Contract: Bell Textron, $8M

Bell Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $7,999,391 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering and technical field services for the H-1 aircraft to include airframes, avionics, electrical power plant systems and associated equipment, on and off-site proficiency training, technical and unusually complex technical guidance in support of the Naval Air Technical Data and Engineering Service Center. Work will be performed at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. (50%); New Orleans, La. (25%); and Kaneohe, Hawaii (25%), and is expected to be completed in April 2026. 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 Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N6893621D0012). (Source: DoD, 04/28/21)

Contract: Central Lake, $7.7M

Central Lake Armor Express Inc., Central Lake, Mich., is awarded a $7,701,807 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to previously-awarded contract N61331-20-D-0010 for Maritime Armor Systems to support the Antiterrorism Afloat Equipage Program. This modification will increase the contract value up to a maximum of $19,715,207. Work will be performed in Central Lake and is expected to be completed by May 2022. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/28/21)

Contract: Lockheed, $22.5M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $22,500,165 modification (P00005) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0001920C0026). This modification adds scope to provide support required to establish the common reprogramming tool development network and selection of a service-oriented architecture for the development of enhanced reprogramming tools, which is essential for all standing labs in support of the F-35 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and non-Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (90%); and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (10%), and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,248,092; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,405,332 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, 04/27/21)

Contract: Eagle Industries, $8.7M

Eagle Industries Unlimited Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is awarded an $8,668,143 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to previously-awarded contract N61331-20-D-0007 for Maritime Armor Systems to support the Antiterrorism Afloat Equipage Program. This modification will increase the contract value up to a maximum of $23,244,921. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/21)
 

Contract: Lockheed, $59.3M

Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, King of Prussia, Pa., has been awarded a $59,288,190 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) enterprise software. This contract shall sustain, modernize, and advance JASSM enterprise management software, operational real-time combat analysis systems, synchronize software, provide mission optimization analysis/reporting capabilities, terminal area model automation systems engineering, integration and test, and enhance JASSM advanced training. Work will be performed in King of Prussia and is expected to be completed March 21, 2022 for the base year. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 and operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,668,432 are being obligated at the time of award for the base year. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8682-21-C-0003). (Source: DoD, 04/22/21)

Two injured in helo crash

Two people were hurt Tuesday when an Army helicopter crashed at a training base in South Alabama, military officials said. The “aviation mishap” involved a UH-72 Lakota occurred during flight training with two on board, according to a news release from Fort Rucker. The incident occurred at Fort Rucker’s Brown Stagefield heliport near New Brockton. The two people on board were evacuated for medical treatment. The cause has not been released. Fort Rucker, near Dothan, is the Army’s primary training facility for helicopter pilots. (Source: multiple, including military.com, 04/21/21, al.com, 04/20/21)

SAR helo completes testing

HH-60W in anechoic chamber/ AF photo

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force’s new combat search and rescue helicopter, the HH-60W Jolly Green II, completed its developmental test program at Eglin Air Force Base, April 13. The final test by the Sikorsky and Air Force team was on the aircraft’s weapon systems. The goal of the test was to both demonstrate the performance of the weapons while optimizing weapon-system configurations. Test efforts began May 2019 with the first HH-60W flight. The integrated test team accumulated more than 1,100 flight test hours across six aircraft testing the full spectrum of aircraft systems. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 04/15/21)

Eglin gets second F-15EX

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 53rd Wing welcomed the second F-15EX Eagle II to Eglin Air Force Base on Tuesday. Flown in by Maj. Aaron Eshkenazi, the second F-15EX is assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. The two F-15EXs will be used by the 40th Flight Test Squadron and 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron for integrated developmental and operational testing in a bid to the F-15EX into the hands of warfighter as soon as possible. The F-15EX will make its exercise debut at Northern Edge 2021. (Source: 53rd Wing, 04/20/21) Previous

Aviation academy inches closer

The Senate has agreed to provide $1 million to Santa Rosa County for an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) training facility in Milton. Senate budget negotiators agreed to the House’s latest plan for infrastructure and economic development spending. That included the full million as requested by the House to plan and renovate an existing facility to create the training and certification program. The academy would be the first A&P training facility in the county and would also serve neighboring Escambia and Okaloosa counties. The county plans to spend $4 million on the project, which is being completed in partnership with Milton and the Santa Rosa County school district. Of the remaining $3 million, $1 million will come from local government sources. Lawmakers are in the final stages of creating the budget for the coming fiscal year. (Source: Florida Politics, 04/21/21) The county is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field.

Core stage removed from B-2

Core stage placed on tarmac. NASA photo

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Crews at NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC) worked April 19-20 to remove the first flight core stage of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket from the B-2 Test Stand in preparation for its transport to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The core stage had to be lifted from its vertical placement in the stand and lowered to a horizontal position on the B-2 Test Stand tarmac. The stage will be loaded on NASA’s Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy, where it will be prepared for launch of the Artemis I mission. The removal followed completion of a series of eight Green Run tests over the past year, culminating in the hot fire of the stage's four RS-25 engines March 18. (Source: NASA, 04/20/21) Previous

ECP airport getting new tenant

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - Bay County officials say they hope to announce the company involved in an economic development project at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) this summer. While Parker McClellan, executive director for the airport, said he couldn't release much information on the project as of Thursday, he noted that the unnamed company refurbishes airplanes and will create more than 90 jobs. McClellan also said the group not only would use ECP's runways, but rent land from the airport for its operations and also build a hangar. Becca Hardin, president of the Bay County Economic Development Alliance, said that development project, called Project Gator, has a capital investment of $26 million. Its hangar will be built on 14 acres at the airport. (Source: Panama City News Herald, 04/17/21)

Contract: Amentum, $16.4M

Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Md., is awarded a $16,445,246 modification (P00076) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract (N6833517C0272). This modification exercises an option to provide maintenance support services for 15 Fleet Readiness Centers, Aviation Support Equipment Divisions. Work will be performed in Solomons, Md. (16%); North Island, Calif. (12%); Cherry Point, N.C. (10%); Portsmouth, Va. (9%); El Centro, Calif. (8%); Jacksonville, Fla. (7%); Lemoore, Calif. (7%); Beaufort, S.C. (5%); Jacksonville, Fla. (5%); Fort Worth, Texas (5%); New Orleans, La. (5%); Comalapa, El Salvador (4%); Yorktown, Va. (3%); North Island, Calif. (2%); and Whidbey Island, Wash. (2%), and is expected to be completed in April 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,900,000 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/15/21)

RS-68A completes final test

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The world’s most powerful hydrogen-fueled rocket engine built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, the RS-68A, completed its final hot-fire acceptance test for use on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle on the B-1 Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC). ULA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket uses three Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A engines; one on each of its three common booster cores to launch the spacecraft into orbit. The three RS-68A engines combine to generate more than two million pounds of thrust for the Delta IV Heavy. The original variant of the engine, the RS-68, was first tested at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; testing moved to SSC in 2000. The RS-68 powered Delta IV made its inaugural flight in 2002. The upgraded RS-68A completed its first test firing in September 2008, was certified in April 2011 and made its inaugural flight in June 2012. (Source: multiple, including Intelligent Aerospace, 04/14/21, Spaceref, 04/12/21) Related

Contract: Multiple, $70M

Amee Bay LLC, Hanahan, S.C. (N64498-21-D-4023); American Systems Corporation, Chantilly, Va. (N64498-21-D-4024); Continental Tide Defense Systems Inc., Wyomissing, Pa. (N64498-21-D-4025); Delphinus Engineering Inc., Eddystone, Pa. (N64498-21-D-4026); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Va. (N64498-21-D-4027); General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Falls Church, Va. (N64498-21-D-4028); La Playa Inc. of Virginia, Chesapeake, Va. (N64498-21-D-4029); Oceaneering International Inc., Chesapeake, Va. (N64498-21-D-4030); and Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Va. (N64498-21-D-4031), are each awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for the procurement of blue collar installation and technical services for upgrading hull, mechanical and electrical systems under various modernization programs for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division. The maximum dollar value for all nine contracts combined is $69,998,172. Each awardee will be awarded $5,000 (minimum contract guarantee per awardee) at contract award. It is estimated that work will be performed on the East Coast, West Coast, and outside the continental U.S. at the following locations: Norfolk, Va.; San Diego, Calif.; Mayport, Fla.; Bremerton, Wash.; Charleston, S.C.; Alameda, Calif.; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Panama City, Fla.; Baltimore, Md., Manama, Bahrain; Sydney, Australia; Gdynia, Poland; Rota, Spain; Yokosuka, Japan; and Sasebo, Japan. Work will be assigned according to individual task orders and is expected to be completed by April 2027. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $45,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be made available at the task order level as contracting actions occur. This multiple award contract was competitively procured via the Beta.Sam.gov website with nine offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/13/21)

Contract: Raytheon, $14.3M

Raytheon Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is awarded a $14,265,742 modification (P00010) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0001919C0054). This modification adds scope to provide non-recurring engineering, tooling, and hardware to establish full rate production and unique tracking for F135 engines alternate sourced parts in support of the F-35 Lightning II program. Work will be performed in East Hartford and is expected to be completed in June 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $7,132,871; and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,132,871 will be obligated at time of award, all 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, 04/13/21)

Contract: CSS Werx, $9.8M

CSS Werx LLC, Panama City Beach, Fla., is awarded a $9,763,904 expenditure-based prototype project order for the prototype of a rapidly deployable command and control system. The prototype shall fit ithin the physical constraints of an expeditionary afloat environment and have the capability to run all of the existing applications and services consisting of commercially available items of the existing tactical datacenter including bare metal and already deployed reconfigurations. Work will be performed in Panama City and is expected to be completed by October 2022. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $185,000 will be obligated at time of award and not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This agreement was competitively procured via the Expeditionary Warfare Multiple Party Team, other transaction agreements, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61331219G001). (Source: DoD, 04/13/21)

April aerospace newsletter available

The April 2021 edition of the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter has been published. The cover story is about the effort to create two new space-related technology parks near two NASA facilities - one in Southeast Louisiana and the other in South Mississippi.There’s also a story about Gulf Power's recent virtual symposium, including a discussion about Florida and how it fared better than most during the pandemic. Another article focuses on this week's TeCMEN Industry Day, where a contender for the Armed Overwatch program will be discussed. Finally, there's a story about the recently released Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index. It shows that most of the metro areas in the Gulf Coast I-10 region performed quite well and improved their ranking. (Source: Gulf Coast Reporters League, April 2021 newsletter, 04/13/21)

Frasca gets simulator subcontract

Flight simulator company Frasca International of Urbana, Ill., announced that it has been named a subcontractor for the U.S. Navy TH-73A aircrew training services (ATS) contract. Frasca will install eight new TH-73 flight training devices (FTDs) and modify ten existing TH-57B/C models to better reflect the Navy’s TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS). The primary contract was awarded to FlightSafety International company FlightSafety Defense, which will operate and maintain the Frasca FTDs along with providing training support at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla. Delivery is expected to begin this year and continue through 2024. (Sources: multiple, including AVWeb, Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette, Vertical Magazine, 04/09/21). The Leonardo TH-73 is replacing the TH-57 to train Navy, Marine and Coast Guard aviators at Whiting Field in Milton.

Reprogramming lab falling short

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) has come under criticism from the Department of Defense (DoD) for apparent deficiencies at an F-35 software reprogramming laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base. In a January report, the DoD's office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E), indicated that the F-35 United States Reprogramming Laboratory (USRL) is falling short in its mission of testing and improving software essential for the F-35. In its annual report on testing and evaluation in 2019-20 fiscal year, the DOT&E says the USRL is not able to adequately test and improve the F-35s mission data files that provide the fighter jet with the ability to search for and identify hostile targets. The report says the USRL lacks adequate equipment to be able to test and optimize the mission data files under conditions stressing enough to ensure adequate performance against current and future threats in near-peer combat. Among the recommendations in the report, the office calls for obtaining "adequate funding to develop and sustain robust laboratory and simulation environments." The report also calls for ensuring "adequate lab infrastructure" to meet timelines for the operational requirements for the latest F-35s and the fighter program's Continuous Capability Development & Delivery strategy. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/08/21)

General officer assignments

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The secretary of the Air Force announced the following assignments: Maj. Gen. Michele C. Edmondson will be assigned as commander, 2d Air Force, Air Education and Training Command, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. Edmondson is currently serving as commandant of cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.; Maj. Gen. (select) Michael E. Martin will be assigned as commanding general, Special Operations Command Korea, U.S. Special Operations Command, Camp Kim, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea. Martin is currently serving as director, operations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Brig. Gen. Matthew W. Davidson will be assigned as director, operations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. Davidson is currently serving as deputy commander, Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. (Source: DoD, 04/07/21)