F-35 tested in extreme weather lab

F-35 at McKinley Lab. Air Force photo

For the past four months a Marine Corps short take off vertical landing variant of the F-35 has undergone extreme weather testing at McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The F-35B is from the Patuxent River Integrated Test Force in Maryland, and the tests are being done by the 96th Test Wing. The testing is designed to validate the capability of the plane to operate in weather conditions anywhere in the world. With 13 countries currently involved with the program, the F-35 must be tested in meteorological conditions representative of those locations from which it will operate, ranging from the heat of the Outback of Australia to the cold of the Arctic Circle above Canada and Norway. The F-35B arrived at Eglin in September and is expected to remain at there until March in a six-month assessment. The laboratory supports all-weather testing of weapon systems to ensure they function regardless of climatic conditions.  (Sources: Multiple, including The Aviationist, Intelligent Aerospace, NAS Patuxent River, 01/29/15, Eglin Air Force Base, 02/02/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $10M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $10,000,000 ceiling priced modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-02-C-3002) to redesign, test and certify the F-35 Ground Based Data Security Assembly Receptacle. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (51 percent) and Orlando, Fla. (49 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2016. Fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $4,900,000 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, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/30/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

SEALS use NOLF Choctaw

Naval Air Station Whiting Field's Navy Outlying Field Choctaw host­ed a short-notice Naval Special Warfare Group training exercise Jan. 23 when weather conditions left the East Coast SEAL team without a drop zone. After coordination with the NAS Whiting Field Air Opera­tions, NOLF Choctaw, used primarily for naval aviation training, was transformed for four multiple air drops from a Dobbins, Ga., Air Reserve Base C-130 that circled the field at about 10,000 feet. Choctaw air ops were halted for the four-hour training. NOLF Choctaw is near Navarre, Fla., one of 13 outlying fields assigned to Whiting. (Source: Whiting Tower, page 7, 01/28/15)

Airport now intergalactic, sort of

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Pensacola International Airport on Thursday unveiled a campaign designed to welcome sci-fi convention participants to town next month. The airport has put up signs that call the facility "Pensacola Intergalactic Airport" in advance of the Feb. 27 to March 1 Pensacon 2015. The welcoming campaign, which will last until March 3, was done in partnership with Pensacon. There are also banners with pop culture icons and gates that have been renamed "stargates." The convention includes fans of multiple comic genres, including anime, sci-fi, fantasy and more. It's the second year for the convention, which drew 17,000 last year. (Source: GCAC, 01/29/15)

Contract: L-3, $52M

L-3 Communications Corp., Madison, Miss., was awarded a $52,081,320 modification (P00144) to contract W58RGZ-10-C-0107 to acquire maintenance/modifications for the Army's fleet of C-12/RC-12/UC-35 fixed wing aircraft. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $52,081,320 were obligated at the time of the award. The estimated completion date is July 31, 2015. The work will be performed in Madison. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/15)

Contract: Multiple, $486M

InDyne Inc., Reston, Va. (FA8730-15-D-0001), L-3 National Security Solutions Inc., Reston, (FA8730-15-D-0002), Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va. (FA8730-15-D-0003), and Xator Corp., Destin, Fla. (FA8730-15-D-0005), have each been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for force protection site security systems. The total not-to-exceed combined amount for these multiple contracts is $486,000,000. The contractors will worldwide acquisition, upgrade and sustainment of a family of Integrated Base Defense Security Systems. The location of performance will be determined in each delivery and all are expected to be complete by Jan. 28, 2022. Fiscal year 2015 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,000 are being obligated to each company at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/15)

Contract: Lockheed, $10.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $10,581,620 modification to the previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-11-C-0083) in support of the F-35 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot VI for the government of Italy. This modification provides for the F-35 Italian National Database, including a Database Generation System to support delivery of the first Italian full mission simulator. Work will be performed in Turin, Italy (80 percent) and Orlando, Fla. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2017. International Partner funds in the amount of $10,581,620 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, 01/29/15) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Thunderbirds to fly at Keesler show

BILOXI, Miss. -- The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will perform at an air show at Keesler Air Force Base March 28-29. It will be Keesler's first air show and open house in four years. The Thunderbirds last performed their precision aerial maneuvers at Keesler in 2009, and the Navy's Blue Angels performed at Keesler in 2011. This year's air show also features the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team and is expected to draw between 180,000 and 200,000 spectators. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/28/15)

Contract: Crane, $9.8M

Crane Electronics Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has been awarded a maximum $9,766,566 firm-fixed-price contract for high voltage power supplies. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. This contract has a five-year base with no option periods. The location of performance is Florida, with a Jan. 28, 2020 performance completion date. The using military service is Air Force. The type of appropriation is fiscal year 2015 Air Force working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Warner Robbins Air Force Base, Warner Robbins, Ga. (SPRWA1-15-D-0001). (Source: DoD, 01/28/15)

Contract: Airbus, $25M

Airbus Defense and Space Inc., Herndon, Va., was awarded a $24,989,250 modification (P00876) to contract W58RGZ-06-C-0194 to procure program year 10 contractor logistic support for the UH-72A Lakota Helicopters. Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $24,989,250 were obligated at the time of the award. The estimated completion date is Sept. 30, 2015. The work will be performed in Columbus, Miss. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/28/15)

Orbital, ATK merger OKd

DULLES, Va.--Orbital Sciences Corp. today announced stockholders voted to approve the proposed merger with the Aerospace and Defense Groups of Alliant Techsystems Inc. About 99 percent of the votes cast at a special meeting voted in favor, representing some 85 percent of the total of outstanding shares of Orbital common stock. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining conditions to closing, the merger is expected to close on Monday, February 9, 2015. At closing of the merger, ATK will be renamed Orbital ATK Inc. (Source: Business Wire, 01/27/15) Gulf Coast note: Orbital Sciences tests rocket engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss. Previous

Contract: PAE, $31M

PAE Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $31,044,959 modification (P00063) to exercise the option to previously awarded contract FA3010-13-C-0007 for base operations support services. Work will be performed at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2015. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity (FA3010-13-C-0007). (Source: DoD, 01/26/15)

First Aussie to begin F-35 training

The first Royal Australian Air Force pilot will start training this week at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to fly the F-35A. Squadron leader Andrew Jackson's first flight will be months from now, and may not be in either of Australia's two F-35A jets. Australia's second F-35A pilot, David Bell, will start training in mid-2015. Jackson will eventually serve as an instructor pilot for Australian F-35 pilots and other partner-nations. Australia plans to buy 72 of the planes, with the first arriving in Australia in late 2018. The first jet rolled off the production line in 2014. (Source: Australian Associated Press via The Guardian, 01/24/15) Eglin is home of the F-35 integrated training center, and trains pilots and maintainers from all U.S. branches and foreign partner nations.

More Airbus jobs posted

MOBILE, Ala. – Airbus posted two positions Friday for the A320 final assembly line being built at the Mobile Aeroplex. One opening is for a deliver transactions manager, and the other is for a sales contract manager. For a complete list of Airbus jobs in Mobile, visit the Alabama Industrial Development Training website. (Source: al.com, 01/23/15)

Marines get first F-35C

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first F-35C for the U.S. Marine Corps arrived on the flight line earlier this month from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas, to begin training in support of carrier-based operations. Lt. Col. J.T. "Tank" Ryan, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 501 detachment commander and F-35 pilot, delivered the new F-35C to Strike Fighter Squadron 101, the Navy's only F-35 fleet replacement squadron. This aircraft is the first of five Marine Corps F-35Cs that will be delivered to VFA-101 at Eglin. Marine F-35 pilots primarily fly F-35Bs, the short take-off vertical landing variant. The F-35C is the carrier variant, designed to catapult from a carrier. It has a longer range and a larger weapons bay. The first operational Marine Corps F-35C fleet squadron, VMFA-115, is scheduled to stand up at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., in 2019. (Source: 33rd Fighter Wing via DVIDS, 01/23/15)

Contract: L-3, $15.6M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $15,634,434 modification (P00001) to contract W912NW-15-F-0002 for a six month extension of the current bridge contract at Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas, to provide highly specialized aircraft production indirect labor services augmenting the civilian workforce. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $15,634,434 were obligated at the time of the award. The estimated completion date is July 28, 2015. Army Contracting Command, Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/23/15)

Union rates released

The percent of wage and salary workers who were members of unions in 2014 was 11.1 percent, down 0.2 percent from 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of union members, 14.6 million, was little different from 2013. But the drop from 1983, the first year for which comparable union data are available, was significant. In that year the union membership rate was 20.1 percent, and there were 17.7 million union workers. In the four states that are part of the I-10 aerospace corridor, the rate went up slightly in three of the four and remained the same in the other. Mississippi had the lowest union membership with a rate of 3.7 percent, same as in 2013. Louisiana had a union membership rate of 5.2 percent in 2014, up from 4.3 in 2013, and Florida had a union membership rate of 5.7 percent, up from 5.4 in 2013. Alabama's union membership rate was 10.8 percent in 2014, up from 10.7 in 2013. (Source: GCAC, 01/23/15)

Bases to host three solar farms

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Gulf Power is partnering with the Air Force and Navy at three military bases in Northwest Florida to build large-scale solar energy farms. Tentative plans call for the farms to be located at Eglin Air Force Base near Fort Walton Beach (30 megawatts), Holley Outlying Field in Navarre (40 megawatts) and Saufley Field in Pensacola (50 megawatts). As an intermittent engery resource, the solar farms will not replace Gulf Power's generation plants, but will be able to provde energy that will diversify the power supply and provide a cost-effective alternative during peak energy usage. If approved by the Florida Public Service Commission, HelioSage Energy of Virginia would begin construction in February 2016 and the solar farms could be in service by December 2016. (Source: Gulf Power, 01/22/15) According to Eglin officials, the base has entered into negotiations to lease 240 acres adjacent to Northwest Florida Regional Airport for the Gulf Power/HelioSage project.

Contract: L-3, $16.4M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $16,445,946 modification (P00001) to contract W912NW-15-F-0001 for a six month extension of the current bridge contract at Corpus Christi Army Depot to provide highly specialized aircraft production direct labor services, which augment the CCAD civilian workforce. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $16,445,946 were obligated at the time of the award. The estimated completion date is July 28, 2015. Work will be performed at the Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus Christi, Texas. Army Contracting Command, Corpus Christi Army Depot, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/15)

Praxair gets SSC-related contract

DANBURY, Conn. -- Praxair Inc. has been awarded a NASA a contract valued at $53 million over five years for acquisition of liquid hydrogen. Praxair's hydrogen supply network will provide liquid hydrogen to Stennis Space Center, Miss.; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Marshall Space Flight Center, Ala.; and Glenn Research Center, Ohio. NASA uses liquid hydrogen as fuel for rocket engine development, testing and the launching of spacecraft. NASA also awarded Praxair a five-year liquid oxygen supply agreement for Kennedy. Previously, the Department of Defense awarded Praxair a five-year liquid hydrogen supply agreement for missions launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. (Source: Business Wire, 01/22/15)