Contract: Pensacola Bay, $24.1M

Pensacola Bay Support Services LLC, Cape Canaveral, Fla., is awarded a $24,133,485 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to previously awarded contract N69450-18-D-2013. The contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Period 4 for base operating support services under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Fla. This option period is from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $123,620,117. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2022 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $19,174,873 for recurring work will be obligated on an individual task order issued during the option period. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/30/22)

F-22s and the boneyard

The Air Force plans to retire nearly three dozen of Tyndall Air Force Base’s F-22 fighter jets in fiscal 2023, ending plans to move them to Virginia that have been on hold for more than three years. The Raptors have been flying out of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., since a hurricane destroyed Tyndall AFB, Fla., in October 2018. Officials want to divest 33 of the service’s oldest F-22s and use that money to research cutting-edge combat jet designs under the “Next-Generation Air Dominance” program. If Congress approves the idea, it would send all but three Block 20 Raptors to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Ariz., and shrink the overall fleet from 186 to 153 fighters. (Source: DefenseNews via Yahoo, 03/28/22)

F-35 PIO supporting future mission

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 325th Fighter Wing is scheduled to receive F-35A Lightning II aircraft beginning in September 2023. As the “Installation of the Future” readies for its new mission set, Tyndall personnel and contractors are making tailored considerations to the flight line and facilities. Leading that effort is the 325 FW F-35 Program Integration Office. The PIO’s mission is to identify current and future requirements in support of the F-35A bed-down at Tyndall. Before breaking ground on F-35A facilities, the PIO coordinated with engineers from the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron to design a blueprint that optimized operational and combat readiness. (Source: 325th Fight Wing Public Affairs, 03/28/22)

Downtown airport 80 percent funded

MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile County Commissioners on Monday dedicated $15 million toward a new international airport project near downtown Mobile that is over 80 percent funded before construction begins. The money will mostly go toward road work near the new terminal. Of the $15 million, $5 million will go directly toward the terminal project. The balance is expected to pay for improving several roads within the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley where the new terminal will be built within the next two years. (source: aldotcom, 03/28/22)

Contract: NCS/EML, $12.3M

NCS/EML SB JV LLC, Louisville, Ky., is awarded a $12,253,380 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification to previously awarded contract N69450-19-D-1740. The contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Period Three for base operating support services at installations under the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) area of operations. Work will be performed in Milton, Fla. (67%); and outlying areas (33%). This option period is from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $48,280,469. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2022 Defense Health Program funds; fiscal 2022 family housing funds; fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds; and fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Air Force) contract funds in the amount of $8,591,890 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. No funds will be obligated at time of award. NAVFAC SE, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/29/22)

Contract: Booz Allen, $8.9M

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Va., is awarded an $8,934,726 modification (P00011) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, level-of-effort, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N0042117D0021). This modification exercises an option to extend the services with additional ceiling to provide continued support of the Naval Aviation Enterprise’s mission to sustain required current readiness and advance future warfighting capabilities at the best possible cost. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va. (25.89%); North Island, Calif. (19.98%); Patuxent River, Md. (12.71%); Arlington, Va. (10.58%); Cherry Point, N.C. (3.63%); New River, N.C. (3.63%); Millington, Tenn. (2.73%); Fort Worth, Texas (2.73%); Miramar, Calif. (2.73%); Yuma, Ariz. (1.82%); Camp Pendleton, Calif. (1.82%); Pensacola, Fla. (1.82%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9.93%), and is expected to be completed in October 2022. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/29/22)

Contract: Reliance Test, $228.3M

Reliance Test & Technology, Crestview, Fla., has been awarded a $228,340,941 option modification (P00139) to previously awarded contract FA2486-16-C-0002 for Eglin Operations & Maintenance Services to exercise Award Term Option Period One. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; and Holloman AFB, N.M., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026. Fiscal 2022 Air Force research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $12,185,000; and fiscal 2022 Army operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $405,000 will be obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,026,881,161. The Air Force Test Center, Eglin AFB, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/29/22)

Contract: Environmental Chemical, $86.9M

Environmental Chemical Corp., Burlingame, Calif., is awarded an $86,927,066 firm-fixed-price task order (N6945022F0358) for design-build for Hurricane Sally recovery work at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The work to be performed provides for interior and exterior storm repairs for 41 facilities. The maximum dollar value, including the base year and five options, is $97,126,576. Work will be performed in Pensacola and is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $86,927,066 will be obligated at time of award, and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under a multiple award construction contract with two offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (N62470-19-D-8025) (Source: DoD, 03/28/22)

Contract: Lockheed, $13.6M

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $13,602,004 modification (P00012) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N0001919C0074). This modification increases scope to procure special tooling and special test equipment in support of next generation capabilities for F-35 air vehicle full rate production Lots 15 and beyond for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Goleta, Calif. (82%); and McKinney, Texas (18%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,217,264; fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,217,262; FMS customer funds in the amount of $5,750,100; and non-U.S. DOD participant funds in the amount of $1,417,378 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, 03/28/22) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center and reprogramming labs.

Contract: Lockheed, $10.2M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $10,157,493 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification (P00021) to an order (N0001920F0571) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001919G0008). This modification adds scope and exercises options to procure various material modification kits and special test/tooling equipment necessary to support various modifications and retrofit efforts on F-35 aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in October 2024. Fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $87,858; fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,743,810; fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,518,940; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $45,785; non-U.S. DOD participant funds in the amount of $4,082,549; and FMS funds in the amount of $678,551 will be obligated at the time of award, $45,785 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, 03/28/22) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center and reprogramming labs.

Command change at Training Air Wing 5

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Capt. Jade Lepke relieved Col. Jeffrey Pavelko as Commodore of Training Air Wing 5 in a ceremony March 18. The ceremony’s guest speaker was Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) Rear Adm. Robert Westendorff. Pavelko graduated from Pennsylvania State University and earned his commission in 1994. He attended flight school in Pensacola, Fla., and designated as a naval aviator in September 1997. Lepke enlisted with the South Dakota Air National Guard as an aircraft armament systems specialist and earned a degree from the University of South Dakota in 1996 and attended Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, earning his commission in 1997. (Source: Whiting Field Public Affairs, 03/28/22)

Contract: Lockheed, $16.6M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $16,645,723 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00004) to a previously awarded contract (N0001921C0040). This modification adds scope to provide for the development, integration, and testing of the Israel unique software data load in support of integration of Technology Refresh 3 (TR3) onto the F-35 Lot 15 Israel production aircraft. The integration efforts will include reverification of a select subset of the 3F+ software capability captured in the Israel System Development and Demonstration TR-3 reverification systems requirements document, airworthiness related flight testing of 3F+ software on TR-3 enabled aircraft, and weapons certification updates for use with TR-3 aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth (71.91%); Redondo Beach, Calif. (14.15%); St. Charles, Mo. (6.33%); Tucson, Ariz. (4.73%); Palm Bay, Fla. (1.99%); and Nevatim, Israel (0.89%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $16,645,723 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, 03/23/22) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center and reprogramming labs.

F-22 has landing mishap

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — An F-22 from the 325th Fighter Wing "experienced a mishap on landing" at Eglin Air Force Base shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to a release from the public affairs office. Emergency crews responded to the scene and the pilot was transported for evaluation. Later the pilot was reported to be in good condition and was released from the 96th Medical Group. An investigation of the circumstances surrounding the mishap was underway, according to the Eglin announcement. The 325th Fighter Wing is based at Tyndall Air Force Base in nearby Panama City, but the wing's flying operations moved to Eglin after of 2018's Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm, made a direct hit on Tyndall AFB. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/23/22)

Eglin lab gets female director

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Melissa Tate, currently the lead engineer and deputy of the Propulsion Test Branch in the Test Division of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Tennessee's Arnold Air Force Base, will take on a new role as McKinley Climatic Laboratory site director beginning next month. Tate will become the first female director in the 75-year history of the lab. Tate will oversee climatic testing of various military and commercial systems in the facility. Five test chambers are used to prove the operational reliability of systems under test in the climatic extremes found around the world. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/18/22)

Contract: Lockheed, $318.9M

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $318,933,722 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00014) to previously awarded contract FA8682-21-C-0001 for the exercise of an option to add 308 Lot 20 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range missiles with containers. Work will be performed in Orlando; and Troy, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2026. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2022 missile procurement funds in the amount of $318,933,722 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $988,545,063. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 17, 2022) (Source: DoD, 03/21/22)

Contract: Lockheed, $17.6M

Lockheed Martin, Orlando, Fla., has been awarded a $17,551,020 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00012) to previously awarded contract FA8682-21-C-0004. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for six additional Long Range Anti-Ship Missile Lot 6 missiles with containers. Work will be performed in Orlando; and Troy, Ala., and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Fiscal 2022 Navy weapon procurement funds are being obligated at the time of award, and the total cumulative face value of the contract is $555,893,761. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 16, 2022) (Source: DoD, 03/18/22)

Contract: Northrop, $17.2M

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Annapolis, Md., is awarded a $17,246,905 firm-fixed-priced, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity requirements contract for depot level repair. This follow-on contract includes: maintenance, modifications, repairs, alteration, upgrades of systems and spares for the AN/AQS-24 Sonar Detecting Set (all variants), Common Post Mission Analysis and Intermediate Level Test Equipment to support the Navy for the currently deployed airborne mine countermeasures legacy systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $77,590,973. Work will be performed in Annapolis and is expected to be completed by October 2026. No funding will be obligated at the time of award. The contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii) and (iii) – circumstances permitting other than full and open competition when only one responsible source and no supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Surface Warfare Center - Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting activity (N61331-22-D-0001). (Source: DoD, 03/18/22)

County to decide on airport funds

MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile County Commissioners will decide March 28 whether to dedicate up to $30 million to a new international airport project in downtown Mobile. The vote occurs ahead of a Mobile Airport Authority meeting on April 6, in which authority members are set to rename the airport, according to Airport Authority President Chris Curry. This comes in the wake of an overall $162 million in federal money dedicated to the $252 million airport terminal project at the Mobile Aeroplex, south of downtown Mobile. (Source: aldotcom, 03/16/22) Mobile Regional Airport in west Mobile is the current commercial airport.

VT-2 changes leadership

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. - Cmdr. Joshua Seamount, U.S. Navy, relieved Cmdr. Edward Ahlstrand, U.S. Coast Guard, as the 58th commanding officer of the “Doerbirds,” Training Squadron Two (VT-2), in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Whiting Field on Mar. 4. VT-2 is one of three fixed-wing aircraft training squadrons at Whiting Field under Training Air Wing Five (TRAWING FIVE), which conducts 60 percent of all Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps primary training for aviation students. Ahlstrand and Seamount conducted their change of command in an airborne ceremony while family, friends, distinguished guests and squadron personnel watched below. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, 03/15/22)

The drones of SSC

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Unmanned aircraft are becoming a go-to resource for use on difficult and potentially dangerous jobs at NASA's Stennis Space Center (SSC). With modern lightweight cameras and other sensors, drones are being used for a variety of tasks, including aerial imagery, inspections, and mapping. Recent drone flights at SSC recorded imagery of the RS-25’s latest test on February 24. The drone captured live stream video of the test event and the liquid oxygen ground disbursement. Drones at SSC also track construction progress and record data for historical purposes. Drones at SSC and NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans also captured imagery of damaged roofs after Hurricanes Zeta and Ida. (Source: WJTV, 03/14/22)