DoD, 02/28/19)

Contract: L3 Vertex, $21.4M

L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is awarded $21,361,072 for modification P00032 to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract (N00019-14-D-0011). This modification exercises an option for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support for Navy T-45 aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment. Support to be provided includes services, equipment, tools, direct material, and indirect material required to support and maintain all to support flight and test and evaluation operations. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas (55.5 percent); NAS Meridian, Miss. (41.3 percent); and NAS Pensacola, Fla. (3.2 percent), and is expected to be completed in September 2019. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/28/19)

Contract: Lockheed, $30.8M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $30,811,998 for modification P00011 to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive firm contract (N0001918C1048) to provide for initial lay-in of repair material for ten F-35 Lightning II systems at various depots in support of 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 (48.4 percent); Baltimore, Md. (24.8 percent); North Amityville, N.Y. (13.2 percent); Grand Rapids, Mich. (4.7 percent); Cheltenham, United Kingdom (3.9 percent); Tempe, Ariz. (2.9 percent); and Irvine, Calif. (2.1 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force and Navy); fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps.); non-U.S. DoD Participant and FMS funds in the amount of $30,811,998 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($13,456,431; 43.7 percent); the Marine Corps ($6,649,044; 21.6 percent); Navy ($3,088,625; 10 percent); non-U.S. DoD Participants ($5,251,166; 17 percent); and FMS customers ($2,366,732; 7.7 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/28/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $108.7M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $108,742,796 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N0001919F2512 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-14-G-0020). This order provides for program management, nonrecurring engineering, recurring engineering, site support and touch labor in support of modification and retrofit activities for delivered Air Systems for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense (DoD) Participant and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in February 2020. Fiscal 2017 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy); fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps); fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force); non-DoD participant and FMS funds in the amount of $108,742,796 will be obligated at time of award, $8,357,457 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order combines purchases for the Air Force ($40,792,324; 37 percent); Marine Corps ($20,450,619; 19 percent); Navy ($8,157,493; 8 percent); non-DoD Participants ($31,490,977; 29 percent) and FMS customers ($7,851,383; 7 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/28/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Embraer sharholders OK Boeing deal

Shareholders of Brazil’s Embraer on Tuesday approved a deal to sell 80 percent of the company’s commercial plane division to Boeing Co. The deal will allow Boeing to compete with Airbus in the market for jets with up to 150 seats. The transaction must now be approved by antitrust regulators. Under the terms of the deal finalized in December, Boeing will pay $4.2 billion to control Embraer’s most profitable division, supplying passenger jets to airlines. Under the proposed agreement, Boeing will acquire 80 percent of  "all aspects" of Embraer's commercial aircraft division, including aircraft design, manufacturing, certification, services and sales work related to ERJs, E-Jets and E-Jet E2 family aircraft. It will allow Boeing to better compete with rival Airbus, which last year bought a controlling stake in Bombardier Inc’s CSeries jets, which also have less than 150 seats. Once the transaction receives full regulatory approval, Boeing and Embraer will be joint owners of a yet-to-be-named commercial jet company. Shareholders also approved a joint venture between the two planemakers to market Embraer’s new KC-390 military cargo jet. Embraer will own a 51 percent stake and Boeing 49 percent. Boeing and Embraer announced in December 2018 that they had approved the terms for the joint ventures and the Brazilian government gave its approval in January 2019. Embraer's board of directors ratified its support for the deal and definitive transaction documents were signed. Boeing and Embraer hope to close the deal by the end of 2019. (Sources: Boeing, Reuters, Flightglobal, 02/26/19) Previous. Gulf Coast note: An A220 final assembly line is currently being built in Mobile, Ala., as a result of the Airbus-Bombardier partnership on the former CSeries jetliner, since renamed the A220. Previous

SSC data center to upgrade

The Department of Homeland Security will embark on a 10-year cloud computing initiative to modernize its technology infrastructure and improve its cybersecurity posture, according to a Feb. 19 announcement. The program calls for modernizing Data Center 1 (DC 1) at NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC), Miss., and retiring by June 2020 DC 2 in Virginia, migrating a majority of its IT systems and data to the cloud. The program could be worth a combined $1 billion to $2 billion for multiple cloud vendors over the next 10 years, according to a Bloomberg Government analysis. The scope of DHS's program resembles the Defense Department's Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud program, but where JEDI will be a centralized cloud that provides the bulk of the Pentagon's infrastructure-as-a-service needs, DHS's will rely on multiple vendors and hybrid systems capable of running in both on-premise and cloud environments. Responses to the Request for Information are due March 20, 2019. The RFI says it's looking at "right sizing our footprint in Data Center 1 to support optimization of that facility." CSC Government Solutions (spun off from CSC into CSRA, which was acquired by General Dynamics IT) has operated the DC 1 at SSC's National Center for Critical Information Processing and Storage since July 2008. The site itself is government-owned. DC 1 is some 63,000 square feet and consists of three large attached buildings. DC 1 and DC 2 are the result of a previous consolidation that saw the IT infrastructure of the agencies under its purview limited to just two sites. (Sources: Bloomberg Government, 02/22/19, Data Center Dynamics, 02/21/19)

Contract: Micro Systems, $23M

Micro Systems Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is awarded a $22,986,171 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for production, repairs services and associated ancillary equipment for the systems for Naval Target Control Block II and III in support of Navy aerial targets. Work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach and is expected to be completed in February 2024. Fiscal 2018 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,219,199 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. Code2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md, is the contracting activity (N0001919D0020). (Source: DoD, 02/25/19)

Airport has new flights

GULFPORT, Miss. - Tickets go on sale this week to fly from Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) to two new destinations: Austin, Texas, and Ft. Myers, Fla. The announcement of new flights aboard Sun Country Airlines came at the airport Monday morning. The nonstop flights are as low as $59 one-way and will run Fridays and Mondays from July through December to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW). The airport has a $299 million annual economic impact, said Clay Williams, executive director of the airport. Ridership was up 11 percent last year and cargo up 16 percent. (Source: Sun Herald, 02/25/19)