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DECEMBER 2009
Election a referendum on F-35?
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The 2010 mayor’s race may shape up as a referendum on the city’s
face-off with the Air Force over the F-35. The March 9 ballot so far pits Valparaiso Mayor
Bruce Arnold against challenger Brent Smith. Arnold was a driving force behind the city’s
lawsuit against the Air Force, while Smith opposed the litigation. The Air Force is building
the F-35 joint training center at Eglin, but some residents have been concerned over the
noise. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 12/30/09)
Contract: Vertex, $11.4M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded an
$11,406,910 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide specialized
technical services in support of depot level maintenance work performed at the Fleet
Readiness Center, Southwest on aircraft and rework of associated components and
materials. Services to be provided include modifications, in-service repairs and all other
categories of service associated with aircraft depot level maintenance and its planning.
Work will be performed in California, Washington, Hawaii and Arizona and is expected to
be completed in April 2010. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake,
Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/30/09)
Second F-35B arrives
The second Lockheed Martin F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing arrived Tuesday at
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The aircraft flew nonstop from Fort Worth, Texas,
and completed an aerial refueling en route. Over the next year a team will ramp up the
plane for flight testing. (Source: PRNewswire, 12/29/09) In another F-35-related
development, the United States may let Japan take part the multinational team developing
the F-35, according to a Kyodo News report. (Source: Japan Times, 12/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to be the JSF training center.
Pensacola airport gets director
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Melinda Crawford will be appointed Wednesday as the new director of
Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport. Crawford has been the interim director since May
15, when former director Frank Miller left the position for a job in San Antonio, Texas.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 12/29/09)
Contract: General Dynamics, $33.6M
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded a
$33,638,976 firm-fixed-price contract for 144 Bradley reactive armor tile sets for the
Bradley Fighting Vehicle systems. Most of the work will be done in Haifa, Israel; Burlington
and Lyndonville, Vt., but McHenry, Miss., will do 1.7 percent of the work. Estimated
completion date is Nov. 30, 2010. Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions and
Lethality, Contracting Center, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 12/29/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $12.4M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $12,427,000 contract, with a task order from
an existing requirements contract, to purchase 43 range safety systems necessary for
decoy operational testings and miniature air launched decoy and jammer initial
operational test and evaluation. 692 ARSS/PK Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/29/09)
Rapiscan may get more work
The attempted attack of an airliner by a man wearing explosives under his clothing may
mean more business for Rapiscan Systems of Torrance, Calif., and its 10,000 square-foot
production facility in Ocean Springs, Miss. Louis Peters, general manager of Rapiscan
Mississippi, said Rapiscan has a contract with the Transportation Security Administration
to provide 150 systems for airports across the United States. The plant recently hired 25
additional workers. TSA in May awarded Rapiscan a follow-on order of about $3 million for
its Rapiscan 620DV Advanced Technology X-Ray system to screen baggage and parcels.
A year ago Rapiscan was named the 2008 North American Homeland Security Inspection
and Screening Company of the Year by Frost & Sullivan for its ability to develop and
deploy products that enhance security at airports, seaports and border crossings
worldwide. (Sources: WLOX-TV, Sun Herald, Tcp, 12/28/09)
Contract: Lockheed Martin, $98M
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $98,000,000
modification to the previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for special tooling
and special test equipment required for the manufacture of Joint Strike Fighter Air System
low rate initial production aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is
expected to be completed in November 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the JSF training center.
JSF center construction funded
More than $84 million for F-35 structures and a 96-room dormitory at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is part of the $13.5 billion fiscal 2010 military construction budget. It’s part of
the $2.4 billion headed to the Air Force for new or better dorms, fitness centers, training
centers, control towers and runways. Final approval of the funds came Dec. 13, when the
Senate passed the 2010 consolidated appropriations bill. President Barack Obama also
must sign off on the measure. (Source: Air Force Times, 12/27/09)
Teledyne Continental eyes new markets
MOBILE, Ala. – Teledyne Continental Motors is making a push into diesel-powered
engines to enter new markets worldwide – including small unmanned aerial vehicles.
Teledyne Continental is hiring engineers and has bought diesel-related technology,
licenses and hardware from an outside source. Teledyne plans to announce details in
January. Teledyne Continental is a unit of Teledyne Technologies of Thousand Oaks,
Calif., and has about 450 workers in Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/27/09)
Developer picked for Eglin resort
A developer has been chosen for the new Emerald Breeze Resort on Air Force Gulf-front
property in Okaloosa County. Eglin chose Innisfree Hotels and Innisfree Development for
the operation and development of a $24 million hotel and multi-use resort next to the Four
Points Sheraton, a dozen miles south of Eglin's west gate. The 17-acre property with 600
feet of Gulf frontage will continue its military function as a radar installation, but the resort
will be open to military and civilian visitors. Innisfree beat out more than 100 potential
developers to create the resort. (Sources: WEAR-TV 12/24/09, Hotels, 12/22/09)
UK announces third JSF buy
The United Kingdom has received financial approval to buy its third Lockheed Martin F-
35B Lightning II operational test aircraft. The approval follows recent F-35 down-select or
procurement commitments by Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy and the United
States. The U.K. has invested $2 billion in the F-35's development. More than 100 British
companies are involved in the program. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 12/22/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home of the JSF training center.
Hurricane Hunters fly winter storm mission
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron have been tasked by National Weather Service officials to fly their first winter
storm of the season on the East Coast starting Dec. 25. The Air Force Reserve's
"Hurricane Hunters," assigned to the 403rd Wing, normally collect weather data during
tropical storms, enabling forecasters to make more accurate predictions. Between
hurricane seasons, they have a lesser known role of collecting weather data during winter
storms. The Hurricane Hunters fly WC-130Js at high altitudes and drop small weather
canisters, or dropsondes, designed to collect weather data in key locations of high-
weather activity. (Source: AFNS, 12/21/09)
Shuttle tank leaves Michoud
A 15-story shuttle external tank left Sunday from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans for its roughly 900-mile trip to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The trip
usually takes six days, meaning it should arrive on or around Christmas day. The tank,
manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will boost shuttle Discovery into orbit in March.
(Source: Florida Today, 12/21/09)
Ravens to get upgrade from analog
AeroVironment of Monrovia, Calif., has received a $23.9 million firm fixed-price order
under an existing contract to upgrade existing analog Raven systems being used by the
Army and Marine Corps. The potential value is $66.6 million. The Raven unmanned
aircraft is a 4.2-pound, hand-launched sensor platform that provides real-time video
imagery for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical
units. (Source: BusinessWire, 12/21/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an
operation in Navarre, Fla.
Missile two for two in testing
An F-15C fired Raytheon’s AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder advanced, infrared-guided air-to-air
missile as part of the missile's developmental testing program. The weapon successfully
passed within lethal range of a BQM-74 target drone, meeting all primary test objectives.
The Nov. 20 test occurred at the test range at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and marks the
second time the missile has been fired. (Source: Raytheon, 12/21/09)
ST Mobile gets contract extension
MOBILE, Ala. - ST Aerospace Mobile said Friday that it has won a three-year extension of
a contract to maintain/overhaul Airbus A330s, Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s and Boeing
767s for US Airways. No terms were announced. It’s the second big contract announced
this month for the company at Brookley Field Industrial Complex. It earlier won a three-
year $90 million contract to maintain Airbus A320s and Boeing 767s for an unnamed
airline. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/18/09)
Composite joining method passes test
An innovative method for joining composite structures has passed a series of structural
tests. Gene Fraser, vice president of Advanced Programs and Technology for Northrop
Grumman Aerospace Systems, said it’s a major step towards using composites in future
space missions. The joint design was used to mate two segments of NASA’s composite
crew module demonstrator. The test article represents the inner pressurized shell for the
Orion crew module, part of the Constellation Program to return astronauts to the moon
and beyond. Test results proved the mating process retains compartment pressure and
withstands external loads at twice the level normally experienced in flight. Tests were done
at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. (Source: Globe Newswire, 12/17/09)
Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans are involved in the Constellation program.
Jacobs acquires FWB’s Tybrin
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., announced Friday that it has acquired
Tybrin Corp., a 1,500-person professional services firm headquartered in Fort Walton
Beach, Fla. Jacobs did not disclose the terms of the transaction. Founded in 1972, Tybrin
is a supplier of mission planning solutions, systems engineering, software development,
modeling and combat environment simulation, engineering and testing, range safety, and
other services to the Department of Defense, NASA, and other government clients.
(Source: Jacobs via PRNewswire, 12/18/09)
Star Aviation gets military work
MOBILE, Ala. – Ten-year-old Star Aviation has won its first military subcontract. MacAulay-
Brown Inc., an engineering firm based in Dayton, Ohio, awarded the Mobile company a
deal to work on combat survivor locator systems for Air Force C-130s. Star will do
structural and electrical engineering work, make wiring harnesses and structural parts,
and support installation work. Star did not disclose the value of the work. The company is
based at Brookley Field Industrial Complex, where it has about 55 workers. (Source:
Mobile Press Register, 12/16/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $19.8M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,763,454 contract which will provide the
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Production Lot 23 contract. At this time, the
entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/17/09)
Rocketdyne wins contractor award
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne received the 2009 Large Business Prime Contractor
Excellence Award from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. The company
was recognized for exemplary support of the center’s subcontracting programs under the
J-2X upper stage engine and space shuttle main engine contracts. The J-2X engine will
power the nation’s next generation space launch vehicles, Ares I and V. The space shuttle
main engine – all tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss. – is a reusable rocket engine that
has powered the shuttles since 1981. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 12/15/09) Gulf Coast
note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne also has an operation at Stennis Space Center.
AirTran returns to airport
GULFPORT, Miss. – AirTran Airways flights will resume at Gulfport-Biloxi International
Airport on Jan. 8. The non-stop flights will initially be three days a week, on Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays, aboard a 117-seat Boeing 717. Jeremiah Gerald, director of air
service and business development at the airport, said it’s been almost a year since
AirTran pulled out of the market. AirTran returned under a partnership between the IP
Casino Resort, Grand Biloxi Casino and Aviation Advantage. (Source: Sun Herald,
12/16/09)
Donley: Change in tanker request unlikely
The Pentagon is unlikely to change its list of requirements for a fleet of aerial tankers,
despite objections from one of the bidders, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said.
Northrop Grumman and partner EADS said the terms favor Boeing. Northrop said it would
not compete without significant changes. (Source: Reuters, 12/14/09) U.S. Sen. Jeff
Sessions, R.-Ala., said Tuesday that he’s unsure what Congress will do if the Northrop
makes good on its threat. “I don't think Congress is going to want to be drawn into this,
although it could very well happen," he said. (Source: Defense News, 12/15/09)
Meanwhile, the war of words continues. A comment on NPR by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-
Wash., saying she’s never seen anyone standing in line to build anything in Alabama,
elicited a host of responses pointing out that Alabama is home to automakers,
shipbuilders, aerospace workers and more. (Multiple, sample McClatchy, 12/15/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $114.6M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $114,558,014 contract which will
provide support for small diameter bomb Increment 1 production for munitions, carriages
and technical supports. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/15/09)
New park likely to target aerospace
BILOXI, Miss. – Harrison County is on its way to buying some 600 acres for an industrial
park north of Interstate 10 that likely will be marketed to aerospace companies. Harrison
County supervisors on Monday gave the OK to buy land in Saucier for the North Harrison
County Industrial Park. Larry Barnett, executive director of the Harrison County
Development Commission, estimates the park will be ready for tenants in 2013. Plans call
for one site of 250 to 300 acres, along with four smaller lots of 50 acres each. Barnett
expects manufacturing that would be appropriate for the aerospace corridor that runs
along Interstate 10 from New Orleans to Florida. (Source: Sun Herald, 12/14/09)
Rocketdyne opens facility at university
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne celebrated the opening of the new PoWeR Innovations
Research facility on the campus of University of Alabama in Huntsville last week. The
facility is part of a collaborative effort designed to develop new technologies and business
strategies for both company and the Alabama university. UAH will provide offices,
laboratories and support so Rocketdyne personnel can collaborate on planning, research
and development activities. Rocketdyne will provide access to its technical and business
personnel co-located at the university. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will help develop new
technologies of interest to both parties. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 12/11/09) Gulf Coast
note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has activities at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
EADS details $247M helo contract
The Army awarded the fifth year contract for the Lakota Light Utility Helicopter to EADS
North America for $247.2 million. This contract increases the company’s supply of 45
additional Lakotas along with hardware to equip the rotary-wing aircraft for medical
evacuation, personnel transport and multi-mission applications. The contract funds fiscal
year 2010 production of UH-72A Lakotas to be delivered through June 2011, and brings
the total number of Light Utility Helicopters ordered by the U.S. Army to 178. The contract
ensures continuity of UH-72A deliveries from the state-of-the-art facility in Columbus,
Miss., operated by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter business unit. (Source:
EADS North America, 12/10/09)
Eglin to host air show
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin officials confirmed that the base will host an air
show in 2010. "75 Years of Eglin Pride" is the theme for the air show scheduled for April
10-11. A wide variety of aerial performers, including the Thunderbirds, will headline the
show, which will include static displays. Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, Air Armament Center
commander, said air shows allow the public to better understand the military mission.
(Source: Eglin, 12/10/09)
RS-68 boosts DoD satellite
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne helped boost into orbit the third in a series of Wideband
Global SATCOM satellites designed to increase communications capabilities for the
Department of Defense. The mission launched Dec. 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV with Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10
engines providing the booster and upper stage propulsion, respectively. It was the 11th
launch of a Delta IV vehicle powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engines. (Source:
Pratt & Whitney, 12/07/09) Gulf Coast connection: RS-68 engines are assembled and
tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
United selects Trent XWB engines
Rolls-Royce has been selected by United Airlines to power its new fleet of Airbus A350
XWB aircraft. The contract for 25 Airbus A350 XWB plus long-term service support is
worth $2 billion. The aircraft are due to be delivered between 2016 and 2019. In addition,
the airline has also announced future purchase rights for a further 50 aircraft. Firm orders
for the Trent XWB engine total more than 1,000 from 33 customers. The engine will enter
into service in 2013. (Source: Rolls-Royce, 12/08/09) Gulf Coast connections: ATK will
produce composite structures and tooling for the A350 XWB in Iuka, Miss.; XWB engines
are scheduled to be tested the Rolls-Royce test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
beginning in 2010 or 2011.
Keesler air show wins award
BILOXI, Miss. – Keesler Air Force Base’s “Thunder on the Bay” air show held in April has
been named the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Best Military Show Site 2009. Lt. Col.
Gregory Thomas, Thunderbird commander/leader, presented the award at the annual
International Council of Air Shows in Las Vegas. Thunder on the Bay was held April 4 and
5 and drew an estimated crowd of 142,000. Keesler's next air show will be March 19-20,
2011, showcased with a performance by the Navy Blue Angels, based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola, Fla. (Source: Keesler, 12/08/09)
Block 40 Global Hawk takes to air
PALMDALE, Calif. - The first Block 40 configuration of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned
aerial system successfully completed its first flight last month. Designated AF-18, the
Global Hawk flew about two hours from Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in
Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Global Hawk production acceptance activities
will transition in the near future from Edwards to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. The
company performs Global Hawk subassembly work at its Unmanned Systems Center in
Moss Point, Miss., and final assembly at its Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center in
Palmdale. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 12/08/09)
ST Aerospace lands contract
MOBILE, Ala. - ST Aerospace Mobile won a new airplane maintenance contract and could
hire as many as 200 new employees. The contract calls for the company to maintain
Airbus A320 and Boeing 767 planes belonging to an unnamed airline. The contract is
worth $90 million for the first three years, and has an option for another two years worth
another $80 million. The company has close to 1,300 employees and contractors.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/05/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $329.4M
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $329,400,000
modification to the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter air system low rate initial
production Lot III cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract for special tooling and special
test equipment. Work will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire,
Maryland, and the United Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed in November 2011.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 12/04/09)
Contract: Composite Engineering, $29.3M
Composite Engineering Inc., Sacramento, Calif., was awarded a $29,342,315 contract
which will provide Lot 7 option to procure a quantity of 36 additional BQM-167As, also
known as the Air Force Subscale Aerial Target. 691 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/04/09)
Senators: Move forward on tankers
Two senators say the Air Force should move forward with plan to buy aerial tankers even
if Boeing is the only bidder. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Kent Conrad, D-S.D., said in a joint
statement that there have already been too many delays. Northrop, which wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., said Tuesday it would not bid on the contract unless
the Pentagon makes big changes to its request for proposals. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 12/04/09)
Airbus’ Trent named chamber chair
MOBILE, Ala. - David Trent, head of the Airbus Engineering Center at Brookley Industrial
Complex, has been named 2010 chairman of the board of the Mobile Area Chamber of
Commerce. Opened in 2007, the Airbus center has 145 employees who do interior design
work on several Airbus commercial aircraft. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/03/09)
Contract: EADS, $247.2M
EADS North American Defense, Arlington, Va., was awarded a $247,242,722 firm-fixed-
price contract for the funding of program year 2005 of the Army's Light Utility Helicopter
program for 45 light utility helicopters, 30 medical evacuation mission equipment
packages, 30 MEDEVAC B-kits, 30 hoist B-kits, four personnel mission equipment
packages, 11 engine inlet barrier filters, 34 environmental control units, and 45 airborne
radio communication 231s. Work is to be performed in Columbus, Miss., with an estimated
completion date of June 30, 2011. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, CCAM-BH-C,
Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/03/09)
Hearing becomes Constellation rally
WASHINGTON - A congressional hearing on astronaut safety turned into a pep rally for
NASA’s Constellation program, with lawmakers and witnesses endorsing it as the best
replacement for the shuttle. U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who
heads the House subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, organized the hearing as a
counter to a presidential panel that raised questions about the value of Constellation's
Ares I rocket in favor of commercial launchers. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/02/09) Gulf
Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
are involved in the Constellation program.
Fire Scout may play CG role
The Coast Guard is actively pursuing a vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aerial
vehicle to satisfy requirements for its National Security Cutter. In October, the service
used Northrop Grumman's company-owned Fire Scout, P6, for land-based tests from
Webster Field at NAS Patuxent River, Md. The UAV was equipped with off-the-shelf
imaging surveillance radar. Northrop used its own money to integrate the radar on the
aircraft and has been pouring R&D funds into the Fire Scout to reduce risk. (Source:
Aviation Week, 12/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: GCC, CCI, $10M each
GCC/Thomco LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and CCI Group, LLC, Shalimar, Fla., were
each awarded a $10,000,000 contract which provides acquisition of base engineering
requirements, maintenance, repair and minor construction efforts. 96 CONS/PKAC, Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/01/09)
Northrop threatens not to bid on tanker
Northrop Grumman won’t bid for the Air Force refueling tanker program unless changes
are made to the draft request for proposals. In a letter to the Pentagon, Northrop notes
the draft request shows a clear preference for a smaller tanker than the A330 the
Northrop and teammate EADS are offering. The letter said competing would be a financial
burden. Northrop and EADS won the contract in February 2008 over Boeing, which
offered the smaller 767. The decision was overturned following a Boeing protest, and
restarted in September. Northrop/EAD planned to build the tanker in Mobile, Ala.
(Sources: Multiple, including Bloomberg, Reuters, Mobile Press-Register, 12/01/09)
GATR test successful
Alliant Techsystems and Elbit Systems Ltd. have successfully conducted flight tests of the
Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR) fired from an Army OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
The recent tests took place at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. GATR can be used in urban
areas and against targets where a low collateral damage solution is required. GATR uses
advanced acquisition, tracking and guidance algorithms to achieve one-meter accuracy
against stationary and moving targets. The GATR system fills the gap between larger,
more expensive guided missiles and the current family of unguided rockets. (Source:
PRNewswire, 12/01/09)
NOVEMBER 2009
Contract: Raytheon, $19M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $19,078,537 modification to
a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for AIM-9X Sidewinder (Block II) missile
obsolescence and engineering technical support for the Navy and Air Force. Work to be
provided include missile obsolescence tasks, engineering technical support and software
development. Five percent of the work will be done at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., but the
majority, 90 percent, will be done in Tucson, Ariz. Another 5 percent will be done at China
Lake, Calif. Work is expected to be completed in November 2010. This contract combines
purchases for the Air Force and Navy. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River,
Md. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/30/09)
NATO to fund spy system
NAPLES, Italy - Fifteen NATO nations will fund an air surveillance command and control
system to be located at Naval Air Station Sigonella, a shared Italian-U.S. Navy base in
Sicily. The Air Ground Surveillance system consists of eight Northrop Grumman RQ-4B
Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles. The ground portion will be developed by
Canadian and European industry, according to a NATO news release. The NATO
surveillance project is expected to cost between $1.5 billion to $2.3 billion. Plans are for
the project to be in place by 2012. (Source: Stars and Stripes, 12/01/09) Gulf Coast note:
Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Airport embarks on renovation
NEW ORLEANS – Louis Armstrong International Airport has begun $755 million worth of
projects to modernize its facilities. It includes construction of a new concourse and the
eventual abandonment of two old ones. The airport has identified 16 projects, including
new signs and lighting at the terminal curbside and rescue station. (Source: New Orleans
Times Picayune, 11/29/09)
Contract: Composite Engineering, $37.6M
Composite Engineering Inc. was awarded a $37,551,848 contract which procures
additional subscale aerial targets. At this time, $37,551,848 has been obligated. 691
ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/25/09)
U.S. to withhold F-35 code
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., could wind up with another F-35-related mission in addition to
being the primary Joint Strike Fighter training center. Reuters is reporting that the United
States plans to keep to itself sensitive software code that controls the F-35 fighter,
despite requests from nations that have helped fund the JSF. The code is key to the
plane's electronic brains, Jon Schreiber, who heads the program's international affairs,
told Reuters. Instead, the United States plans to set up a "reprogramming facility,"
probably at Eglin, to further develop F-35-related software and distribute upgrades, he
said. Software changes will be integrated there "and new operational flight programs will
be disseminated out to everybody who's flying the jet," Schreiber told Reuters. (Source:
Reuters, 11/25/09)
Teledyne recalling parts
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors is recalling and replacing an engine part in
several hundred airplane engines after the part began to wear out more rapidly than
normal. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all the planes containing the
hydraulic lifters until the parts are replaced. Rhett Ross, president of Teledyne
Continental, said about 450 engines and parts sets were in question, and more than two-
thirds have already been replaced. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/25/09)
NASA honors Haise
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will present astronaut Fred Haise Jr. with NASA's
Ambassador of Exploration Award during a Dec. 2 ceremony at the Gorenflo Elementary
School in Biloxi, Miss. Haise will present the award, consisting of a moon rock encased in
Lucite for display, to Paul Tisdale, superintendent of the Biloxi Public School System, and
Tina Thompson, the school's principal. Haise attended Gorenflo. NASA is giving the award
to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for
realizing America's goal of going to the moon. The moon rock is part of the 842 pounds of
lunar samples collected during six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972. (Source: NASA,
11/24/09)
Tanker does simultaneous refueling
An Australian A330 tanker has performed the first simultaneous fuel transfer with its all-
digital hose-and-drogue system, fueling two fighter aircraft at the same time, according to
EADS. The hose-and-drogue fuel transfers occurred Nov. 18 during a flight test sortie
that utilized both the A330 MRTT's left and right under-wing pods. The plane conducted
11 simultaneous airborne refueling contacts with two NATO F/A-18 fighters and
transferred more than 25,000 lbs of fuel. (Source: EADS, 11/23/09) Gulf Coast note: The
tanker is the same type being offered by the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to the Air
Force.
First Fire Scout production deliveries made
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman completed the first three MQ-8B Fire Scout production
deliveries to the Navy, which completes the first year of Low Rate Initial Production for the
UAV helicopter. Two of the three Fire Scouts were deployed aboard the USS McInerney
for use on a scheduled operational deployment. Fire Scouts have been aboard the USS
McInerney four times since December 2008, completing 110 ship takeoffs and landings
and 45 landings with the harpoon grid, accumulating over 47 hours of flight time. (Source:
Northrop Grumman, 11/24/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are made in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
NASA picks small biz projects to develop
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has selected for development 368 small
business innovation projects that include research to minimize aging of aircraft, new
techniques for suppressing fires on spacecraft and advanced transmitters for deep space
communications. Chosen from more than 1,600 proposals, the awards are part of NASA's
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.
Six of the awards will develop technologies for the Innovative Partnership Program at
Stennis Space Center. (Source: NASA, 11/23/09)
Goodrich to lay off nearly 80
FOLEY, Ala. – Goodrich in Foley will lay off 78 people in January. The layoffs are from the
maintenance, repair, and overhaul division. A representative from the company blamed it
on slow demand and the global recession. Company leaders say employees will be
offered severance packages and will be eligible to keep their health insurance for six
months. Goodrich employs about 800 people in Foley. (Source: WALA-TV, 11/23/09)
Arms buyer spurns calls to include WTO ruling
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon's chief arms buyer spurned pressure from Boeing allies in
Congress to factor a World Trade Organization ruling against Airbus into the competition
to build aerial tankers to the Air Force. Ashton Carter told reporters the Pentagon
addressed the trade issue when it put out draft bidding rules in September for a tanker
rematch between Boeing and the team of Northrop Grumman and Airbus parent EADS.
The Pentagon said the WTO findings were preliminary. (Source: Reuters, 11/23/09)
Passenger count up in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passenger levels were up nearly 9 percent last month at Louis
Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. Figures show there were 704,686
passengers, compared to 648,544 in October 2008. It’s attributed to concert-goers,
conventioners and football fans. (Source: AP via Times-Picayune, 11/22/09)
Navy seeks UAV anti-collision system
ARLINGTON, Va. - Navy researchers are asking industry to develop a collision avoidance
system to enable unmanned aerial vehicles to operate in civil airspace. The Office of
Naval Research issued a broad agency announcement for the Unmanned Air System
Autonomous Collision Avoidance System to enable UAVs to sense and avoid other aircraft
while operating in the National Air Space System. Initial research to develop a UAV
collision-avoidance system will focus on the Navy Fire Scout unmanned helicopter and
Army Tier 2 Shadow fixed-wing UAV. Air Force researchers are pursuing a similar
initiative. (Source: Military and Aerospace Electronics, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire
Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Sierra Nevada, $9.1M
Sierra Nevada Corp., Centennial, Colo., was awarded a $9,103,824 contract which will
provide aircraft weapon integration. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated.
AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/09)
Contract: DTS, $13.9M
DTS Aviation Services Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $13,893,827 contract
which will provide aircraft backshop maintenance, munitions and equipment support
services for the Air Armament Center and for their command and control,
communications, computers and intelligence systems testing for a 12 month period. 96
CONS/PKB, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/09)
Global Hawk gets airworthiness certificate
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman said the Air Force has granted the RQ-4 Global Hawk
unmanned aerial vehicle a military Airworthiness Certification, a step on the path to
routine unmanned flight within the United States. The AWC process verifies an aircraft
design has met performance requirements within the mission profile to safely fly in
national airspace and assures operators and mission managers that the production
articles conform to the design. The certification process evaluated more than 600
airworthiness criteria. (Source: Globe Newswire, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks
are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Politicking continues on tanker
MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, in the wake of a lobbying trip to Washington this
week, expressed hope that lawmakers are open to the possibility of buying new aerial
refueling tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Jones said
the Mobile group met with nine lawmakers Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier this week, a
group of more than a dozen lawmakers who are Boeing supporters began a push to have
the Pentagon factor a World Trade Organization dispute over aircraft subsidies into the
tanker competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/20/09, 11/19/09)
Global Hawk contract awarded
SAN DIEGO – The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $302.9 million fixed price
incentive fee contract for five RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems. Under the Lot
7 production contract, the company will build two Block 30 systems and three Block 40
systems for the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton,
Ohio. The award includes a ground station consisting of a launch and recovery element
and a mission control element, plus two additional sensor suites that will be retrofitted into
previous production aircraft. The contract runs through 2011. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing laser downs UAVs
Unmanned aerial systems may be the rage, but Boeing has just announced the
successful test of a mobile laser system to bring them down. The just-announced test was
conducted in May, and demonstrated the ability of mobile laser weapon systems to track
and destroy small UAVs. During the tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake,
Calif., the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX) used a
single, high-brightness laser beam to shoot down five UAVs at various ranges. (Source:
Boeing, 11/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing has operations in the Gulf Coast; the Gulf
Coast has several unmanned systems operations.
Eglin team wins award
The secretary of the Air Force presented the 2008 and 2009 Small Business Programs
Special Achievement Awards at the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs
Conference Nov. 17 in Arlington, Va. Among the eight recipients of the fiscal 2009
awards: the 693rd Armament Systems Squadron, Lethal Suppression of Enemy Air
Defense Harm Targeting System Team at Eglin AFB, Fla., which won the team award. The
awards were presented in the opening session of the 2009 Air Force Small Business Fall
Training Conference. The conference ends Nov. 19. (Source: AFNS, 11/18/09)
Ares I named best invention
NASA’s Ares I rocket got top honors in TIME magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2009” special
edition. The magazine calls the rocket the "best and coolest and smartest thing built in
2009." The magazine’s Paul Kluger noted that in 2004 the nation committed itself to
sending astronauts back to the moon and beyond, and Ares I’s first flight last month
"dazzled even the skeptics." Alliant Techsystems is the prime contractor for the solid
rocket motor first stage of the Ares I. The company’s air-burst munitions system, XM25,
was No. 46 in the best inventions list. (Source: ATK, 11/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud
Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in
NASA's program to return astronauts to space.; ATK has an operation in Northwest
Florida.
F-35 STOVL in Maryland for testing
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – A Lockheed Martin F-35B short
takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) fighter arrived here Sunday, where it will conduct its first
hovers and vertical landings. The ferry flight initiates a sequence of F-35 arrivals at
Patuxent River this year and next. The F-35 flew from Fort Worth, Texas, with one stop in
Georgia. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners
Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 11/16/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training
center.
Change RFP or split tanker contract?
MOBILE, Ala. - Northrop Grumman Corp. and regional political leaders called Monday for
changes to the second round of tanker bidding or for a congressional mandate to split the
contract between the Northrop Grumman/EADS team and rival Boeing. The split buy
option has been brought up before, but it’s opposed by the Pentagon. Monday, U.S. Rep.
Artur Davis, D-Ala., and Mobile Mayor Sam Jones said they favored a split as a way to
head off more delays. Some 400 people gathered at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile for
the tanker briefing. Northrop and EADS want to assemble the tankers in Mobile. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 11/17/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $18.4M
Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $18,423,384 contract which
will provide for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Mission Targeting System fiscal year 10
contractor logistics support option. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/16/09)
ATK gets A350 XWB work
MINNEAPOLIS – Airbus SAS and partners Aerolia SA, Premium Aerotec GmbH and Spirit
AeroSystems Inc. selected Alliant Techsystems to produce composite structures and
tooling for its A350 XWB aircraft. Total expected revenues for ATK is about $1 billion.
Combined with the previous announcement for A350 XWB composite engine components,
this new selection makes the aircraft the largest commercial program in ATK's history. The
company will produce the components at its composite manufacturing center of excellence
in Iuka, Miss. (Source: ATK, 11/16/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK has an operation in
Northwest Florida; Airbus has an engineering center in Mobile, Ala.
30 apply for airport top spot
NEW ORLEANS – Airport officials say they hope to select a new aviation director for the
Louis Armstrong International Airport during the first quarter of 2010. Monday is the last
day for candidates to file resumes. About 30 applications have been received so far,
according to Aviation Board Chairman Dan Packer. The board began its search in mid-
September. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 11/16/09)
CV-22s return to Hurlburt Field
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The 8th Special Operations Squadron returned with their CV-
22s during the week, wrapping up their first operational deployment with the tilt-rotor
aircraft. The squadron deployed to Iraq with a Boeing contractor as part of the team. The
Osprey, which came to Hurlburt in 2007, has the vertical takeoff and landing and hover
capabilities of a helicopter and the long-range and speed of a turboprop fixed-wing
airplane. The squadron returned to Hurlburt Thursday. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 11/12/09)
AAC awarded for excellence
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Armament Center was recently awarded the Air
Force Organizational Excellence Award. The center manages a $52 billion portfolio of air-
launched precision attack, combat support and special project weapon applications. The
center also provided full spectrum battle space test capabilities to more than 1,000
ongoing test programs to include aircraft, weapons, command and control and special
operations for multiple joint and non-DoD agencies. The center also provided DoD and
combatant commanders with combat-ready forces and units forward deployed in support
of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (Source: 96th Air Base Wing PAO,
11/12/09)
H-72A Navy trainer delivered
EADS North America has delivered the first of five H-72A training helicopters to the Navy.
The H-72A fleet will be based at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval
Air Station, Md., where it is to be used to train test pilots from the U.S. military and allied
countries. The H-72A shares the same airframe and is manufactured on the same
production line as the Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter, both of which are
produced in Mississippi by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter subsidiary.
(Source: EADS North America, 11/12/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America has two
operations in Mobile, Ala., and hopes to eventually assemble aerial refueling tankers and
freighters there.
Vought preps for F-35C drop tests
DALLAS - Vought Aircraft Industries has taken possession of an F-35C Lightning II joint
strike fighter test article from Lockheed Martin and will perform full-scale drop testing on
the aircraft in early 2010. The tests are to verify the strength of the F-35C Navy variant
landing gear and airframe structure for carrier landing operations. Pre-test aircraft
preparation includes the installation of special drop test fixtures, test systems and
instrumentation. Actual drop testing is currently estimated to start in January and continue
through April at the Vought Structures Test Lab in Dallas. (Source: Vought, 11/11/09)
Gulf Coast note: The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center is located at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla. Pilots for all variants will be trained there.
NASA teams with students
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center has announced
plans to team with students at four Mississippi high schools to develop prototype
hardware for the next-generation rockets being built to carry humans beyond low-Earth
orbit. During the next few months, students at East Central High School in Hurley, Gulfport
High School, New Albany School of Career and Technical Education and Petal High
School will participate in the High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH)
initiative. They’ll partner with NASA engineers and mentors and use materials provided by
the space agency to develop prototype models for the next generation J-2X engine and
the Ares I rocket. Both are being built as part of NASA’s Constellation Program plan to
transport astronauts to the International Space Station after the space shuttle is retired
and to explore destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. (Source: NASA, 11/12/09)
PC airport name changed again
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The new airport being built near Panama City is getting yet another
name change. The airport authority voted Tuesday to change the name to Northwest
Florida Beaches International Airport. It was a month ago that the authority settled on the
name Northwest Florida-Panama City International Airport. The new airport is scheduled
to open in May. (Source: WMBB-TV, Panama City Herald, 11/10/09)
McCain questions tanker rules
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John McCain, whose investigation helped derail an Air
Force plan to lease and buy 100 Boeing tankers, has raised concerns about the
Pentagon's latest attempt to replace its fleet of KC-135 tankers. In an Oct. 29 letter to
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, McCain asked detailed questions about how bids for
the program would be evaluated, how decisions were made about requirements for the
new airplanes and whether the new rules would favor mostly smaller airplanes. A copy of
the letter was obtained by Reuters. (Source: Reuters, 11/10/09) Gulf Coast note: If the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins the competition, the tankers will be assembled in
Mobile, Ala.
Contract: W.G. Yates, $37.3M
W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co., Biloxi, Miss., is being awarded a $37,258,000 firm-
fixed-price contract for construction of a community hospital tower at Keesler Air Force
Base. Work will be performed in Biloxi and is expected to be completed by September
2011. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online
website, with seven proposals received. The contracting activity is the Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla. (Source: DoD, 11/10/09)
Airbus tanker does night refueling
The A330 tanker achieved a new milestone with its first nighttime refueling operation
using the advanced Aerial Refueling Boom System. The Royal Australian Air Force A330
transferred more than 3,300 pounds of fuel through the ARBS during a multi-contact
mission involving two F-16 fighter aircraft. The nighttime refueling is part of final flight
testing for the A330 MRTT. (Source: EADS North America, 11/09/09) Gulf Coast note:
The tanker Northrop Grumman and EADS are proposing for the Air Force, the KC-45, is
based on A330. The team will assemble the plane in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
JSF engine passes key test
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine powering the F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter has completed altitude qualification ground testing, the final testing that
demonstrates the operability and performance required for conventional take-off and
landing and carrier variant initial service release (ISR). ISR is the government’s
recognition that the F135 engine is ready for operational use and clears Pratt & Whitney
to deliver and field production F135 engines. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 11/09/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the home base for the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center.
403rd evacuates planes
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - The Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing evacuated
aircraft Monday from Keesler Air Force Base to forward operating locations in Texas to
avoid possible heavy winds from the tropical system Ida. The 403rd Wing, comprising the
53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s Hurricane Hunters and the 815th Airlift
Squadron's Flying Jennies typically evacuate the aircraft when winds are expected to
exceed about 30 miles per hour. (Source: AFNS, 11/09/09)
SSC gets formal Project Ready designation
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center was officially
designated a “Project Ready” site in a formal event Friday. It’s the first site to earn
certification in the “technology park” category of the Mississippi Power program. The
Project Ready designation indicates a site is “shovel-ready” for new businesses that come
calling. The 14,000-acre SSC has about 4,000 acres of developable space. (Source: Tcp,
11/06/09)
Boom trainer delivered, freighter airborne
In the tanker competition pitting Boeing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, no
“first” goes unnoticed. Boeing said it delivered the first Remote Aerial Refueling Operator
Trainer to the Japan Air Self Defense Force last month to support the Boeing KC-767J
tanker. It simulates the system that allows boom operators to refuel aircraft while sitting
near the tanker cockpit at a console using an array of cameras and remote controls.
Meanwhile, in Toulouse, France, the Airbus A330-200 freighter flew Thursday, a
milestone for a plane that could eventually be assembled in Mobile, Ala. The
Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the A330-based tanker and the freighter in
Mobile, Ala., if the team wins the Air Force competition. (Sources: Boeing, Mobile Press
Register, 11/06/09)
Whiting Field gets new commander
MILTON, Fla. – Capt. Pete Hall has been installed as the new commanding officer of Naval
Air Station Whiting Field, replacing Capt. Enrique Sadsad. More than 2,000 people were
at the change of command ceremony Thursday. Hall said he looked forward to becoming
part of the Whiting family. Sadsad is being assigned to Bahrain. Whiting Field provides
initial training for naval aviators. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 11/05/09)
AFSOC vice commander named
Brig. Gen. O.G. Mannon, 82nd Training Wing commander at Sheppard Air Force Base in
Texas, has been named the next vice commander of Air Force Special Operations
Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The announcement was made by the Defense
Department Nov. 2. Mannon, who has spent most of his career in the special operations
community, said he looks forward to working with old friends. (Source: 82nd Training Wing
Public Affairs, DoD, 11/02/09)
SBIRS on track
The first Space Based Infrared System missile warning satellite bound for
geosynchronous orbit is on track for delivery to the Air Force by the fourth quarter of
calendar year 2010, according to Lockheed Martin. It will be a milestone for the $10.4
billion program, which has undergone restructuring, overruns and delays. (Source:
Military.com, 11/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology
Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss., builds subsystems for the SBIRS program.
Airbus freighter to fly this week
Airbus said Tuesday that the maiden flight for its A330-200 freighter is scheduled
Thursday at its headquarters in Toulouse, France. The flight marks an important
milestone for a plane that eventually could be assembled in Mobile. Airbus, a subsidiary of
the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., is part of a team led by Northrop
Grumman Corp. that is competing for a contract to build aerial refueling tankers for the U.
S. Air Force. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/04/09)
Admiral: Speedup unmanned programs
WASHINGTON - The Navy's top admiral said he hoped to speed up work on unmanned
weapons systems, including underwater vehicles and an unmanned combat plane. Chief
of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead cited the Navy's earlier-than-planned
deployment last month of the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, which he said is
performing “wonderfully.” Roughead also said he’s pressing to accelerate development of
the Unmanned Combat Aerial System. The Fire Scout and UCAV are both Northrop
Grumman products. (Source: Reuters, 11/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman
Fire Scout finishing work is done in Moss Point, Miss.
OCTOBER 2009
Contract: W.R. Systems, $26.9M
W R Systems Ltd., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $26,946,956 contract for in-service
engineering technical support services for various navigation systems. This contract
combines purchases for the Navy, and foreign governments under the Foreign Military
Sales Program. Three percent of the work will be done in Pascagoula, Miss., and 75
percent in Hampton Roads, Va. Other sites are in Hawaii, California, Connecticut, Florida,
Texas, Washington and foreign military sites and is expected to be completed by October
2010. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 10/30/09)
Contract: L-3, $24.6M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$24,605,198 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
organizational, selected intermediate and limited depot level maintenance for F-16, F-18,
H-60 and E-2C aircraft operated by the adversary squadrons based at Naval Air Station,
Fallon, Nev. Work will be performed in Fallon, Nev., and is expected to be completed in
October 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/09)
Micro UAV training program launched
HOLLEY, Fla. – A new joint training program has been launched at a Navy outlying field
near Holley in Santa Rosa County, Fla. The Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems will teach
special operations personnel from all branches how to operate Battlefield Air Targeting
Micro Vehicles, unmanned aircraft now used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Capt. Rick Sadsad,
commander of Naval Air Station Whiting Field, said the idea developed not even a year
ago. The training center falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command at
Hurlburt Field. There was a ribbon-cutting Thursday. The first class has 11 students.
(Source: Fort Walton Beach Daily News, 10/29/09)
Bases get on short list for F-35
Eleven Air Force and Air Guard bases are on the short list to gain hundreds of F-35
fighters through 2017, the Air Force announced. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., was chosen
some time back as the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center, but since then communities
have launched efforts to get the Air Force to choose them for other F-35s. The Air Force
is retiring 250 F-16s and F-15s over the next year. The Air Force proposed operating F-
35s out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Shaw Air
Force Base, S.C.; and two Air Guard bases. F-35s could be located at five active-duty
and Air Guard bases for training. The 11 bases were selected after the Air Force
evaluated 205 of its installations. (Source: Air Force Times, 10/29/09)
Contract: Bell, $13.2M
Bell Aerospace Services Inc., Bedford, Texas, is being awarded a $13,199,152 contract to
provide up to 145,152 hours of contractor engineering technical services on-site
proficiency training for the airframe, avionics, and electrical systems of the H-1 aircraft.
Nine percent of the work will be performed in New Orleans, La., and 53 percent in Camp
Pendleton, Calif. Other sites are Cherry Point, N.C., New River, N.C., Johnstown, Pa.,
Okinawa, Japan, and Atlanta, and is expected to be completed in October 2012. The
Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 10/29/09)
Boeing puts second 787 line in S.C.
Boeing has chosen its North Charleston, S.C., facility as the location for a second final
assembly site for the 787 Dreamliner program. In addition to serving as a location for final
assembly of 787 Dreamliners, the facility also will support the testing and delivery of the
airplanes. The Washington Roundtable, a group representing executives of private sector
employers in Washington state, said the decision shows the group needs to work harder
to make changes to make the state more competitive. (Sources: Boeing, Business Wire,
10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: The decision is of interest to the Gulf Coast, where Boeing is
competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to build tankers for the Air Force.
EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Leaders to debate next step in space
RESTON, Va. - Aerospace industry leaders will meet on Nov. 2 to debate the future of
America’s space programs in light of the recent findings by the Augustine Commission. It’s
also occurring after the successful launch of Ares I-X on Wednesday. The half-day event
will feature panelists from leading space exploration companies as well as from NASA and
academia. It’s organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
(Source: Business Wire, 10/27/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast is involved in the
space program through Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi.
Contract: McDonnell, $72M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., of St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $72,022,275 contract to
provide 2,925 Lot 14 guided vehicle kits for joint direct attack munition purposes. At this
time, the entire amount has been obligated. 678 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/28/09)
Northrop won’t rule out tanker boycott
Reuters is reporting that Northrop Grumman left open the possibility it might boycott the
Pentagon's aerial tanker competition, faulting draft bidding rules and expanding a
complaint that rival Boeing was given an unfair edge. Northrop, partnered with Europe's
EADS, said Wednesday the proposed rules set up a cost shootout with Boeing that would
spur a race to the bottom and reduce the capabilities of the refueling tankers. (Source:
Reuters, 10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Ares I-X launched
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - NASA successfully launched the Ares I-X rocket
Wednesday after scrubbing the launch Tuesday due to weather. The prototype rocket
was scheduled to fly about two minutes before the first-stage booster burns out and drops
in the Atlantic for recovery. The Ares I-X is part of the Constellation Program, which is
designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. The rocket is 327 feet tall.
(Source: NASA, 10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Both Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation
Program.
College names scholarship for Goldman
Meridian Community College in Meridian has established an engineering scholarship in
honor of alumnus Gene Goldman, director of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in
Hancock County. The first $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an engineering student
attending MCC during the 2010 spring semester. As an MCC graduate, Goldman went on
to earn the Registered Professional Engineer-Civil certification and a Bachelor of Science
degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University in Starkville. (Source: NASA,
10/23/09)
Tanker fight escalates
Lawmakers who support Boeing and those who support Northrop Grumman/EADS in the
battle over a $35 billion Air Force tanker project are concerned about the fairness of the
draft request for bids issued last month. In separate letters, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
and Rep. Norman Dicks, D-Wash., expressed concerns. The battle for some times now
has been less about planes and more about jobs. Boeing wants to build them in
Washington, and Northrop/EADS want to build them in Mobile, Ala. Both sides have major
lobbying efforts. Northrop is expected to hold a press conference Wednesday to respond
to the draft request. (Source: Multiple, including AP, 10/27/09)
Ares I-X launch scrubbed
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - NASA scrubbed the launch of its Ares I-X rocket
because of the weather, but the agency will try again on Wednesday. The flight is part of
the Constellation Program, NASA’s bid to return astronauts to the moon and beyond.
Should it launch Wednesday, the test will last a matter of minutes. The rocket is a sub-
orbital prototype for a new booster for the shuttle’s replacement, Orion. (Source: Multiple,
10/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Ares I-X set to launch
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The Ares I-X is scheduled to take off Tuesday at 8 a.
m. EDT in a test launch of the brand new rocket that’s part of NASA’s Constellation
Program. The flight will last just minutes. NASA will broadcast the launch live on NASA TV,
which will be webcast simultaneously. The rocket is a sub-orbital prototype for a new
booster for the shuttle’s replacement, Orion. The rocket is 327 feet tall. (Source: Multiple,
10/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation Program.
JASSM passes test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, JASSM,
successfully completed Lot 7 Reliability Assessment Program flight tests with 15
successes out of 16 flights Oct. 22. The tests were conducted by the Air Force at White
Sands Missile Range, N.M., using B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and
F-16 fighters from Eglin against a wide range of targets and various scenarios. The tests
pave the way for awarding the Lot 8 production contract to Lockheed Martin. JASSM is a
stealthy, conventional, precision, launch-and-leave, standoff missile that can be launched
from fighters and bombers. A 2,000-pound class weapon with a combination
penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously using an infrared
seeker in addition to the anti-jam GPS to find a specific point on the target. Eglin is home
of the Air Armament Center, which oversees the development of air weapons systems.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/23/09)
Four-state lobbying group announced
BAY MINETTE, Ala. – The battle between two regions over the Air Force tanker project
escalated Monday when the governors of Alabama and Mississippi jointly announced
formation of the Aerospace Alliance, a four-state effort to promote the Gulf Coast region's
aerospace activities. It's first task will be to support Northrop Grumman and EADS’ effort
to win the $35 billion Air Force tanker project. EADS wants to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala., while competitor Boeing wants to build them in Washington state and
Kansas. A large number of people, many of them elected officials, turned out for the
announcement at Faulkner State Community College. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley was there
and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour spoke to the gathering via satellite. Joining them were
representatives from Northrop Grumman and EADS. Boeing has its own large lobbying
effort that includes backing from congressional delegations in Kansas and Washington,
labor unions, and others. Northrop/EADS won the contract in 2008 but a Boeing protest
was upheld. The new group’s Web site is at www.aerospacealliance.com. (Source: Tcp,
10/26/09)
Eglin group wins DoD award
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 708th Armament Systems Group has been
recognized for unprecedented acquisition management success with selection by the
Department of Defense as the winner of 2009 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition
Award. The award singles out the group as the best acquisition team in the Air Force. The
708th delivered a new laser-guided version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition to
warfighters in 11 months. The award will be presented Nov. 3. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 10/23/09)
NASA Global Hawk returns to flight
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - NASA and Northrop Grumman Friday announced
the initial return to flight of a Global Hawk planned for environmental science research.
Dryden Flight Research Center and Northrop are returning NASA's two Global Hawks to
flight under a Space Act Agreement signed in 2008. The two aircraft were among seven
Global Hawks built and flown in the original Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration
program. The aircraft that flew for about four hours Friday last took to the skies in May
2003. (Source: NASA, 10/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Portions of current Global Hawks are
built in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing won’t release pricing to Northrop
Reuters reports that Boeing declined a Pentagon request to release its pricing information
from the last aerial tanker competition to Northrop Grumman. The Pentagon gave Boeing
information on the winning bidders pricing after Boeing lost the contest in 2008 to the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team. That’s common. But Boeing’s protest of the award was
upheld and the battle over the tanker contract has been renewed. That led Northrop to
seek Boeing’s pricing information. A Pentagon general counsel told Northrop in a letter
Sept. 23, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, that the Pentagon "sought Boeing's
permission to release this information, and Boeing declined," according to the letter.
(Source: Reuters, 10/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tanker
in Mobile, Ala., if they win the contract.
Frontier to restart New Orleans service
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Frontier Airlines will return to the Louis Armstrong International
Airport next year for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, offering a daily service to
Denver beginning June 15. In addition, Southwest Airlines, which trimmed New Orleans
service after the hurricane, is adding two daily trips in May. One is a direct flight to St.
Louis and the other is a second flight to Denver. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune,
10/23/09)
Goodyear 3Q report
Goodrich Corp. saw profit and revenue continue to fall in the third quarter. But company
leaders expressed confidence that the world economy would boost air travel next year, in
turn boosting sales. The company, which employs 800 people making and overhauling jet
engine cowlings in Foley, Ala., had a profit of $145.4 million in the third quarter, down 13
percent from a high-water mark in the same quarter of 2008. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 10/23/09)
Teledyne 3Q report
Teledyne Technologies profit per share hit a record in the third quarter, helped by cost
cutting and a tax windfall. Total profit rose to $35.1 million, up 14 percent from $30.9
million in the same quarter of 2008. The results were boosted by $8.2 million in research
and development tax credits. Teledyne is the parent company of Teledyne Continental
Motors, a 420-worker unit that makes propeller plane engines at Mobile's Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/23/09)
Industry concerned over tanker rules
Industry executives are starting to raise questions about the Pentagon’s draft rules for a
new aerial tanker competition and say the bid for a "fixed-price" deal on such a big
development program is unprecedented and risky. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are
not saying much, but some executives are beginning to privately air concerns about the
rules, according to Reuters. (Source: Reuters, 10/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and
partner EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they are awarded the
contract.
Tanker passes fuel to fighter
A Royal Australian Air Force A330 tanker, the same type EADS hopes to sell to the U.S.
Air Force, marked a performance milestone with the first in-flight refueling of a fighter. The
test involved the integrated Aerial Refueling Boom System. The fuel was transferred to
two F-16. The flight lasted four hours and 30 minutes, with more than 3,300 pounds of
fuel transferred during 13 contacts. (Source: EADS North America, 10/22/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to build tankers for
the Air Force. Northrop/EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Governors slate aerospace briefing
The governors Mississippi and Alabama have scheduled a briefing Monday in Bay
Minette, Ala., to discuss the KC-45 tanker project and a “major announcement” impacting
the future of aerospace in the Gulf Coast. The briefing is at Faulkner State Community
College. The Gulf Coast region between New Orleans and Northwest Florida has a long
history in aviation. But the contest pitting Boeing against Northrop Grumman and partner
EADS to build aerial tankers has galvanized efforts to promote the region’s aerospace
activities. EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., a move that would also
benefit Northwest Florida and South Mississippi. (Source: Tcp, 10/21/09)
Panama City airport to get Southwest
Southwest Airlines plans to begin serving the new Panama City, Fla., airport, when the
facility opens in May 2010. Three Florida cities, Panama City, Pensacola and Fort Walton
Beach, all hoped to get the discount airliner. Mobile, Ala., also made a pitch for the
airliner. The media in Pensacola also report that doesn’t mean Pensacola is out of the
running since the company considers Pensacola and Panama City separate markets.
(Source: Florida Freedom News, Pensacola News Journal, 10/21/09)
Officials get intro on F-35 status
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Okaloosa County commissioners received an introduction
and update of the F-35 program Tuesday from J.R. McDonald, Lockheed Martin’s vice
president of corporate and business development. McDonald, who moved to Okaloosa
County a few months ago to oversee the company’s activities from Pensacola to Panama
City, is the first vice president the company has stationed at its office in Shalimar.
McDonald said he anticipated the first F-35 to arrive next summer, a few months later than
the original March goal. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/20/09)
Boeing 3Q report
The Boeing Co. posted a third-quarter loss of $1.6 billion and reduced its full-year profit
forecast, hurt by $3.5 billion in charges for the delayed 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 jumbo
jet programs. Revenues rose 9 percent to $16.7 billion. (Source: Boeing, 10/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Boeing has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
Northrop Grumman 3Q report
Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that third quarter 2009 earnings from continuing
operations totaled $487 million compared with $509 million in the third quarter of 2008.
Third quarter 2009 net pension adjustment reduced earnings from continuing operations
by $47 million compared with an increase to earnings from continuing operations of $42
million in the third quarter of 2008. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 10/21/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop Grumman has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
O’Keefe named to EADS post
Former NASA leader Sean O'Keefe will become chief executive of EADS North America.
Ralph Crosby, current chief executive of EADS North America, will stay on as
nonexecutive chairman. O'Keefe is a former Navy secretary who served as administrator
of NASA from 2001 to 2005. A New Orleans native, he also served as chancellor of
Louisiana State University from 2005-2008 and most recently was GE Aviation vice
president. His EADS appointment is effective Nov. 1. (Source: Multiple, 10/20/09)
Stennis gets Project Ready certification
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center next month will
be formally recognized as a “Project Ready” site, a designation that indicates it’s “shovel-
ready” for new businesses that come calling. It’s the first site to earn certification in the
new “technology park” category, a later addition to the program. The formal recognition is
Nov. 6. “Since Hurricane Katrina, we have seen a 10 percent growth in our center’s
workforce in support of NASA, other government agencies, and private technology-based
companies,” said Gene Goldman, director of Stennis. “We feel that our future is bright in
South Mississippi, and we hope this certification will reassure those looking at our center.”
The certification program by Mississippi Power uses a third party to determine when a site
is ready. (Source: NASA, 10/19/09) Note: In August, the Jackson County Aviation
Technology Park in Moss Point, Miss., was awarded Project Ready status.
Airmen complete 800-mile march
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - After walking over 800 miles through five states, 12 special
tactics airmen arrived at Hurlburt Field Friday, completing a memorial march for their
fallen comrades. The marchers, including some from Keesler Air Force Base, split up into
six two-man teams and walked day and night to honor 12 special tactics airmen killed in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Each marcher carried a 50-pound ruck sack and a baton engraved
with the name of a fallen special tactics airman. The 12 airmen reunited just outside the
base and walked the final five miles as a team. The march began at Lackland Air Force
Base in San Antonio, Texas. (Source: AFNS, 10/16/09)
Contract: Wintec, $85M
Wintec, Arrowmaker, Inc., of Fort Washington, Md., was awarded a $85,000,000 contract
which will provide advisory and assistance services to Headquarters Air Force Special
Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. HQ AFSOC/A7KZ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/16/09)
ATK delivers composite crew module
Alliant Techsystems delivered a technological first to NASA: a full-scale, crew module
structure made of composite materials. The Composite Crew Module is designed to
reduce the overall weight of future manned launch vehicles. Full-scale structural testing
will be performed at NASA's Langley Research Center to determine the viability of the
composite structure. The structure was fabricated and assembled at ATK's facility in Iuka,
Miss. (Source: ATK, 10/14/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK has an operation in Northwest
Florida; South Mississippi has multiple companies involved in manufacturing with
composites; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
are involved in the space program.
Next Biloxi air show in 2011
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – People who want to see more air shows at Keesler
Air Force Base will have to wait until the spring of 2011. Col. Chris Valle, vice commander
of the 81st Training Wing, said Keesler is bidding to bring the Navy's Blue Angels to South
Mississippi for the next show. Keesler in April held its first air show since Hurricane
Katrina. Featured were the Thunderbirds, the Air Force precision flying team. Some
140,000 spectators attended the show over two days. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/15/09)
Okaloosa group going to Orlando
CRESTVIEW, Fla. - A delegation from Okaloosa County will attend an aviation business
conference in Orlando next week to try to lure companies to Bob Sikes Airport’s industrial
park. The National Business Aviation Association is holding its annual convention Oct. 20-
23. Some 30,000 people are expected to attend, among them more than a dozen county
and business leaders to promote the Crestview Air Park at Bob Sikes Airport. The airport
has an 8,000-foot runway and is close to highways, the Gulf of Mexico and military bases.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/14/09)
Pensacola airport bags United Airlines
PENSACOLA, Fla. – United Airlines will be coming to Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional
Airport beginning Feb. 11 and offering direct flights to Washington, D.C. and Chicago.
The flights will be on 50-seat Canadair regional jets. The Washington flights will be twice
daily, and one Chicago flight will be added on the weekend during the winter and spring.
United will be serving Pensacola for the first time. The airport is also trying to get
Southwest Airlines. (Sources: WEAR-TV, Pensacola News Journal, Mobile Press-Register,
10/14/09)
UAV market worth billions
Defense industry consultants predict the market for unmanned aerial vehicles will reach
the upper teens in billions of dollars worth of procurement through 2018, with related
research and development possibly doubling that. Forecast International predicts the
market for UAV procurement will be worth $18 billion or more worldwide over the next 10
years. (Source: Aviation Week, 10/14/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast has several
UAV-related activities, including a Northrop Grumman UAV plant in Moss Point, Miss.,
Mehlcorp, which designs payload operation modules at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and
an AeroVironment operation in Navarre, Fla.
First Lady to visit Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - First Lady Michelle Obama will address members of the
military and civil service employees working on Eglin Air Force Base Thursday, said Marie
Vanover, a spokeswoman for the base. A news release from Obama’s press office termed
the visit “part of the first lady’s ongoing outreach to military families.” This year has been
designated the U.S. Air Force's Year of the Air Force Family. The itinerary, according to
the White House news release, calls for her to meet first with base leaders. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/14/09)
CEOs urge second 787 line in Washington
Leaders from Washington state’s largest companies are urging Boeing to build a second
787 production line in the state. The company has one 787 production line in the state,
but there’s concern it may opt to use a recently purchased plant in South Carolina – the
former Vought Aircraft plant – for the second 787 line. The letter from members of the
Washington Roundtable points out that work remains to be done to improve Boeing’s
competitive standing in the global economy, but said the state and Boeing have a long
track record of success together. (Source: Business Wire, 10/13/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing is competing against Northrop Grumman and EADS to build aerial tankers for the
Air Force. Boeing wants to build them in Washington, and EADS wants to assemble them
in Mobile, Ala.
Euro Hawk could lead to more sales
Northrop Grumman hopes the Euro Hawk rolled out last week will lead to “a huge”
international market, according to Duke Dufresne, company strike and surveillance
division general manager. Aviation Week reports Dufresne as saying that aside from
sales to Germany and NATO, the Global Hawk also is being eyed by Australia, Spain,
Korea and Japan. The first international version of the UAV, which differs from previous
variants in having six wing-mounted signals intelligence pods, will start taxi tests in
February. The first flight is targeted for March. Current plans call for a direct flight along
the great circle route via Canada airspace to EADS’ Manching site in Germany. Germany
is expected to buy four more Euro Hawks. (Source: Aviation Week, 10/12/09) Gulf Coast
note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
SDB tests wrap up
The Boeing GBU-40 Small Diameter Bomb II team finished a 42-month risk reduction
program last month with a flight test at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. In the test, the guided
test vehicle dropped from an F-15E Strike Eagle was equipped with production-ready
components, including a Harris data link, Lockheed Martin tri-mode seeker, and modified
SDB Increment I (GBU-39) assemblies. The weapon received target updates using a
tactical radio communications system processed by the seeker. The seeker successfully
performed search, detect, track and classify and the weapon fuze detonated upon impact
with the intended target. Boeing is teamed with Lockheed Martin in the SDB II program
competition, and as the prime contractor will provide the air vehicle and system
integration. Lockheed Martin will supply the sensor/seeker. (Source: Boeing, 10/12/09)
Unions back Boeing bid
Leaders of one of the nation's largest labor unions are calling on Defense Secretary
Robert Gates to select Boeing for the U.S. Air Force tanker contract. A group of 10 state
presidents representing the AFL-CIO said in a letter to Gates that Boeing is the right
choice "for investing in American workers, American knowledge, American security and
America's future." Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to
build the next generation of tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/10/09)
World View-2 successfully launched
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Boeing successfully launched the WorldView-2
satellite for DigitalGlobe aboard a Delta II rocket Thursday. Liftoff was at 11:51 a.m.
Pacific Time, and the Delta II released WorldView-2 about 62 minutes after liftoff into a
sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to collect and record commercial, high-
resolution Earth imagery. DigitalGlobe now has three satellites in its constellation.
(Source: Boeing, 10/08/09) Gulf Coast note: DigitalGlobe has an office at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.
Goodrich Foley celebrates 25 years
FOLEY, Ala. - The Goodrich plant has grown from 37 to 800 employees, showing
Alabama can be a leader in the aircraft manufacturing industry, company and state
officials said Thursday. The plant, which makes and repairs aircraft engine housings,
marked its 25th anniversary Thursday with a celebration that included local, state and
federal dignitaries. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/08/09)
Bunker buster deployment nears
The Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday what’s been clear to anyone who tracks DoD
contracts. Deployment of the massive “bunker buster” bomb, capable of penetrating
deeply buried facilities, is on a fast track. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the
first 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator should be ready by the middle of next
year. He notes that the United States has other weapons capable of penetrating
hardened facilities, but says the technology in the MOP takes the capability to a new level
and puts it in a class by itself. The Pentagon said in August it wanted to speed up
production plans. (Source: Multiple, including Voice of America, AFP, 10/08/09) Gulf
Coast note: The weapon is being developed by Boeing and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Euro Hawk unveiled by Northrop
PALMDALE, Calif. - Northrop Grumman and EADS Defence & Security (DS) introduced
the first Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft system in an unveiling ceremony Thursday in
Palmdale. The Euro Hawk marks the first international configuration of the RQ-4 Global
Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance UAV, and solidifies Northrop Grumman's first
transatlantic cooperation with Germany and DS. More than 300 employees from Northrop
and DS and officials from the German Air Force and Ministry of Defence attended. The
aircraft will be equipped with German sensors. (Source: Globe Newswire, 10/08/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss. EADS and Northrop are
also teamed up in the competition to build aerial tankers for the Air Force. If they win, the
planes would be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Fire Scout goes on first deployment
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - The MQ-8B Fire Scout made naval aviation history when the
fleet deployed the rotary wing unmanned aircraft system aboard the USS McInerney this
week. Fleet introduction of the Fire Scout marks the first time a large, automated UAV has
been delivered for ship board operation by sailors. The Fire Scout departed with the 4th
Fleet to assist during a counter-narcotics trafficking deployment. It will provide situational
awareness as the fleet employs its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
capabilities, said Capt. Tim Dunigan, Fire Scout program manager. (Source: Naval Air
Systems Command, 10/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
Panama City airport selects name
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The Bay County airport authority has voted to name the new
international airport now under construction at West Bay the Northwest Florida – Panama
City International Airport. It’s scheduled to open in May 2010. The authority solicited input
from community organizations, including the region’s Tourism Development Councils,
Economic Development Alliances, chambers and citizens. (Source: Business Wire,
10/07/09)
EADS, Army validate Lakota mobility
GULFPORT, Miss. - EADS North America and the U.S. Army successfully loaded four
Army UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters and one company-owned EC145 helicopter
onto a U.S. Air Force C-17, validating the transportability of the LUH. The demonstration
was performed at Gulfport, Miss., in preparation for a future delivery of four U.S. Army UH-
72A Lakotas to the Pacific theater for basing on the Kwajalein Atoll. The loading test
confirmed that five UH-72A helicopters can be accommodated in the C-17’s cargo bay
with minimal disassembly, and that the aircraft can rapidly be made mission-ready upon
arrival with no maintenance test flights required. The Lakotas are build in Columbus, Miss.
(Source: EADS NA, 10/05/09)
“Keel-laying” held for flight academy
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Flight Academy at Naval Air Station Pensacola hosted a
keel-laying ceremony Tuesday to celebrate construction on the 100,000-square-foot
educational facility. When completed in 2011, the academy will be a science camp for
students grades 7-12, and will use a naval-aviation-themed environment. Ground was
broken in June. The $26.5 million construction project includes a 100,000-square-foot
academy and 55,000-square-foot addition to the National Naval Aviation Museum.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 10/06/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $17.5M
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., of Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $17,471,784 contract to
provide 578 propulsion sections to be installed into AIM-120B air vehicles. At this time,
the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting Activity (Source: DoD, 10/06/09)
Student interest in engineering key to program
MOBILE, Ala. – In a bid to get more students interested in engineering, nine Mobile
County elementary and middle schools will get a $3.6 million grant from the National
Science Foundation for a program designed to do just that. U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner said it’s
a pilot program that will set the pace for educators across the nation. The program is
Engaging Youth in Engineering. Alabama needs at least 1,200 more engineers and about
24,000 technicians, said Bob Foley, assistant dean at the USA's College of Engineering.
The state's engineering colleges are only producing about 400 a year. “You can't bring
Northrop Grumman or EADS into Mobile without training workers,” Bonner said. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 10/06/09)
AirTran plans new non-stop flight
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passengers can take a new non-stop AirTran Airways flight to
Baltimore-Washington International Airport starting Thursday, according to officials. The
flight from Louis Armstrong International Airport will depart daily at 5:04 p.m. every
weekday but Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when it doesn't operate. (Source: New Orleans
Times-Picayune, 10/06/09)
Mobile wants to get Southwest
MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile Regional Airport and business leaders are launching a new push
for the Dallas-based discount carrier Southwest Airlines, which could include efforts to
give public money and free hotel rooms as enticements. The Mobile Area Chamber of
Commerce is sounding out business leaders on potential pledges, using an online survey
set to end Wednesday. The incentives would echo those offered by three Florida airports
also seeking the carrier: Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 10/06/09)
Contract: $51.9M
McDonnell Douglas Corp. of St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $51,900,000 contract to
provide Massive Ordnance Penetrator Integration on B-2 test aircraft. At this time
$32,150,000 has been obligated. 708 ARSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/02/09)
Sessions raises fairness issue in tanker rift
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., introduced legislation to block funding for the tanker program
until the Pentagon releases pricing data to Northrop Grumman from the first round of
competition. The Pentagon last week opened a rematch between Boeing and the
Northrop/EADS team for the contract. But Northrop says the new competition is unfair
because the Air Force denied its request to see details of Boeing's previous bid, although
Boeing was allowed to see Northrop's pricing data after the initial competition last year.
Northrop/EADS plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile if the team wins the next
competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/02/09)
Fire Scout up for innovation award
The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, built in part in Moss Point, Miss., is in the running
for an innovation award from the C4ISR Journal. The awards honor outstanding
innovations in intelligence gathering and networking. Finalists were selected for five
categories: sensors, innovations, organizations, network systems and platforms. A “top
five award” will be presented to one winner from each category at a banquet later this
month in Arlington, Va. In addition to Fire Scout, the other products in the innovations
category are QinetiQ’s solar-electric powered Zephyr, Sierra Nevada’s sensor pod for
tactical level ISR, the Naval Air Systems Command’s digital close air support system and
Raytheon’s ARTEMIS imaging spectrometer. (Source: PRNewswire, 10/01/09)
Northrop wins KC-10 service award
Northrop Grumman beat rival Boeing for a $3.8 billion contract to maintain and service Air
Force KC-10 refueling tankers. Boeing’s current contract expires in January. It’s been
servicing the planes for more than a decade. Northrop and partner EADS are also
competing against Boeing to build tankers to the Air Force. (Source: Reuters, 10/01/09)
Gulf Coast note: If Northrop/EADS wins the tanker competition, planes would be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Tybrin, $6.2M
Tybrin Corp. of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $6,191,927 contract which will
provide for non-personal advisory and assistance services to fully support aerospace
research, development, test and evaluation activities at the Air Force Flight Test Center.
At this time, no money has been obligated. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/01/09)
Tanks installed at new rocket stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Construction of the A-3 test stand at NASA’s John C.
Stennis Space Center is approaching another milestone with delivery and installation of
14 water, isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen tanks. Nine of the tanks already have been
installed, with the remaining five to arrive on-site in upcoming weeks. The A-3 stand will
provide high-altitude testing on the J-2X engine in development for the Constellation
Program, NASA’s bid to return humans to the moon and beyond. (Source: NASA,
10/01/09)
New F-35 wing leader feels privileged
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The new commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing said
training the first generation of F- 35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers is the
“privilege of a lifetime.” Col. David Hlatky said he’s eager and excited by the challenge.
The wing, which for years flew F-15s on air dominance missions, now falls under Air
Education and Training Command’s 19th Air Force. It’s the Department of Defense’s first
joint strike fighter organization. “We are building a magnificent joint strike fighter training
campus that will house Marines, sailors, airmen and at least eight coalition partners,"
Hlatky said. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/01/09)
New EADS facility has grand opening
MOBILE, Ala. – EADS North America held a grand opening Thursday for a new
maintenance, repair and overhaul delivery center at the Mobile Regional Airport. The
30,000 square-foot facility will provide North American operators of the C-212 and CN-235
tactical transports with a certified FAA repair station as well as direct manufacturer
support. The C-212 and CN-235 are used by a variety of military and civil operators,
including the U.S. Coast Guard, which is building a fleet of HC-144A Ocean Sentry
maritime patrol aircraft based on the CN-235. The new facility expands upon an already-
existing EADS CASA North America facility that’s provided training, spares and customer
support since 2005. (Source: EADS NA, 10/01/09)
Teledyne trims schedule
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors workers face more unpaid down time in the
future. The entire 420-worker plant, which makes aircraft engines, will shut down next
week and most of the 160 salaried employees will work only four days a week for the
remainder of the year. Hourly employees will work a normal schedule, officials said.
Holiday schedules are also trimmed back. All this is being caused by a downturn of
business. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/01/09)
SEPTEMBER 2009
Contract: Raytheon, $16M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $16,130,000 contract for 155mm
Excalibur Block 1A-1 projectiles. Six percent of the work will be performed in Niceville, Fla.
Other works sites are in Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico., California, Alabama, Ohio,
Virginia, Missouri, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with an
estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2011. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Joint
Munitions & Lethality Contracting Center, CCJM-CA, Combat Ammo Center, Picatinny
Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
Contract: Kaman, $6.4M
Kaman Precision Products Inc of Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $6,448,592 contract which
will provide for joint programmable fuze systems. At this time, the entire amount has been
obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/30/09)
Contract: Cubic, $8.6M
Cubic Defense Application Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded an $8,581,782 contract
which will provide for 20 P5 combat training system pods, four display and debrief stations
and two control display units, as well as contractor logistical support to be placed at two
locations in Egypt. 675 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $17M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., of St. Louis, Missouri was awarded a $17,000,000 contract
which will provide for miniature weapon demonstration research and development for a 5-
year ordering period. AFRL/RWK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
AF welcomes T-1A
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Air Force officials with a new flight training group at Naval Air Station
Pensacola marked the arrival of their first jet at the base Wednesday. The T-1A Jayhawk,
given the ceremonial name “The Spirit of Pensacola,” is the first jet assigned to the Air
Force 479th Flight Training Group, which is officially activating at NAS Pensacola Friday.
Last year construction began on the $45 million training facility for navigators and combat
systems officers at the base. The group will train about 360 students each year. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 09/30/09)
Eglin range tests B-1 tactics
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Members of the 53rd Wing tested the capabilities of B-1s
recently in an effort to better defend the aircraft and prove the strength of new software
systems. "The main purpose of our deployment out here is to conduct defensive threat
reaction test to basically validate our defensive tactics against threats," said Lt. Col. Jeff
Aldridge, 337th Test Evaluation Squadron commander. The squadron, located at Dyess
AFB, Texas, flew two B-1s to Eglin for a week and was able to complete extensive testing.
Aldridge said that normally they fly two missions a week but at Eglin they are flying every
day. The B-1, a long-range bomber, can track, target and engaging moving land vehicles.
The tests revealed more information about the aircraft's software. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 09/28/09)
National Guard to bid farewell to UH-1
GULFPORT, Miss. – A workhorse of the military will be given a ceremonial goodbye during
an event at the Army National Guard’s Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot in
Gulfport Saturday. The 9 a.m. event commemorates the UH-1 Iroquois "Huey," which
retires from the Army inventory this month. The event will also pay tribute to the pilots and
crew chiefs from Mississippi who flew the UH-1 during its tenure with the Army National
Guard. The ceremony, at the South end of the AVCRAD hangar, will include two UH-1s on
static display and a “fly-in” of a Huey. The AVCRAD is at the Trent Lott National Guard
Training Center on the east side of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. It does repair work
on helicopters from a nine-state region, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I. (Source:
Tcp, 09/30/09)
Northrop says rival given unfair advantage
Grounds for a potential protest are already appearing even as the new contest for an
aerial refueling tanker gets underway. Northrop Grumman said it’s unfair that its rival,
Boeing, had access to its pricing information from the previous competition, yet Northrop
has been denied similar access to Boeing’s information. Said Paul Meyer, Northrop’s
president and general manager: “With predominant emphasis placed on price in this
tanker re-competition and Northrop Grumman again proposing its KC-45 refueling tanker,
such competitive pricing information takes on even greater importance. It is fundamentally
unfair, and distorts any new competition, to provide such critical information to only one of
the bidders.” (Source: Northrop Grumman, MarketWatch, Reuters, 09/29/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop and partner EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if the team
wins the competition.
Contract: L-3, $47.4M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$47,447,684 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for total
aircraft maintenance and logistics life cycle support for 54 Navy and 11 Marine Corps C-
12 aircraft. Work will be performed at a variety of naval air stations inside and outside the
United States, including in this region Naval Air Station New Orleans, and is expected to
be completed in June 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: L-3, $17.8M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$17,766,702 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide for additional
logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level
maintenance of 14 T39N and 6 T-39G aircraft located at the Naval Air Station Pensacola,
Fla. This modification provides for aircraft intermediate maintenance services in support
of Chief of Naval Air Training aircraft and transient aircraft at NAS Pensacola and NAS
Corpus Christi, Texas. The work, 99 percent, will be performed in Pensacola and is
expected to be completed in March 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: L-3, $6.9M
L-3 Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $6,960,600 aircraft lease
service contract for four helicopters for pilot training in support of U. S. Special Operations
Command's Air Force Special Operations Command. Work will be performed at Hurlburt
Field, Fla., and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2010. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: Sikorsky, $133.5M
Sikorsky Support Services Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $133,542,526
modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for maintenance and
logistics services in support of 374 T-34, T-44, and T-6 aircraft. Work will be performed at
the NAS Corpus Christi, Texas,; NAS Whiting Field, Fla.,; NAS Pensacola, Fla.,; NAS
Oceana, Va.,; NAS Lemoore, Calif.,; Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif.,; Fort
Rucker, Ala.,; Naval Air Facility, El Centro, Calif.,; Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft
Division, Patuxent River, Md.,; Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, N.C.,; National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.,; NASA Cleveland,
Ohio,; and Fort Eustis, Va., and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: L-3, $112.6M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$112,650,548 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level
maintenance required to support 49 T-45A and 151 T-45C aircraft based at Naval Air
Station Meridian, Miss.; NAS Kingsville, Texas; and NAS Pensacola, Fla. This requirement
also includes the organizational level maintenance for the engine. Work is expected to be
completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: Rolls-Royce, $90.7M
Rolls-Royce Defense Services Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a $90,674,394
modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for intermediate and
depot level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour
engines. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas; NAS Meridian,
Miss.; NAS Pensacola, Fla.; and NAS Patuxent River, Md., and is expected to be
completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $18.1M
Jacobs Technology Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being awarded $18,134,187 under a
previously awarded contract. The scope of this effort is to provide support of the transition
from the NMCI environment to the next generation USMC IT environment. Work will be
performed in Quantico, Va., and work is expected to be completed in September 2010.
The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va. is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $5.9M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being
awarded a $5,881,774 modification under a previously awarded contract to exercise
option year three for ammunition handling and management services for Navy Munitions
Command, East Asia Division Detachment Pearl Harbor. Work will be performed in Hawaii,
and is expected to be completed by September 2010. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Avalex sets sights on UK
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Avalex Technologies is moving into the United Kingdom’s law
enforcement market. The company is teaming with the United Kingdom’s Police Aviation
Services. Currently, Avalex and PAS, which provides aviation support to various UK police
forces, are working together to provide displays and digital video recorders to the Dorset,
England, police department and other UK law enforcement agencies. (Source: Avalex,
09/22/09)
Contract: InDyne, $14M
InDyne Incorp., of Reston, Va., was awarded a $14,095,664 contract which will provide
Eglin Test and Training Complex range operations and maintenance of test and training
areas and technical facilities to include test and training mission support, engineering
support for range system design/modification/range configuration and range support
services to accomplish authorized range activities. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Contract: Del-Jen, $23.1M
Del-Jen, Inc., Gardena, Calif., is being awarded $23,127,300 modification under a
previously awarded contract to exercise the second option period for base operations
support services at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., and surrounding areas (Saufley
Field, Corry Station, and Bronson Field). The current total contract amount after exercise
of this option will be $69,728,751. Work will be performed in Pensacola and is expected to
be completed Sept. 30, 2010. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast,
Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Contract: L-3, $44.5M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$44,489,426 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
logistics support for 126 TH-57B/TH-57C aircraft. The work, 99 percent, will be performed
at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Fla. and is expected to be completed in
September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Pentagon launches tanker competition
The Pentagon is relaunching a competition for the $35 billion fleet of aerial tankers.
Boeing is vying for the contract against a team made up of Northrop Grumman and Airbus
parent EADS. The contract for 179 plans is the first of three acquisition stages.
Lawmakers will be briefed on the draft request for proposal at 11 a.m. Thursday, and
reporters will be briefed at 4 p.m. It will be made public Friday. (Sources: Reuters via New
York Times, Mobile Press-Register, 09/24/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team
wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker guidelines to be released this week
The Air Force is expected to release its requirements for the aerial refueling tankers this
week. Some news reports are saying it will be Friday, some say Thursday. The team of
Northrop Grumman and EADS, parent of Airbus, won the $40 million contract in February
2008, but a Boeing protest was upheld on grounds the selection process was flawed.
Boeing wants to build the tankers in Washington and Kansas, and Northrop/EADS want to
assemble them in Mobile, Ala. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said last week that he
expects the contract to be awarded in 2010. (Source: Multiple, 09/23/09)
NASA targets date for Ares I-X flight test
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA is targeting Oct. 27 for the flight test of the Ares I-X
rocket. Senior managers made the decision after a meeting Monday at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. There is another launch opportunity on Oct. 28. The date
will be finalized at a Flight Test Readiness Review scheduled for Oct. 23 at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch will provide NASA with an opportunity to
test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations, while gathering critical data for
the Ares I rocket and future launch vehicles. (Source: NASA, 09/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both
involved in the NASA’s space program.
Airport to seek privatization bids
NEW ORLEANS - Local officials intend to find out whether investors are interested in
making Louis Armstrong International Airport the nation's first privately operated airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration this month accepted the local airport's preliminary
application to participate in a pilot privatization program that the FAA authorized for U.S.
airports in 1997. Airport officials now can begin a bidding process. (Source: New Orleans
Times-Picayune, 09/23/09)
Surgical training accredited for joint training
BILOXI, Miss. – Keesler Air Force Base’s 81st Medical Group has received full
accreditation as a joint training platform. The program was evaluated by the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education in April and can proceed with training four
general surgeons each year for five years of general surgery residency. The surgical
residency was closed after Katrina in 2005, re-established in 2007 and restructured in
2008 to include integration with the Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., 96th Medical Group
at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center. (Source: Sun
Herald, 09/20/09)
LM satellite operating successfully
A next-generation satellite designed and built by Lockheed Martin is performing as
required following its successful launch from Cape Canaveral earlier this month. The
program, designated PAN, consists of a turnkey commercial-based satellite, ground and
launch system developed to meet the U.S. government's future needs. The satellite is
based on Lockheed Martin's A2100 spacecraft series. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
09/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Some of the work on the satellite was done at Lockheed Martin
Space and Technology Center, Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: Harkin, $7.5M
Harkins Development Corp., Sanford, Fla., was awarded a $7,460,948 contract for the
design/build of a concrete block facility at Hurlburt Field, Fla., with an estimated
completion date of June 3, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile, Regional
Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/17/09)
Contract: Hanco, $8.1M
Hanco Corp., Hattiesburg, Miss., was awarded an $8,174,000 contract for construction of
a barracks, warehouse, and houses. Work is to be performed at Camp Shelby, Miss., with
an estimated completion date of March 2011. U.S. National Guard Bureau, United States
Property & Fiscal Office, Jackson, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/18/09)
Contract: Greenhut, $10.6M
Greenhut Construction Co. Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $10,598,586
contract for the design, repair and modernization of Administrative Building 1500 at Naval
Air Station Pensacola. Work will be performed in Pensacola and is expected to be
completed by April 2011. Funds are provided by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast,
Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/18/09)
New non-stop announced
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A major airline serving Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport has
announced new nonstop service to two cities. American Airlines said it will offer two
nonstop daily flights to Miami on its American Eagle regional jet service by the end of this
year. In August, US Airways announced nonstop service between Pensacola and
Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National early next year. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
09/18/09)
Criteria released for basing JSF
Air Force officials released the criteria to determine where F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will
be based. Airspace, flight training ranges, weather, support facilities, runways, taxi ramps,
environmental concerns and cost are factors. More than 200 sites will be evaluated. Other
factors, including maintenance and logistics and integration with the Air National Guard
and Reserve, will also be considered. The result will be two candidate basing lists, one for
operations and the other for training for the 250 to 300 aircraft scheduled for delivery
through 2017. The lists will be announced in the spring of 2010. (Source: AFNS,
09/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the F-35 training center.
Northrop’s Sugar sets retirement
LOS ANGELES – Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman since 2003,
has announced he'll retire in June 2010. Sugar will step down from his chairman and CEO
positions and the company's board of directors at the end of the year. He’ll continue as an
employee officer advising the company until his retirement date. Wesley G. Bush,
president and chief operating officer, will become CEO and president Jan. 1, 2010. Bush
was also elected to the Northrop Grumman board of directors, effective immediately.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 09/16/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a
number of operations in the Gulf Coast region.
AF to take lead in tanker award
The Air Force will be in charge of awarding a $40 billion contract for aerial tankers,
according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The authority had been removed earlier
when two previous attempts to award a contract were botched. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team are competing for the contract. (Source: New York Times,
09/16/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
Contract: Rehabilitation Svc., $19.5M
Rehabilitation Services of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $19,547,353 contract to provide
a full food service contract at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. At this time $11,581,103 has
been obligated. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/15/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $39.6M
BAE Systems Technical Services of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $39,553,260
contract to manage, operate, maintain, and logistically support the solid state phased
array radar system at Beale, Air Force Base, Calif., Thule Air Base, Greenland, Clear Air
Force Station, Alaska, and Royal Air Force Flyingdales, United Kingdom. 21
CONS/LGCZG, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/15/09)
Survey: A&D workplace woes continue
Expected increases in retirement rates of existing workers and increases in attrition of
younger workers, along with weak demand for future contracts, has aerospace and
defense companies facing the most challenging business environment in recent history,
according to a new workforce survey by Aviation Week and sponsored by Hitachi
Consulting. (Source: Business Wire, 09/15/09)
Eglin’s 308th gets director
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 308th Armament Systems Wing appointed a new
director, Randy Brown, during a ceremony last week. The wing is transitioning to a
directorate as part of the realignment plan. The 308th ARSW is a joint Air Force and Navy
organization responsible for management of air dominance weapon system programs.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 09/15/09)
WTO ruling won’t play role in tanker
WASHINGTON – The Air Force sees no need to add language about the World Trade
Organization ruling over subsidies to the request for proposal in the multibillion-dollar
tanker project. In a case brought by the U.S., the WTO ruled subsidies from European
governments to EADS’ Airbus were illegal, andBoeing supporters want that considered
when awarding the tanker project. Reuters reports that Air Force Secretary Michael
Donley called the WTO ruling preliminary, and noted that another case brought by the
European Union is pending. Boeing and the EADS/Northrop Grumman team are
competing to build tankers. (Source: Reuters, 09/14/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Boeing talks tanker at AF expo
WASHINGTON - Boeing unveiled additional details of the company's potential offering in
the Air Force aerial tanker competition. In a briefing Monday at the Air Force Association's
2009 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Rick Lemaster, Boeing KC-X
director and program manager, said Boeing is prepared to offer either the 767 or larger
777. The company also launched a new Web site for information on the KC-7A7. (Source:
Boeing, 09/14/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team to build the tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Eglin gets plaque as historic site
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A bronze plaque was mounted on a granite pedestal and
placed in front of the Air Armament Museum last week to commemorate Eglin Air Force
Base as a historic aerospace site. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
named Eglin as one of four sites to receive the honor for 2009. The other sites: NASA
Ames Research Center; North American/Rockwell Downey Industrial site; Igor Sikorsky
Airport and Vought-Sikorsky plant; and Honeysuckle Creek/Tidbinbilla/Orroral Valley
Tracking Station in Australia. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 09/14/09)
Alabama gov rides Airbus tanker
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley flew over Spain for an hour Friday in an aerial tanker built by
EADS company Airbus. Riley also toured EADS aircraft-assembly bays in Madrid. Riley,
Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office, and a security officer spent
Wednesday and Thursday in Germany before going to Spain. They’ll return to Alabama
Sunday. EADS plans to build a tanker assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the
competition against Boeing. (Source: Birmingham News, 09/12/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $7.4M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being
awarded a $7,382,503 modification under previously awarded contract to exercise option
two for operation and maintenance support for facilities operating under Naval Computer
& Telecommunications Area Master Station Hawaii. Work will be performed in Hawaii, and
work is to be completed by September 2011. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/11/09)
Ares first stage motor tested
PROMONTORY, Utah – NASA and ATK conducted the first test of the Ares I first stage
five-segment development solid rocket motor Thursday. The solid rocket booster is
planned for NASA's Ares I and Ares V rockets. The Ares I is a crew launch vehicle in
development for NASA's Constellation Program. ATK is the prime contractor for the Ares I
first stage. (Source: NASA, 09/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility, New
Orleans, and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are key NASA facilities on the Gulf Coast.
2nd AF gets new commander
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog has assumed command
of the 2nd Air Force from Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers. The 2nd Air Force at Keesler Air
Force Base is the Air Education and Training Command organization that oversees
technical and combat training for 250,000 students annually. The change of command
ceremony was Wednesday. (Source: Keesler, 09/09/09)
Contract: Defense Support Services, $86.4M
Defense Support Services LLC of Mount Laurel, N.J., was awarded an $86.4 million
contract for acquisition of aircraft maintenance support services for Tyndall Air Force
Base, Fla. At this time, $16.9 million has been obligated. AETC CONS/LGCK, Randolph
Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/09/09)
EADS suggests settling with Boeing
PARIS – EADS chief Louis Gallois says Airbus did nothing wrong in a trade dispute with
the U.S. over subsidies, and called for a negotiated settlement with Boeing. In an interview
published Wednesday in La Tribune, a French business daily, Gallois defended the
system of government launch aid, calling it more transparent than "opaque subsidies" he
said Boeing receives. The World Trade Organization ruled last week that Airbus, owned
by EADS, received illegal subsidies. (Source: The Associated Press, 09/09/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS to build Air Force
tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Jacobs gets $98M Eglin option
PASADENA, Calif. - Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. received the third of four one-year
options on a contract for the U.S. Air Force Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., and other locations. The option year, which begins October 1, has a potential value
of $98.1 million. Jacobs provides technical and engineering acquisition support for
weapons systems development and testing for the AAC. (Source: PRNewswire, 09/08/09)
Panel wants NASA to reset goals
A panel recommends NASA shelve the idea of rapidly returning to the moon and instead
focus on nurturing a robust commercial space industry that can handle short-term
objectives. The Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee was convened by
the Obama administration to assess NASA’s goals. The White House received the findings
Tuesday, which stop short of explicitly rejecting the goal of launching a mission back to
the moon. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 09/09/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center,
Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are key NASA centers on the Gulf
Coast.
F-15s depart from Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 33rd Fighter Wing ended a 30-year history at Eglin
Air Force Base when the wing’s last three F-15s left the base Tuesday for Arizona. The
wing that was once the home of 54 F-15s soon will host the Joint Strike Fighter Training
School. The official transition is Oct. 1. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 09/08/09)
Ares I motor test scheduled
NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. have rescheduled the test of the new first-stage solid
rocket motor for the Ares I rocket. The static firing of the five-segment solid motor,
designated development motor -1, is scheduled for Thursday at the ATK test facility in
Promontory, Utah. The first firing attempt on Aug. 27 was scrubbed because of an
anomaly with the ground test controller. (Source: NASA, 09/04/09)
QinetiQ subsidiary honored
FAIRFAX, Va. - A QinetiQ North America subsidiary, Analex Corp., has been honored as
large business prime contractor of 2009 by NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The award
recognizes outstanding engineering and technical management services to NASA on the
Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support (ELVIS) contract to the NASA Launch
Services Program (LSP). (Source: PRNewswire, 09/08/09) Gulf Coast note: QinetiQ has
an operation in Long Beach, Miss.
Sides reviewing WTO ruling
The World Trade Organization today issued a confidential ruling about Airbus subsidies,
and both sides are now reviewing the 1,000-page document. One news organization, the
Wall Street Journal, is reporting that the panel ruled the subsidies by European
governments were illegal. The U.S. filed a complaint in 2004, citing the aid as unfair to U.S.
-based Boeing. A parallel complaint alleging illegal government subsidies have been
given to Boeing is also before the WTO. (Source: Dow Jones, 09/04/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing is competing against Airbus parent, EADS, to build tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
EADS and partner Northrop Grumman want to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
UAV sense-and-avoid system planned
Northrop Grumman is developing a common autonomous airborne sense-and-avoid
system for both the Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk and the Navy RQ-4N Broad Area
Maritime Surveillance derivative. The services were pursuing separate solutions for
operating the aircraft in national airspace, but the Navy announced its intention to award
Northrop Grumman a sole-source contract to develop a common system. (Source:
Aviation Week, 09/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
Orion passes design milestone
HOUSTON - NASA has taken another step toward building the next crew exploration
vehicle by completing the Orion Project's preliminary design review. Orion is being
designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and other destinations as
part of the Constellation Program. The preliminary design review is one of a series of
checkpoints that occurs in the design life cycle before hardware manufacturing can begin.
(Source: NASA, 09/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Stennis holds industry day
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Industry Day will be held Wednesday at NASA's John
C. Stennis Space Center to inform contractors and small businesses about upcoming
contracting opportunities. The event is hosted by the Office of Procurement. (Source:
NASA, 09/01/09)
Gates gives strong support to F-35
FORT WORTH, Texas – Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited the Lockheed Martin F-
35 factory Monday, saying the importance of the aircraft can’t be overstated. He held up
the Joint Strike Fighter as an example of new, innovative and more cost-effective ways to
meet the country's current and future defense needs. It’s being developed to meet the
needs of three services. The $300 billion program is a partnership of the U.S. and allied
nations. Gates said he’s particularly excited that the F-35 appears to be on schedule to
equip the first training squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., by 2011. (Source: American
Forces Press Service, 09/01/09)
Augustine panel report delayed
The independent Augustine Commission will release its report on the future of U.S.
manned spaceflight in mid-September. It had been expected to release the report
Monday. The 10-member panel plans to send a draft of its executive summary to NASA
and the White House this week. The panel is headed by retired Lockheed Martin CEO
Norm Augustine. (Sources: Huntsville Times, Orlando Sentinel, 09/01/09)
AUGUST 2009
Contract: InDyne, $168.1M
InDyne, Inc., Reston, Va., was awarded a $168,100,565 contract for Eglin Test and
Training Complex Range operation and maintenance. It includes mission and engineering
support of range system design/modification/configuration and range support service. Air
Armament Center (AAC/PKE), Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: DTS, $43.6M
DTS Aviation Services Inc., Forth Worth, Texas, was awarded a $43,556,472 contract for
maintenance of T-38C, T-6, and T-1A aircraft at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. 14
CPTS-CONS/LGC, Columbus AFB, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: Tybrin, $37.4M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $37,382,944 contract for software
engineering support of guided weapons systems evaluations, simulations, and other
services supporting research and development for the principals and customers of the Air
Armament Center. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $7.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was
awarded a $7,250,000 contract to provide for software and hardware updates as required
for the F-16 avionics test station located at the 46TH Test Squadron's Data Links Test
Facility at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Armament Center (AAC/PKE), Eglin, is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
WTO ruling expected this week
The World Trade Organization is expected release a ruling this week on aircraft subsidies
that could light a political fire under the multibillion dollar Air Force aerial tanker contract.
The U.S. accuses European Union countries of providing illegal subsidies to Airbus, and
the European Union in turn claims Boeing receives subsidies and tax breaks from
Washington state plus non-repayable benefits from military and space contracts. (Source:
The Hill, 08/31/09)
Three cities hope to snag Southwest
Three Panhandle cities, Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, are competing
to land low-cost, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. Panama City hopes to get the service
at a new airport it plans to open in 2010, while Fort Walton Beach would like to have
Southwest to make up for losing AirTran to Pensacola nine years ago. For Pensacola,
landing the carrier would coincide with a $78 million expansion. (Source: Pensacola News
Journal, 08/30/09)
Contract: Atlantic Electric, $14.9M
Atlantic Electric, LLC, N. Charleston, S.C., is being awarded a $14,909,128 firm-fixed-
price contract for construction to repair and replace airfield lighting at Naval Air Station
Joint Reserve Base New Orleans. The work provides for the demolition and replacement
of a range of runway lights, and repaving shoulders of runways and taxiways. Work will be
performed in New Orleans, La., and is expected to be completed by April 2011. The Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Contract: Anderson Drace, $14.5M
Anderson Drace Joint Venture, Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $14,453,279
construction contract for construction of a dormitory at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
Work will be performed in Biloxi, Miss., and is expected to be completed by June 2011.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Contract: Northrop, $13.4M
Northrop Grumman, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $13,423,877 modified contract for
Global Hawk engineering, manufacturing and development activities to develop
replacement of the current engine turbine with its commercial variant. 303 AESG/SYK,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Web site planned to lure F-35s to Tyndall
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Bay County supporters of Tyndall Air Force Base plan a new Web
site that promotes the base’s capabilities in a bid to get new F-35s and other missions at
the base. At the request of the Bay Defense Alliance, Applied Research Associates is
donating its services to develop the site. Eglin is the initial home of the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center, but other bases are also looking to get F-35s that are not currently
scheduled for Eglin. (Source: Panama City Herald, 08/27/09)
Replacement trainer at Whiting
WHITING FIELD, Fla. – The first two of new T-6B Texan II training aircraft that will replace
the T-34C Turbo Mentor arrived at Naval Air Station Whiting Field Thursday. The T-34s
have been used at Whiting since 1978, but the T-6 is bigger, stronger and has a digital
cockpit – more in keeping with the advanced aircraft used by the nation’s military today.
The T-34 will be phased out as 156 T-6s are brought in to Whiting. Students will begin
using the new planes in April and all aircraft will arrive by 2015. (Sources: Pensacola
News Journal, WEAR-TV, Santa Rosa Press Gazette, 08/27/09)
Ares I test delayed
The test firing of the Ares I solid rocket motor was canceled Thursday just 20 seconds
before the test at contractor ATK’s facility in Utah. A broken valve of an auxiliar power unit
appears to have been at fault. Ares I, part of NASA’s Constellation Program, faces an
uncertain future. A commission named to review the manned space program is supposed
to present its findings on Aug. 31, but has already indicated NASA does not have ample
funding to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. (Sources: Multiple, 08/27/09) Gulf
Coast note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Second tanker has successful “power on”
The second A330 tanker transport aircraft for Australia has completed its mission
equipment outfitting with a successful “power on” and is being readied for pre-delivery
flight testing. The aircraft underwent conversion to military configuration in Australia, and
the power on verifies successful operation of more than 400 installed wiring harnesses
that go into the plane as part of its military modifications. The aircraft is the same basic
configurate as the KC-45 Northrop Grumman and EADS are offering to the United States
for its tanker. (Source: EADS, 08/26/09)
Boeing to seek permit for 787 line
Boeing says it is ready to take the first steps to make it easier to build a second 787 final
assembly line in North Charleston, S.C., should it chose to do so. The former Vought plant
already makes part of the airplane's fuselage. The company said no decision has been
made, and that Boeing simply intends to take the procedural step of filing the necessary
permits. (Source: Aviation Week, 08/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing and Northrop
Grumman are competing to build aerial tankers for the Air Force. Northrop and partner
EADS hope to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., and Boeing plans to build them in
Washington state.
Alternative field for F-35 discussed
NAVARRE, Fla. – Eglin Air Force Base officials hosted a meeting Tuesday to discuss an
alternative that would use Eglin's Choctaw Field in south Santa Rosa County for the Joint
Strike Fighter training mission. The meeting introduced three alternatives being
considered in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the bed-down of the
F-35 Joint Strike Training Center. The Air Force is looking at alternative runways because
of noise complaints from residents of the city of Valparaiso. (Source: Northwest Florida
Daily News, 08/25/09)
Keesler to dedicate facility
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – The 81st Training Wing and 403rd Wing will
dedicate the Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Facility
Friday. The 140,000 square-foot complex was built in honor of retired Roberts, who flew
with the Tuskegee Airmen and made Biloxi his home until his death in 2004. The two-
story, $22.6 million facility will be used to maintain the new C-130J six bladed composite
propeller, and many other significant aircraft maintenance capabilities. (Source: Keesler
Air Force Base, 08/24/09)
Eglin hospital tower named for doctor
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Eglin hospital’s inpatient tower was named for Col.
Adanto D’Amore in a ceremony Monday. D’Amore served as the 96th Medical Group
commander from the hospital’s inception to its completion. He died April 28 after more
than 70 years of active medical practice. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 08/24/09)
Stennis A-2 goes on “standby” status
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The A-2 test stand at Stennis Space Center is being
deactivated and placed on “standby” status now that the last space shuttle main engine
test has been done. Engine No. 0525 was tested July 29, and the shuttle program is set to
end in 2010. The new A-3 test stand is still being built and will be used for high-altitude
testing of the J-2X engine that will be used in Ares I and Ares V rockets. Activation on the
A-3 stand is scheduled to begin in early 2011. (Source: NASA, 08/20/09)
Aviation park holds certification event
MOSS POINT, Miss. – The Jackson County Aviation Technology Park was designated as
“shovel-ready” during a certification ceremony today. The designation means all the work
to prepare a site for construction has already been done by the time a potential tenant
comes calling. The 300-acre park already has one tenant, the Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center, which builds portions of the Global Hawk and Fire Scout.
(Source: Tcp, 08/20/09)
Stennis engineers part of leadership class
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Two Stennis Space Center engineers were among the
inaugural class of graduates from NASA's Systems Engineering Leadership Development
Program. Dawn Davis of New Orleans and Bryon Maynard of Lacombe, La., were among
15 program participants recognized during a leadership workshop and graduation
ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Both are completing development
assignments related to NASA's Constellation Program, the agency's plan to return
Americans to the moon and possibly beyond. (Source: NASA, 08/17/09)
Add another to split buy backers
Add John Lehman to the list of defense experts who see buying tankers from both Boeing
and Northrop Grumman as a solution to the Air Force's dilemma over replacing refueling
tankers. Lehman, an investment banker and former Navy secretary under President
Ronald Reagan, has long been an advocate of "competitive acquisition" in government
contracting. It's good business, he told the Mobile Press-Register. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 08/19/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $21M
Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $20,975,816 contract for
the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile system improvement program. 696 ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $12.5M
McDonnell Douglass Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $12,500,000 contract with
performance incentives to provide for three Massive Ordnance Penetrator separation test
vehicles, associated aircraft and handling equipment and technical support for one single
and one dual release separation and de-conflict test on the B-52 aircraft. AAC/708 ARSG
PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: BTS, $13.4M
Business Technology and Solutions, Beavercreek, Ohio, was awarded a $13,377,733.89
contract for the technical and acquisition management support program that provides a
wide range of non-engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in
the acquisition, development, production, and support of various equipment and weapon
systems within the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base,
Florida. AAC/PKES, Eglin, is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: Colsa, $10.8M
Colsa Corp., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $10,838,796.97 contract for the technical
and acquisition management support program that provides for a wide range of non-
engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in the acquisition,
development, production, and support of various equipment and weapon systems within
the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. AAC/PKES,
Eglin, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Lockheed to trim space jobs
Lockheed Martin plans to cut about 800 jobs at its space systems division by the end of
the year due to anticipated flat space program budgets. The company will offer a
voluntary buyout plan this month to space systems employees. The cuts will include
technical, managerial and administrative positions at facilities in Denver and Sunnyvale,
Calif. (Source: Washington Post, 08/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin has a
space and technology operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: McDonnell, $98M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $98,000,000 contract to provide
integration and production of the laser joint direct attack munitions system on various
Foreign Military Sales aircraft platforms throughout the life of the contract. 680
ARSSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/17/09)
F-35 does aerial refueling test
A short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth
fighter has become the first F-35 to complete an aerial refueling test using the Navy- and
Marine Corps-style probe-and-drogue refueling system. It’s the first in a series of tests
that will clear the STOVL F-35B variant for extended-range flights, particularly to its
primary test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
08/14/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of the F-35
training center.
New op for Navy enlisted – Fire Scout pilot
When the Navy opens a preliminary training pipeline for the unmanned Fire Scout
helicopter, enlisted sailors will be at the controls. The Navy will begin with a senior chief
aviation electronics technician and an air traffic controller fresh out of “A” school. The
Navy plans to scrutinize their performance and consider whether to open the door for
more sailors to join the field. Starting in October, the sailors will undergo the same Fire
Scout training provided earlier to a cadre of rated helicopter pilots. By early next year,
they will join a detachment from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42 on a
counter-drug deployment to South America on the frigate USS McInerney. (Source: Navy
Times, 08/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Pensacola expects nonstop DC service
PENSACOLA, Fla. – US Airways said Friday it will begin nonstop service to Reagan
National Airport in Washington, D.C. early next year from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional
Airport. The proposed new service is the result of a US Airways deal with Delta to swap
slots at New York's LaGuardia Airport and Reagan National, airport spokeswoman Belinda
Zephir said. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/15/09)
Training command gets new leader
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Rear Adm. Joseph F. Kilkenny has taken over from Rear Adm. Gary
R. Jones as commander of the Naval Education and Training Command. The change of
command was Thursday at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. The training command, headquartered in Pensacola, is the largest in the
Navy. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/14/09)
AF gets new surgeon general
The new Air Force surgeon general has ties to the Gulf Coast. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Charles B.
Green became the Air Force's 20th surgeon general during a ceremony at the Pentagon
this week. He replaced Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who retired. Green completed
residency training in family practice in 1981 at Eglin Regional Hospital at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. (Source: AFNS, 08/12/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $98.1M
Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., was awarded a $98,143,337 indefinite
delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide technical, engineering and acquisition
support program at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various other tenant organizations.
AAC/PKES, Eglin AFB is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/13/09)
Contract: Utilis, $6.2M
Utilis USA, LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being awarded $6,213,975 under a previously
awarded contract for general purpose medium shelters. Work will be performed in Fort
Walton Beach; Celina, Ohio; and Destin, Fla. and is expected to be completed in
February 2010. Marine Corps Systems Command (M67854), Quantico, Va., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/13/09)
Mobile gets new air service
MOBILE, Ala. – A new charter air service is now available in Mobile. Springdale Travel and
Charter Services launched their “Mobile Direct” with a demonstration flight from Mobile
Regional Airport to Birmingham. They use an eight-seat Cessna Citation jet that will serve
airports within 1,500 miles of Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/12/09)
Seattle wonders as Boeing eyes South
SEATTLE - The possibility of a second Boeing assembly site for the 787 outside
Washington has spread concern in the state's aerospace industry. Boeing is looking at
sites in Washington and South Carolina to house a new final assembly plant for its 787
because the aircraft is two years behind schedule. Industry observers say the company is
also looking at sites in Texas and elsewhere in the South. (Source: Wall Street Journal,
08/11/09)
Fire Scout featured on computer game
SAN DIEGO – Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopter is featured in the
latest version of the U.S. Army's America's Army 3 computer game. America's Army 3
includes Fire Scout as part of an introduction to the game's Unmanned Aircraft Systems
integration. America's Army is one of the most popular computer game franchises.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 08/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout completes flight tests
SAN DIEGO - The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter recently completed flight tests aboard
the USS McInerney, part of a series of evaluations leading to operational evaluation this
fall. The tests took place last month off the coast of Mayport, Fla., and the total number of
shipboard landings was pushed to 88 under a variety of conditions. The Fire Scout is
slated to deploy aboard McInerney during its next counter-narcotics trafficking deployment
later this year. (Source: Northrop via Globe Newswire, 08/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire
Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Orion to visit Pensacola, Stennis
A full scale mockup of NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle will be moved from Florida to
Texas to continue its testing. But on the way it will make several stops so the public can
see the Constellation Program vehicle. After a stop in Tallahassee Monday, the mockup
will be at Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., then at
John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It goes
on to Jackson, Miss., Thursday and arrives at Houston Friday. The mockup is used to
study the environment for astronauts and recovery crews after an Orion ocean
splashdown. (Source: NASA, 08/07/09)
Hurricane Hunters in Hawaii
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Five Air Force Reserve WC-130Js from Mississippi arrived at
Hickam Air Force Base Friday to track Hurricane Felicia. The planes are with the 53rd
Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, and are
known as Hurricane Hunters. The planes fly into the eye of a hurricane to make critical
measurements about the storm. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 08/08/09)
Avalex sees growth in ground vehicle biz
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Avalex Technologies, known for aircraft display systems, is getting
more involved in supplying displays and digital recorders for military ground vehicles.
Company officials, who say 92 percent of their work is in aerospace, see continued growth
in the military ground vehicle market. It’s projected to reach 25 percent of Avalex’s gross
sales. The company plans to attend the Aug. 10-12 Military Vehicles Exhibition &
Conference in Detroit. Avalex has products for land, air and sea vehicles. (Source:
Avalex, 08/06/09)
Global Hawk marks milestone
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system recently
reached the milestone of 25,000 combat hours during a sortie in July from a deployed
location. It was first flown in 1998 and has logged 1,229 missions, many of them non-
combat. It can reach more than 60,000 feet in altitude for more than 32 hours. (Source:
Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 08/05/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk central
fuselage work is done in Moss Point, Miss.
Singapore Technologies 2Q report
Singapore Technologies Engineering reported its profit fell 9 percent for the second
quarter of 2009 to $75.91 million from the second quarter 2008. It is the parent company
of ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering, which has about 1,200 workers at Brookley Field
Industrial Complex in Mobile, Ala., and VT Halter Marine, which has 1,500 employees at
shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, Miss. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 08/05/09)
AF focuses on info protection
Cyber attacks on government systems have gotten the attention of the Defense
Department. In a recent directive memorandum, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton
Schwartz wrote that the ability to protect information is essential to the success of the Air
Force mission and warrants special attention. The Information Protection directorate,
established in 2007, hosted a workshop at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in June to exchange
ideas about guarding information. Attending were more than 130 IP team members from
major commands and installations. The workshop's objective was for attendees to return
to their duty locations with the same knowledge base to impart to their colleagues.
(Source: AFNS, 08/03/09)
Pentagon eyes bunker buster speedup
Reuters reports that the Pentagon wants to speed deployment of its 30,000-pound
"bunker-buster" bomb to place on radar-evading Northrop Grumman B-2s soon as July
2010. The non-nuclear Massive Ordnance Penetrator, still being tested, is designed to
destroy deeply buried bunkers beyond the reach of existing bombs. The 20-foot long
bomb built by Boeing is a third heavier than the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Burst
Bomb, which was tested twice at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2003. The MOP program is
handled by Eglin. (Source: Reuters, 08/02/09)
Race for 2nd F-35 training heats up
The Arizona Republic is reporting that the Air Force is re-evaluating secondary bases that
will be used for F-35 training, adding more criteria. All bases are again in the running. The
paper says the Air Force secretary and the Air Force chief of staff have asked that
additional factors, such as housing, medical access and child care, be considered. Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the primary training site, and Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and
Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho were top runners for the secondary location.
(Source: Arizona Republic, 08/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., has
been lobbying to become a site for the F-35s.
Euro Hawk structural assembly complete
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman has finished assembling the first Euro Hawk unmanned
aircraft system for the German Ministry of Defence. The Euro Hawk, a derivative of the
Block 20 Global Hawk, will serve as the German Air Force's high-altitude, long-endurance
signals intelligence system. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/31/09) Gulf Coast note:
Central fuselage work for Global Hawks is done in Moss Point, Miss.
JULY 2009
Ex-officer guilty in scheme
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A retired Air Force officer was convicted of destroying records and
lying to a grand jury in connection with contracts awarded by a research lab at Eglin Air
Force Base. Richard Schaller was accused of helping another retired Air Force officer
who worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory on Eglin steer contracts to Schaller's
company. (Source: AP, 07/31/09)
Aviation museum gets new exhibit
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Naval Aviation Museum this week got a new aircraft for
display – an SH-60B Seahawk that has been in continuous duty with the Navy since 1986.
It flew in Wednesday and was officially unveiled Thursday. The helicopter flew more than
8,700 hours. Missions included training, counter-submarine and counter-narcotics.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/31/09)
Boeing completes SC plant purchase
Boeing completed acquisition of the business and operations of Vought Aircraft Industries’
South Carolina facility, where a structure for the 787 Dreamliner is built. The purchase
was originally announced July 7. The plant in North Charleston will be called Boeing
Charleston, which will be managed by the 787 program, and will continue to perform
fabrication, assembly and systems installation for 787 aft fuselage sections. (Source:
Boeing, 07/30/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing is competing against Northrop
Grumman/EADS to build an aerial tanker for the Air Force. EADS wants to build the plane
assembly plant in Mobile, Ala.
White House resists split tanker buy
The White House budget office complained this week about Congressional pressure to
split the aerial refueling tanker buy between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. A statement
said the administration supports taking advantage of efficiencies associated with an award
to a single contractor. If the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins it will assemble the
planes in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/30/09)
X-47B passes structural test
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A series of static and dynamic proof load tests were recently
completed to validate the design and structural integrity of the Northrop Grumman X-47B
Unmanned Combat Air System. It was done under the UCAS Carrier Demonstration
program. The X-47B, now designated with Navy Bureau Number 168063, will undergo
engine integration and taxi tests through the fall in preparation for first flight and carrier
trials. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman builds
portions of the Global Hawk and Fire Scout UAVs in Moss Point, Miss.
Stennis conducts last shuttle engine test
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The last Space Shuttle Main Engine test was
conducted this afternoon at this South Mississippi NASA center. The testmarked the end
of 34 years of testing space shuttle main engines at Stennis. The center’s new mission is
helping NASA prepare for the next era of human spaceflight, the Constellation Program.
Last year and the year before Stennis did component tests for the J-2X engine that will be
used in the program. A new test stand is being built at Stennis for future J-2X testing.
(Source: Tcp, 07/29/09)
General Dynamics 2Q report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. –General Dynamics reported second-quarter 2009 earnings from
continuing operations of $621 million compared to 2008 second-quarter earnings from
continuing operations of $641 million. Revenues in the most-recent quarter grew to $8.1
billion, increasing 10.9 percent over second-quarter 2008 revenues of $7.3 billion.
(Source: GD via PRNewswire, 07/29/09) Gulf Coast note: General Dynamics has
operations along the Gulf Coast.
GBU-53/B completes captive flight testing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon Co. completed a series of captive carry flight
tests of its entry in the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II competition. Engineers tested
the weapon's integration and guidance receiver navigator on an Air Force F-15E and also
conducted seeker-performance evaluations on an Army UH-1 helicopter. (Source:
Raytheon via PRNewswire, 07/29/09)
JSF engine marks milestone
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The engine that will power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
surpassed 12,000 engine test hours as part of the system development and
demonstration phase. Added to hours during the concept demonstration program, the
F135 engine has more than 15,600 test hours. Pratt & Whitney will deliver the first seven
production engines later this year. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 07/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to host the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center; Pratt &
Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
EADS 2Q report
PARIS - EADS NV, parent company of Airbus, reported second-quarter net profit rose
close to 70 percent. Earnings before interest, taxes and other items rose to $936 million.
That’s up from last year but below analysts’ forecasts. The company also warned it may
take hits on future profits from the delayed A400M military transport program. (Sources:
multiple, including AP via Google, Dow Jones, Bloomberg, 07/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS plans to build a tanker assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if it and partner Northrop
Grumman win an Air Force contract.
UAVs now in academy in curriculum
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy officials have integrated
unmanned aircraft systems into the school's curriculum. Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould, the
academy superintendent, said the service has made UAVs a priority, and their value is
evidenced every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. Training on the two Viking 300 UAS' is
being held Camp Red Devil at Fort Carson, Colo. The program opened July 12. (Source:
AFNS, 07/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman UAVs are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
EADS sells more tankers
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. said Saudi Arabia will buy three more
of the company's A330 refueling tankers. The company said the Royal Saudi Air Force will
take delivery of the first of six A330 tankers in 2011. EADS is part of a team led by
Northrop Grumman Corp. competing against Boeing for a contract to build tankers for the
Air Force. If Northrop/EADS wins, the planes will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 07/28/09)
Eglin VA clinic popular in first year
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Since the Community Based Outpatient Clinic opened 14
months ago, veterans in the first year have made 15,982 visits, said the facility’s chief
medical officer. The clinic, near Eglin Air Force Base’s west gate, offers primary medical
care, mental health services, lab work, a small pharmacy and nutrition assistance to about
4,500 veterans in Okaloosa County. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/26/09)
AF accepts HEO-2 for operations
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Lockheed Martin-led team developing the Space Based
Infrared System said the second Highly Elliptical Orbit payload and ground system
modifications have been accepted for operations by the U.S. Air Force, paving the way for
U.S. Strategic Command's formal certification of the HEO-2 system next month. SBIRS is
designed to provide early warning of missile launches and support other missions.
(Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 07/24/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS subsystems
are built at the Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space and Technology Center at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Teledyne 2Q report
Teledyne Technologies' Continental Motors unit saw a $700,000 operating profit in the
second quarter after losing $4.3 million in the first quarter of 2009 and $2.8 million in the
fourth quarter of 2008. Sales for Teledyne Continental Motors, based in Mobile, Ala., were
down 38 percent in the second quarter from a year ago. The overall company, based in
Thousand Oaks, Calif., had a profit of $25.2 million in the second quarter, down 23
percent from the second quarter of 2008. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/24/09)
One F-35 suit dismissed
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A federal judge dismissed the city’s Freedom of Information Act
lawsuit against the Air Force. It was prompted by an Air Force agreement to provide the F-
35 noise data to the city. In addition to the FOIA suit, Valparaiso has sued the Air Force
over its decision to bring 59 F-35s to Eglin Air Force Base and use its runway nearest
Valparaiso. Negotiations continue in that case. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/23/09)
Gates backed in corner?
Defense Secretary Robert Gates thought he punted the aerial tanker problem to
someone else, but since he opted to stay on in his post, it’s right back in his hands. Gates
has insisted on a winner-take-all in the competition between Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team, but the House Appropriations Committee says it must review terms
of the competition. The increases the chance of politicking. Analysts say the review could
lead Gates to agree to a splitting the contract. (Source: Politico, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win. Boeing will
build them in Washington if it wins.
Goodrich 2Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. reported second quarter sales of $1,700 million, a
decrease of 8 percent compared to the second quarter 2008 sales of $1,849 million,
including sales reductions of $91 million related to foreign currency exchange rate
impacts and for lowered sales resulting from the formation of the engine controls joint
venture with Rolls-Royce. (Source: Goodrich via PRNewswire, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
Goodrich has an aerospace service center in Foley, Ala.
Raytheon 2Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. reported second quarter 2009 income from continuing
operations of $504 million, up 17 percent compared to $432 million in the second quarter
2008. Net sales for the second quarter 2009 were $6.1 billion, up from $5.9 billion in the
second quarter 2008. (Source: Raytheon via PRNewswire, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
Raytheon has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Northrop Grumman 2Q report
LOS ANGELES - Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that second quarter 2009 earnings
from continuing operations totaled $394 million compared with $483 million in the second
quarter of 2008. Second quarter 2009 earnings included a net $64 million pre-tax gain for
legal matters as well as a $105 million pre-tax charge for cost increases in the estimates
to complete several ships under construction at the company's Gulf Coast shipyards.
(Source: Northrop via PRNewswire, 07/23/09)
Pentagon orders more M777s
The Pentagon has ordered 62 more M777 howitzers from BAE Systems in a deal worth
$117 million. The additional work for the company’s Barrow, UK, and Hattiesburg, Miss.,
facilities pushes manufacturing on current sales well into 2012. The Hattiesburg facility,
which opened in 2003, is responsible for final integration and test of the weapon system.
(Source: BAE Systems, 07/20/09) Gulf Coast note: BAE Systems also has operations in
Gautier, Miss., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Test wing gets new leader
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 46th Test Wing welcomed a new leader in a
ceremony this week. Col. Michael Brewer accepted the helm of the wing from Maj. Gen.
Charles Davis, program executive officer for weapons and Air Armament Center
commander. Brewer was previously vice commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center,
Det. 3, Edwards AFB, Calif. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 07/21/09)
Boeing 2Q report
CHICAGO - The Boeing Company's second-quarter revenues rose 1 percent to $17.2
billion, while earnings per share rose 22 percent to $1.41. Operating cash flow increased
to $1 billion. The company also reported a backlog of $328 billion, nearly five times
current annual revenues. (Source: Boeing via PRNewswire, 07/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Last shuttle engine test slated
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The last planned Space Shuttle Main Engine test will
be July 29 at 2 p.m. CDT at this South Mississippi NASA center. The 520-second test
ends a 34-year era of space shuttle main engine testing at Stennis. The first shuttle
mission was in 1981 and there have been 126 since then, with all the main engines tested
at Stennis. Seven flights remain before the space shuttle fleet is retired. The center is now
helping NASA prepare for the next era of human spaceflight. Between 2007 and 2008,
Stennis conducted component testing as part of early development of the J-2X engine for
the Constellation Program. The J-2X will be tested at simulated altitudes up to 100,000
feet on the 300-foot A-3 test stand currently under construction at the center. (Source:
Stennis Space Center, 07/21/09)
County, Navy reach agreement on runway
MILTON, Fla. - Santa Rosa County and the Navy reached an agreement to let businesses
in a planned aviation park use a Whiting Field Naval Air Station runway. Whiting Aviation
Park will be built on 267 acres of land adjacent to the base. The land was purchased as
part of Santa Rosa County's ongoing encroachment-prevention efforts. The agreement
allows up to 75 flights a day. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/21/09) Previous story,
June 2009
County in running for service center
MILTON, Fla. - Santa Rosa County officials say the county is in the running for a military-
related service center that could employ 800 people. The executive director of TEAM
Santa Rosa Economic Development Council told the board of directors Monday that she
could find out next week if East Milton has been chosen as one of three sites in Florida to
compete with four other states for the facility. The company has not been named.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/21/09)
Lockheed Martin 2Q report
BETHESDA, Md. - Lockheed Martin Corp. today reported second quarter 2009 net
earnings of $734 million compared to $882 million in 2008. Net sales for the second
quarter of 2009 were $11.2 billion, compared to $11.0 billion in 2008. Cash from
operations for the second quarter of 2009 was $1.1 billion, compared to $1.5 billion in
2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 07/21/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed
Martin has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Feds could anchor proposed complex
MOBILE, Ala. - The government wants to lease 24,000 square feet of office space
downtown or at the Brookley Field Industrial Complex for Department of Homeland
Security agencies. Mobile Airport Authority officials said they've offered the first building in
a proposed office park that the authority would like to build on South Broad Street, south
of Fort Whiting and across the street from the Airbus engineering center. (Source: Mobile
Press Register, 07/21/09) Brookley is also the site chosen by EADS to assemble an aerial
refueling tanker if the company wins an Air Force contract.
Airborne tool would aid in ASW training
Antisubmarine warfare training may get a new airborne tool to detect marine mammals
that sometimes limit training exercises. Advanced Coherent Technologies LLC of San
Diego, Calif., was awarded a $7.7 million contract for a Phase III Small Business
Innovation Research project called “Living Marine Resources Imaging Sensor.” The
contract provides for the continued development of a flight ready prototype sensor. Sixty
percent of the work will be done in Mobile, Ala., and 20 percent in San Diego, and is
expected to be completed in July 2014. The Phase I solicitation requested development of
a radar system and associated algorithms to detect breaching whales in various sea
states. (Source: DoD, 07/20/09)
Second contractor pleads guilty
A former government employee at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., pleaded guilty Monday and
agreed to cooperate with an investigation of appropriations members of Congress steer to
defense contractors. Mark O’Hair pleaded guilty to a false statement and conflict-of-
interest charge. He’s the second defendant now cooperating with federal prosecutors
looking onto allegations of wrongdoing by contractors with ties to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
Last week Richard Ianieri, former chief executive of a defense contractor with ties to
Murtha pleaded guilty to soliciting kickbacks from a subcontractor in Pennsylvania.
(Sources: multiple, including AP, The Hill, Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/20/09)
Lakotas bound for Puerto Rico
The first two EADS North America-built UH-72A Lakota helicopters to be based outside of
the continental United States have been delivered to the Army for operations in Puerto
Rico. The helicopters are made in Columbus, Miss., by American Eurocopter, an EADS
North America company. (Source: EADS North America, 07/20/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS
also hopes to build a tanker assembly facility in Mobile, Ala. Another EADS company,
EADS-CASA, has a maintenance facility in Mobile.
UAVs integrated into AF plans
Air Force leaders last month approved the Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight
Plan. The plan outlines a coordinated strategy for UAV integration across all Air Force
functions. While the vision does not advocate replacement of manned missions, it does
identify UAS alternatives for some manned missions. The plan highlights capabilities that
will revolutionize UAV operations, including multi-aircraft control. The UAS Flight Plan is a
long-range vision to 2047. (Source: AFNS, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman
builds two unmanned systems, Global Hawk and Fire Scout, in Moss Point, Miss.; UAV-
maker AeroVironment has a training operation in Navarre, Fla.
Contract: McDonnell, $12.1M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $12,100,000 contract to provide
massive ordnance penetrator on B-2 platform. At this time $6,000,000 has been
obligated. AAC/708th, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
07/16/09)
More work done on Stennis stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Work on a pair of transfer docks for the new rocket
test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center has been completed. The docks allow barges
to deliver fuels to the A-3 Test Stand via Stennis’ seven-and-one-half-mile canal system
that connects the site to the Pearl River. From the docks, liquid oxygen and liquid
hydrogen will be loaded into run tanks and used to conduct engine tests. The docks also
are outfitted to allow for direct liquid transfer during a test. The A-3 stand will be used to
test the J-2X engine for the Constellation Program. (Source: Stennis Space Center,
07/17/09)
Keesler chosen for cyber training
BILOXI, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base was chosen as the site for the new Undergraduate
Cyberspace Training Unit, a program that will teach its students how to protect
communications networks. The new unit will mean more students and teachers at Keesler.
The first class begins in the fall of 2010. The training will include how to design, secure,
assess, exploit, attack and defend various communication networks, including telephones,
Internet protocol, satellite, land mobile radio, industrial control systems, integrated air
defense and tactical data link. (Source: The Sun Herald, 07/17/09)
60-year Keesler program ends
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – A course that’s been taught for six decades at
Keesler is ending and being merged with other career fields. The last radio
communications operations class in the 336th Training Squadron graduates next week.
Radio operators deploy radio transmitters, receivers and ancillary equipment for line-of-
sight, air-to-ground and satellite communications in fixed and tactical environments. The
training in the reconfigured career fields will continue to be done at Keesler. (Source:
Keesler Air Force Base, 07/15/09)
City’s FOIA suit accord reached
VALPARAISO, Fla. - City commissioners voted Wednesday to approve a settlement in
their Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed against the Air Force. Most of the meeting
with attorneys was held in executive session. As a part of the settlement, the Air Force
agreed to give Valparaiso all of the noise data within 30 days of the settlement’s signing
by both parties. The suit is connected to the establishment of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center. Valparaiso has been concerned over the noise associated with the
aircraft. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/15/09)
Contract: Pratt & Whitney, $571.1M
Pratt & Whitney of East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $571,114,320 modification to
the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter F-135 (engine) low rate initial production Lot III
advance acquisition contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. It sets the
final price and fully funds the procurement of seven Air Force conventional take off and
landing propulsion systems, one spare main engine, initial spare modules and spare
parts; one Royal Netherlands Air Force CTOL propulsion system, one spare main engine,
and spare parts; seven Marine Corps short take off and vertical landing propulsion
systems; initial spare modules and spare parts; two United Kingdom Royal Navy STOVL
propulsion systems, one spare main engine, initial spare modules and spare parts. The
contract also provides for associated special tooling, test equipment and more. Work will
be performed in Connecticut, Indiana and the United Kingdom and is expected to be
completed in February 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is schedule to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Contract: Bell Boeing, $24.5M
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $24,500,000 contract
for the development and delivery of safety corrective actions, reliability and maintainability
improvements, and quick reaction capability improvements in support of V-22 Osprey
missions for the Air Force Special Operations Command and the Marine Corps. Work will
be performed in Pennsylvania and Texas and is expected to be completed in December
2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Ospreys are used by the Air Force Special
Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Contract: Northrop, $26.6M
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a
$26,640,000 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for
additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk Maritime
Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to
be completed in August 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built
in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout shows off real-time vid
A Northrop Grumman Fire Scout unmanned helicopter testing in the United States
provided real-time video feed of electro-optical/ infrared sensor imagery to participants at
the Paris Air Show last month. The video was of selected areas of Chesapeake Bay and
the shoreline of Southern Maryland. The Navy Fire Scout will complete operational
evaluation this summer. (Source: Globe Newswire, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts
are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
UK A330 ready to tanker conversion
The first Airbus A330 slated for the United Kingdom’s strategic tanker program has
arrived ahead of schedule at the Airbus facility in Madrid, Spain, to begin its conversion
into a multi-role tanker transport. The Royal Air Force tanker uses the same airframe as
Northrop Grumman’s KC-45, which is proposed for the U.S. Air Force’s tanker fleet.
(Source: EADS North America, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: If EADS and partner Northrop
Grumman win the Air Force contract, the KC-45 will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. If Boeing
wins it will be assembled in Washington.
L-3 Crestview Aerospace cuts jobs
CRESTVIEW, Fla. - L-3 Crestview Aerospace cut 28 jobs this week. That’s the same
number of positions that were cut in May. The company blamed the cuts on the decrease
in demand in the commercial aviation sector. The company, one of the largest employers
in Okaloosa County, is a subsidiary of L-3 Integrated Systems and does aircraft
modification and aerostructure fabrication. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/15/09)
Stennis projects among 20 picked
Two Stennis Space Center projects are among the 20 selected for NASA's Innovative
Partnerships Program. The NASA Innovation Fund was established to advance work from
NASA innovators on novel technologies and concepts that have the potential to
revolutionize the way NASA performs its missions. More than 230 proposals were
submitted. Each project is funded for a maximum of $50,000, with work to be completed by
the end of September. The two Stennis projects are titled “Harvesting Vibrational Energy
to Power Wireless Instrumentation Systems” and “Coanda Rocket Plume Deflectors for
Large-Scale Test Facilities.” (Source: NASA, 07/10/09)
Waveland incubator study funded
WAVELAND, Miss. - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development
Administration is providing a $24,000 grant to Waveland to develop a feasibility study on
establishing a business incubator in the city. Sandra Walters, EDA chief financial officer
and chief administrative officer, said the grant will determine the viability of a business
incubator to nurture technology and engineering-based businesses and help Waveland
capitalize on its proximity to Stennis Space Center. (Source: Times Picayune, 07/13/09)
F-15 to be displayed at airport
VALPARAISO, Fla. – An F-15 from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base will go
on permanent display at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport. The plane was
transported Monday and will be part of a display, expected to be completed in August,
honoring the military. Another Eglin F-15 was sent to Mobile, Ala., where it will be part of
the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. The F-15s are being phased out at Eglin and
replaced by F-35s. (Source: Multiple, 07/13/09)
Okaloosa airport plans upgrades
VALPARAISO, Fla. - An upcoming project at Northwest Florida Regional Airport will
improve the electrical system, security and parking. Construction is expected to begin in
November on a number of improvements, including a realignment of the road leading to
the airport’s terminal. A pre-bid meeting for construction companies to get more details
about the project is scheduled for Tuesday. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/11/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $262.5M
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $262,500,000
contract for the long lead parts and material procurement for the 4th Space Based
Infrared Systems Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Satellite and the 4th Highly Elliptical Orbit
Payload. Space Based Infrared Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin
Mississippi Space and Technology Center, Stennis Space Center, Miss., builds
subsystems for SBIRS.
First JSF leadership now at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The future 33rd Operations Group deputy commander is
now at Eglin Air Force Base preparing for his role at the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center. Navy Capt. Mike Saunders arrived at Eglin a few weeks ago and is working with
the F-35 Joint Site Activation Task Force and shadowing current operations at the 33rd
Fighter Wing. He’s the first senior staff member of the future F-35 wing. Saunders
background includes leading the Navy Fighter Weapons School and Naval Strike and Air
Warfare Center. Air Force Col. James Ravella, future group commander, arrives next
month. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 07/08/09)
Contract: Sauer, $7M
Sauer Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $7,021,100 under a previously awarded
multiple award construction contract for the design and construction to renovate three
facilities at Stennis Space Center, Miss. It includes work on building 3205 and a new buoy
blast & paint facility for the National Data Buoy Center. Work is expected to be completed
by January 2011. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville,
Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/09/09)
Paris: Mississippi, partner make splash
The recent Paris Air Show let aerospace companies show off their products to military and
commercial buyers. But it also let South Mississippi and its partners Alabama and Florida
strut their stuff on a world stage, make contacts and build relationships they hope will pay
off down the road. (Source: Alliance Insight, 07/07/09)
Inouye: Split tanker buy too costly
The chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee now opposes directing the
Pentagon to buy tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Sen. Daniel Inouye
said in an interview today that his view has evolved since last month when he hadn’t ruled
it out and said he needed more data from the Pentagon. Now he said it may be “much
more expensive,” but he provided no figures. (Source: Bloomberg, 07/09/09)
Boom does night test
The EADS advanced aerial refueling boom system, featured on Northrop Grumman’s KC-
45 offering for the U.S. Air Force, demonstrated nighttime operational capabilities during a
multi-contact mission with an F-16 fighter aircraft. The boom’s system features laser
infrared lighting and high-definition digital stereoscopic viewing. The boom was installed
on EADS’ A310 test bed, and involved a Portuguese F-16AM. (Source: EADS, 07/08/09)
Gulf Coast note: EADS and partner Northrop Grumman plan to establish a tanker
assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if they win the Air Force tanker contest against Boeing.
Boeing buying Vought plant
Boeing has agreed to acquire for some $580 million the business and operations of
Vought Aircraft Industries at its South Carolina facility. The Vought facility in North
Charleston does fabrication and assembly of structures and systems installation of 787 aft
fuselage sections, made primarily of composite materials. Boeing will acquire the assets
and inventory and assume operation of the site. This transaction is anticipated to close in
the third quarter. Once acquired, the North Charleston facility will be managed by the 787
program. Vought will continue its work on many Boeing programs, including other
components of the 787, as well as structures and components on the 737, 747, 767, 777,
C-17 and V-22 through operations located elsewhere. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/07/09)
Jacobs takes over Michoud
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has been certified by NASA ready
to assume operational management of the Michoud Assembly Facility. Jacobs was
awarded the manufacturing support and facility operations contract May 1, and officially
took over from Lockheed Martin July 1. It will employ about 450 workers. Jacobs president
and CEO Craig Martin said Michoud will be central to the success of human missions to
the moon and Mars. Michoud, manufacturer of Space Shuttle external tanks, has been
selected as the site to manufacture several major components for the Constellation
Program. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/07/09)
Opinion: Solving two aero dilemmas
A Bloomberg news columnist in Paris has an interesting way to resolve two problems
faced by the aerospace industry. Airbus should drop its troubled A400 troop transport so
European nations can buy proven transports from the United States. And in return, the
United States should buy the already flying Airbus A330 aerial tanker. It would help
aerospace companies on both continents, who in the future will face challenges from
China’s and India’s aerospace industries. (Source: Bloomberg, New York Times, 07/07/09)
Ares I moves forward
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Though the fate of Ares I is uncertain pending a review by a special
panel, the new crew launch vehicle is moving from the computer-aided design
workstations to various fabrication facilities. To hold down costs, NASA is developing Ares
I in-house before farming out production to industry. Experts in friction stir-welding have
produced their first tank dome using the same robotic tool that Boeing will use in upper
stage production at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Development of the J-
2X, which will power the Ares I upper stage and the earth departure stage, is moving
along. Power-pack trials were done at Stennis Space Center, and the A2 test stand will be
modified for the J-2X after the last space shuttle main engine test in September. (Source:
Aviation Week, 07/05/09)
Restored Electra unveiled
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A restored Lockheed Electra, the type of plane Amelia Earhart was
flying when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean, was unveiled Thursday at the
National Naval Aviation Museum. July 2 was the 72nd anniversary of Earhart's
disappearance during an attempt to circle the globe. The musem's Electra is painted in
Navy colors with dark blue wings, but is otherwise outfitted the same as Earhart's plane.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/03/09)
Justice joins suit against SAIC
The Justice Department has joined a whistleblower lawsuit over a $3.2 billion contract to
provide support services at Stennis Space Center, Miss. The suit claims Science
Applications International Corp. conspired with federal officials to rig the technology
contract awarded in 2004. The suit claims three former or current federal employees
conspired to steer a computer project to SAIC. A company started by one of those former
employees had teamed up with SAIC to bid on the contract. The suit was filed by David
McGee, a former employee at the center. (Source: Washington Post, Reuters, 07/03/09)
Boeing 2nd assembly line the buzz
Boeing may buy supplier Vought Aircraft Industries’ plant in North Charleston, S.C., and
establish a second 787 assembly plant there. The plant makes fuselage sections for the
787, but the purchase would put more of the troubled 787 program directly under Boeing’
s control. Analysts say it would make sense as a way to cope with the backlog of orders
for the program, already two years behind schedule. Washington state wants to keep any
second line in Puget Sound, but South Carolina is a right to work state and was in the
running in 2003 when Boeing was looking to build the 787 outside of Washington.
(Sources: Multiple, including Charlotte Business Journal, Dallas News, Seattle Times,
07/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Mobile, Ala., and Hancock County, Miss., were both among the
finalists for the 787 plant in 2003.
Contract: Lockheed, $441.9M
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $441,938,182 modification to definitize the previously
awarded Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III advance
acquisition contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. This modification
provides for common and unique performance based logistics support and hardware for
the sustainment of seven U.S. Air Force and one Government of the Netherlands
conventional take-off and landing aircraft; seven U.S. Marine Corps and two United
Kingdom short take-off vertical-landing aircraft; material necessary to support activation of
JSF bases; two aircraft systems maintenance trainers; one weapons loader trainer; two
full mission simulators; one USMC and one UK deployable mission rehearsal trainer;
sixteen LM-STAR avionics test stations; hardware and software for the integrated training
center; CVN autonomic logistics information system shipboard certification and
deployment; ALIS depot trade study; and associated technical and financial data. Naval
Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
07/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the JSF Training Center.
City eyes annexing part of Hurlburt
MARY ESTHER, Fla. – A proposal to annex a 3-mile stretch of Hurlburt Field is designed
to make his city larger and increase state revenue-sharing dollars. The annexation would
add 2,000 residents who live in base housing and barracks on the land. The city would
not assume any new services or maintenance duties, but residents of the annexed area
would be able to vote in local elections and run for office. Mary Esther's population is
about 4,500 now. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/01/09)
Hurricane Hunters prep for missions
ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I. - Members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather
Reconnaissance Squadron deployed to their detachment here to fly training missions
over the Caribbean in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season. Unit Airmen are part of
the 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and are the only Department of
Defense unit flying into tropical storms and hurricanes collecting critical data. During the
next months until Nov. 30, the Hurricane Hunters will be honing their skills in special WC-
130J Hercules aircraft. (Source: AFNS, 07/02/09)
Gulfport adds Dallas flight
GULFPORT, Miss. – Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is adding a fourth daily flight to
Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. The expanded service starts Aug. 25 on American
Airlines/American Eagle. The additional flights will leave Gulfport at 10:55 a.m. daily and
leave Dallas for the Coast at 11:10 a.m. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/01/09)
Keesler’s wins, losses
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Keesler will see a decrease of 31 military positions
and an increase of 15 civilian positions as a result of the Air Force's proposed force
structure realignment for fiscal 2010. The 81st Training Wing will have an increase of 14
civilian positions, while the 85th Engineering Installation Squadron and the 19th
Operational Group Detachment 6 each will get an additional position. The 81st Aerospace
Medicine Squadron's aeromedical staging flight will see a decrease of 31 military positions
due to mission transfer earlier this year. Other miscellaneous actions resulted in a
decrease of one civilian position. (Source: AFNS, 07/01/09)
Boeing picks ATK for motors
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Boeing chose Alliant Techsystems to make the upper stage ullage
motors for the Ares I launch vehicle. The Ares I is NASA's two-stage rocket that will launch
astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on missions to the International Space Station,
the moon and beyond. The ullage motor is similar to the Space Shuttle booster separation
motor. (Source: ATK, 07/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the Constellation Program;
Boeing has an operation at Michoud and ATK an office in Northwest Florida.
JUNE 2009
Contract: Kaman, $53M
Kaman Precision Products, Inc., Orlando, Fla., is being awarded a $52,970,557 firm-fixed
contract for joint programmable fuze systems, including the FMU-152 fuze and FZU-55
initiator, of five FMS countries for a quantity of 458 and the Air Force for a quantity of
14,601 each. 679th Armament Systems Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/09)
Land-configured Fire Scout tested
SAN DIEGO - A Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout successfully completed first flight
operations at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. Unlike current Navy configured Fire Scouts,
this one, designated P7, was built for land-based operations and is the first MQ-8B to fly
without flight test instrumentation usually installed for developmental flights. The P7's tests
will continue throughout the summer. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 06/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Taxiway nears completion
MOSS POINT, Miss. – A taxiway linking the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems
Center to the Trent Lott International Airport should be operational soon. Right now is just
needs lighting. Northrop Grumman does finishing work on the Fire Scout unmanned
helicopter at the center, and wants to do product flight testing in South Mississippi.
Jackson County Economic Development Director George Freeland said the addition of
the taxiway could create at least 16 more jobs at the center. (Source: Sun Herald,
06/28/09)
GE, USM to study composite engine parts
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A $2.4 million state grant will be used by a GE Aviation and the
University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Polymers and High Performance Materials
for research on composite materials for an GEnx engine to power the Boeing 787 and
747-8 aircraft. The grant is from the Mississippi Development Authority. GE Aviation,
which has a plant in Batesville producing composite-material parts for jet engines, will
spend $2.5 million on the research. About 15 to 20 USM students and faculty will work on
the one-year project. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 06/30/09)
Goodrich opens new China facility
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. opened a new facility in China’s Tianjin Airport
Industrial Park to support nacelle and thrust reverser original equipment as well as
maintenance, repair and overhaul activities. Part of Goodrich's Aerostructures business,
the 50,000 square foot facility will perform work for customers in the region. It also will
support engine buildup and podding work for the new Airbus A320 family aircraft final
assembly line in Tianjin. (Source: Goodrich, 06/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich's
Aerostructures business runs the Alabama Service Center in Foley, Ala., which provides
maintenance, repair and overhaul services on nacelles, doors, fairings, flight controls,
pneumatic ducting and wire harnesses.
Northwest region assesses Paris
EVERETT, Wash. – Companies and organizations are taking inventory of leads
developed at the Paris Air Show. The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, Washington
Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development and Aerospace Futures
Alliance organized a state aerospace pavilion at the show. Eleven Northwest aerospace
companies participated. Organizers estimate there were about 80 meetings. (Source:
Everett Herald, 06/29/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast region also had
representatives at the show. A common tie between the Northwest and Gulf Coast is
competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the Air Force tanker project.
Boeing wants to build the planes in Washington, and Northrop and partner EADS want to
build them in Mobile, Ala.
Rolls-Royce BR725 EASA certified
Rolls-Royce received type certification for the new BR725 engine that will power the first
flight of the Gulfstream G650 business jet later in the year. Type certification was from the
European Aviation Safety Agency. Testing was done at various Rolls-Royce locations in
Europe and the United States, including the outdoor jet engine testing facility at NASA’s
John C Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: Rolls Royce, 06/24/09)
Hurlburt unit transfers to Cannon
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Officials from the 16th Special Operations Squadron
held a squadron flag-transfer ceremony last week to mark the official transfer of the
squadron from Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 16th SOS flies the AC-130H gunship and conducts
missions such as close-air support, air interdiction and force protection. The AC-130H is
armed with 40 mm and 105 mm cannons. Det. 1 of the 16th SOS stood up at Cannon in
July 2008 to prepare the way for the arrival of eight aircraft and nearly 500 people.
(Source: AFNS, 06/26/09)
Tyndall faces cut of 600 positions
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force plans to cut nearly 600 military
positions and four civilian positions from Tyndall Air Force Base as part of the 2010
restructuring. The base is home to about 3,500 active-duty military and 2,000 civilian jobs.
By contrast, Hurlburt Field will see an increase of 435 military positions and 79 civilian
positions, and Eglin Air Force Base will see an increase of 123 military and 302 civilian
positions. The changes, if approved by Congress, would take effect Oct. 1. (Source:
Panama City News Herald, 06/26/09)
Aviation board consolidating parcels
NEW ORLEANS, La. – To make dozens of scattered acres of vacant airport-buyout land
more attractive to developers, the New Orleans Aviation Board has consolidated it into
eight parcels. Officials from Kenner, where most of the land is located, and Louis
Armstrong International Airport are drafting a request for proposals for potential
developers. The airport bought the land and razed houses beginning in the mid-1990s as
part of a noise-mitigation lawsuit, but it has remained vacant. Now the Federal Aviation
Administration, which paid for the property, has directed the airport to submit a plan by
October for using the land. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/26/09)
Mexico flight will encourage ties
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The AeroMexico nonstop flight between New Orleans and Mexico
City that begins next month will encourage business ties between Louisiana and Mexico,
experts said at a forum sponsored by the World Trade Center. The direct flight lasts two
hours and 20 minutes and begins service from New Orleans on July 7. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/27/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $9.7M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,734,960 modification to a
firm-fixed-price contract providing a follow-on test and evaluation and captive carry
reliability program and will provide support in the performance of Advanced Medium-
Range Air-to-Air Missile Intercept Missile (AIM)-120D program. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 06/26/09)
Munitions gets new chief
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Col. Kenneth Echternacht was installed Thursday as the
new chief of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Munitions Directorate. He’ll be in charge
of more than 500 personnel. The directorate performs research on precision guidance,
missile guidance and control, computational mechanics, smart sub-munitions, warheads
and explosives. Echternacht, who worked at the lab from 1996 to 2000, was most recently
chief of the Air Force Science and Technology Division under the Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force for Acquisition. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/09)
Hubble astronauts visit Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Astronauts from the STS-125 mission to repair the
Hubble Space Telescope shared accounts of their mission during a visit Wednesday to
the StenniSphere, the visitor center at John C. Stennis Space Center. The crewmembers
thanked Stennis employees for their contributions to the mission. The astronauts spent
five days conducting five spacewalks to provide upgrades to the telescope as part of their
14-day mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis. (Source: NASA, 06/24/09)
Latest Global Hawk rolls out
PALMDALE, Calif. - Northrop Grumman and the Air Force unveiled the next-generation
Global Hawk Thursday. The RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk uses the MP-RTIP sensor, the
first time the active electronic scanned array technology has been used on a high-altitude
unmanned aircraft. AESA technology provides all-weather, day-night synthetic aperture
radar mapping and ground moving target indicator capability. Designated AF-18, it’s
scheduled to begin flight testing next month. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 06/25/09) Gulf
Coast note: Fuselage work on AF-18 was done in Moss Point, Miss.
Airport takes on project backlog
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has launched
the first of what will be $350 million in improvements to modernize the facility and create
about 7,000 construction jobs. Construction should be mostly finished before Super Bowl
2013. The most expensive project is a $114 million rental-car facility with 1,800 parking
spaces. The aviation board is using tax-exempt Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds for the
garage. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 06/25/09)
53rd gets new commander
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Col. Michael Gantt on Wednesday assumed command of
the 53rd Wing from Brig. Gen. (select) Steve DePalmer, who became vice commander of
the 14th Air Force in May. Gantt previously served as vice commander of the 31st Fighter
Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 53rd reports to the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis
Air Force Base, Nev. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/09)
American Eagle adds Mobile flight
MOBILE, Ala. - American Eagle will resume a fourth daily round trip between Mobile and
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport starting Aug. 1. Traffic has picked up in Mobile.
May saw 2 percent more passengers through the airport than in May 2008, the first time
since February 2008 that traffic grew year over year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
06/25/09)
Contract: Northrop, $276.3M
The Air Force awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman for $276,281,235 to provide the
rapid fielding and support of a communications network for military drones – the Battlefield
Airborne Communications Node System. The system will be installed on three Bombardier
BD-700 Global Express and two Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft. 653d ELSG/PK, Hanscom
Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/24/09) Gulf Coast
note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Jacobs, $17.3M
The Air Force is modifying an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Jacobs
Technology, Inc., of Tullahoma, Tenn., for $17,280,405.89. This action will provide
technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various
other tenant organizations. This contract increases the work requirement. AAC/PKES,
Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/24/09)
Panel to visit Michoud
The commission reviewing NASA’s human space flight plans is visiting Huntsville’s
Marshall Space Flight Center and Decatur’s United Launch Alliance rocket plant in
Alabama this week. The commission also plans to visit Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans, which has been chosen to manufacture the Constellation Program’s Ares I upper
stage. (Source: Huntsville Times, 06/19/09)
Murtha: Pentagon weighing split tanker
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon may yet consider buying aerial tankers from both Boeing
and Northrop Grumman, according to Rep. John Murtha. The head of the House Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee said new acquisition chief Ashton Carter said the Pentagon
is examining data on a split buy. "He said, 'We're looking at it. We're going to see what
can be done,'" Murtha told reporters Wednesday. Murtha remains convinced a split is the
only way to avoid protests or delays. (Source: Reuters, 06/24/09) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop Grumman and partner EADS plan to build the tanker in Mobile, Ala., if they win.
Contract: BAE, $9.8M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$9,763,980 modification to a previously awarded contract for the procurement and
installation of a 55 civil global positioning system with electronic flight bag for the C-130T
aircraft. This modification also provides for the procurement of 45 install kits, 23
instrument display systems and 45 engine instrument display systems. Ninety percent of
the work will be performed in Crestview, Fla., and is expected to be completed in
September 2011. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/23/09)
High-powered laser fired in flight
KIRKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - A high-powered laser was successfully fired for the
first time from the Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft during a test conducted by the 413th
Flight Test Squadron of Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Boeing. The ATL is the 46th Test Wing's
modified NC-130H. The laser was fired over White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and hit a
ground target. ATL is equipped with a chemical laser, a beam control system, sensors
and weapon-system consoles. The system is designed to damage, disable or destroy
targets with little to no collateral damage. It’s intended for use on the battlefield and in
urban operations. The ATL program is managed by the 687th Armament Systems
Squadron, part of the 308th Armament Systems Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
(Source: AFNS, 06/19/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $25M
The Air Force is modifying an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Jacobs
Technology, Inc., of Tullahoma, Tenn., for $25,083,864. This contract will provide
technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various
other tenant organizations. This modification is to increase work requirement. AAC/PKES,
Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/19/09)
Tanker contest structure decision soon
Reuters reports that the Pentagon will decide in a few days how to structure the multi-
billion-dollar contest to replace the Air Force's tanker fleet. Said Defense Secretary
Robert Gates: “I’m probably within a few days of making a decision on the structure …
and who will be the acquisition authority.” He hopes to get a request for proposal out by
mid-summer. Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team will compete for the contract.
(Source: Reuters, 06/18/09) Gulf Coast note: If it wins, EADS wants to assemble the
tankers, based on the A330, in Mobile, Ala. Boeing, which may offer the 777 or the 767,
will build them in Washington state.
Technology sees tunnels
Three companies are marketing an airborne system designed to detect underground
tunnels and caves. The INSITE VI system resulted from a partnership between AeroTec,
NVision Solutions and EnTech Engineering. The system uses a helicopter fitted with a
sensor able to detect changes in terrain and ground temperature. Experts can see up to
80 feet deep into the earth to find caves, tunnels, pipes, and leaks in levees not visible
from the ground. NVision is based in Bay St. Louis, Miss., AeroTec in Birmingham, Ala.,
and EnTech in St. Louis, Mo. AeroTec also has an office in Picayune, Miss. (Source:
Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, 06/17/09)
DRS FWB to build pods
PARSIPPANY, N.J. - DRS Technologies announced the receipt of follow-on orders of
$43.9 million for the P5 Combat Training System/Tactical Combat Training System. DRS
will be responsible for the production, testing, and fielding of the pods flown on a variety
of aircraft. Under contracts were awarded by the 689th Armament Systems Squadron at
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The pods will be manufactured at the DRS Technologies facility
in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., and deliveries will begin in mid-2010. (Source: MarketWatch,
06/17/09)
New Global Hawk rollout next week
The newest version of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk will be unveiled during a
rollout next week in California. The Block 40 RQ-4 version of the unmanned jet has
improved sensors and radar for tracking ground targets. The roll-out of AF-18, the 27th
Global Hawk built, is June 25 at the Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center in Palmdale,
Calif. The Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., did
fuselage work on AF-18. (Source: Tcp, 06/16/09)
F-35, Eglin projects get funding
Rockwell Collins and Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems said their joint venture,
Vision Systems International LLC, received several contracts from Lockheed Martin
totaling more than $54.1 million for 52 helmet-mounted displays for the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter and 30 additional systems. Rockwell Collins also received initial financing for the
pilot facility standup at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., for the displays. The joint venture will
start delivering the items this year, with deliveries running through 2012. (Sources:
Forbes, MarketWatch, Reuters, 06/16/09)
Northrop, EADS affirm commitment
PARIS - Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman, and Louis Gallois,
CEO of EADS, issued a joint statement today at the Paris Air Show affirming their
commitment to the Air Force tanker project. They said the KC-45 was previously selected
and they look forward to working the with Department of Defense. (Source: PRNewswire,
06/16/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team plans to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala., if they win the $40 billion contract. Boeing hopes to win and build them in
Washington.
Nelson: Drilling threat to military mission
Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida is opposing a measure now in Congress, fearing it threatens
the military mission in Northwest Florida. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee approved a proposal to change a 2006 law that opened 8.3 million new acres
for drilling lease in exchange for a prohibition of drilling in the eastern gulf’s military testing
range. Nelson says it’s not worth the sacrifice to national security. The military uses the
Gulf of Mexico for pilot and weapons training. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 06/15/09)
Lockheed starts labor loan program
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin Space Systems' New Orleans facility will begin a
loaned labor program to keep workers employed as NASA shuts down its space shuttle
program. Lockheed, which has about 2,000 workers in its eastern New Orleans facility,
has built external fuel tanks for the space shuttle. By loaning out its employees, the
company hopes to hang on to them until they are needed when new space projects ramp
up. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 06/14/09)
Boeing to pitch 777 for tanker
Boeing will offer a 777 as well as a 767 in the competition against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team to provide aerial tankers for the Air Force. Jim Albaugh, Boeing’s
defense chief, made the comment in a briefing at the Paris Air Show. The larger aircraft
would offer maximum fuel capacity and the 767’s selling point is its flexibility, he said.
(Source: Bloomberg, 06/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to build the tanker in
Mobile, Ala., if it wins the competition.
Airbus: Win would mean U.S. jobs
PARIS – The U.S. industrial base will be increased if the Airbus A330 beats Boeing's 767
for the U.S. Air Force tanker contract, top executives of Airbus parent company EADS
said in Paris Saturday. EADS chief executive Louis Gallois said Boeing outsources much
of its parts manufacturing overseas, while the tanker proposed by Airbus and Northrop
Grumman would create jobs at a new assembly line in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Seattle Times,
06/14/09)
Davis sure F-35 accord will be found
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – The head of the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., had a wide ranging discussion with the editorial board of the Northwest Florida
Daily News Friday. Among other things, Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis discussed the noise
controversy over establishing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin. He
says he feels confident all 107 F-35s will eventually be placed within the Eglin range.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/13/09)
Flight academy groundbreak set
PENSACOLA, Fla. - There will be a groundbreaking Tuesday for the National Flight
Academy, a $26.5 million construction project at the national Naval Aviation Museum at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The academy will be a weeklong educational camp for
seventh to 12th grad students. The academy will teach science, math and technology,
with a focus on naval aviation. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 06/14/09)
Governors plan Paris airshow visit
Political heavyweights from Mississippi and Alabama will be attending the Paris Air Show
that begins Monday. Gov. Haley Barbour and Sen. Thad Cochran from Mississippi will be
going, as will Gov. Bob Riley, Sen. Richard Shelby and Rep. Joe Bonner of Alabama.
Barbour told the AP he and Riley will meet with officials from EADS, which with Northrop
Grumman is competing against Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. EADS wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala. Representatives from the Gulf Coast aerospace
region, which includes Mobile, also plan to attend the show and meet with prospects they
hope to lure to the Gulf Coast region. (Source: Tcp, 06/12/09)
Group to push for Boeing tanker
The state of Washington has a group designed to attract aerospace jobs to the state and
push for Boeing to win the Air Force tanker contract. The group, Washington Aerospace
Partnership, plans to work with the Council on Aerospace and Aerospace Futures
Alliance. Boeing is competing against Northrop/EADS for the contract. Boeing would build
them in Washington and Northrop/EADS would build them in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Seattle
Post-Intelligencer) Gulf Coast note: Mobile, Ala., has a group called Keep Our Tanker that
promotes the Northrop/EADS effort.
Paris air show set to begin
Organizers of the Paris Air Show expect 300,000 visitors during the multi-day event that
begins Monday. There will be 2,000 big and small exhibitors at Le Bourget, traditional
home for the show. The event takes place on the eve of a restart of the competition pitting
Boeing against Northrop Grumman and European teammate EADS to build tankers for the
U.S. Air Force. EADS hopes to build the planes in Mobile, Ala., at the center of the Gulf
Coast aerospace corridor. Also expected to be a big topic at the show is the emergence
of unmanned aerial vehicles, a hot field still filled with small players. That’s a topic of high
interest to South Mississippi, a build sites for Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned
systems. Representatives from the Gulf Coast aerospace region plan to attend the show
and hold a series of meetings with prospects they hope to lure to the Gulf Coast region.
(Source: Tcp, 06/11/09)
Lockheed moves forward on GEO-2
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Lockheed Martin team developing the Air Force's Space-Based
Infrared System mated the spacecraft bus with the infrared sensor payload for the second
geosynchronous (GEO-2) SBIRS spacecraft. The SBIRS satellite and ground system will
provide early warning of ballistic missile launches and support other operations. (Source:
Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 06/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi
Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss., makes the integrated
propulsion system for the SBIRS.
Eglin buying big Boeing bombs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
said it will buy 20 massive bombs designed to destroy hard targets or targets deep
underground. The 30,000-pound bombs - Massive Ordnance Penetrator – were
developed by the Air Force and Boeing. Five bombs will be used for tests. (Source: Air
Force Times, 06/10/09)
Eglin named historic site
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
named Eglin Air Force Base a historic aerospace site for 2009. It was among four
international locations getting the honor. The selection is to recognize noteworthy cultural
and technological contributions made in both aeronautics and astronautics. A bronze
plaque will be mounted at the Air Force Armament Museum at a ceremony in September.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 06/09/2009)
Whiting gets larger buffer
Nearly 1,400 acres near Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., are now protected from
further development. Florida's Cabinet on Tuesday approved the $5.1 million acquisition
of the land in Santa Rosa County. It's part of a larger Florida Forever project to fill in
protected land between Whiting and the Blackwater River State Forest. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 06/10/09)
Fisherman hooks live missile
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – A commercial fisherman caught an 8-foot-long missile while out
in the Gulf of Mexico near Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base late last month. He
kept it on his boat for the 14-day trip until he returned to Madeira Beach, near Tampa.
That’s when he learned it was a live air-to-air missile. The Gulf Coast region where he
found the missile is used by the military for training. (Source: St. Petersburg Times,
06/09/09) Note: Later reports indicated the bomb was not live and contained no
explosives.
Inouye keeps split tanker buy option
The chairman of the Appropriations Committee hasn’t ruled out directing the Pentagon to
buy tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Sen. Daniel Inouyo, D-Hawaii, said
he’s received industry reports suggesting a split contract would achieve savings of as
much as $42 billion when buying at least 360 aircraft over 30 years. He says he can’t
ignore that. (Source: Bloomberg via Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 06/08/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing plans to build the planes in Washington State and Northrop and partner
EADS want to build them in Mobile, Ala.
Commentaries push split buy
Congressman Jeff Miller of Florida and former Navy secretary John Lehmann wrote
separate commentaries in Politico and Defense News, respectively, pointing out that
buying tankers from Northrop Grumman and Boeing may be less expensive. Lehmann
argues that annual competition used to be the norm. He cites examples that show making
companies compete every year tends to drive down prices. Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates strongly opposes a split tanker buy. If Boeing wins it will build the planes in
Washington State, and if Northrop wins the planes will be built in Mobile, Ala. (Source:
Politico, 06/07/09; Defense News, 06/08/09)
Park’s use of runway moves forward
MILTON, Fla. – A proposed aviation park’s hope to get access to a military base’s taxiway
and runway has moved a step closer. The Office of the Assistant Under Secretary of the
Navy gave approval to Naval Air Station Whiting Field to negotiate with Santa Rosa
County for a limited use agreement. It would allow tenants of the proposed Whiting
Aviation Park to use a 6,000 foot runway to bring in aircraft requiring maintenance.
Crestview’s Bob Sikes Industrial Air Park has a similar joint use agreement with the Air
Force. (Source: Santa Rosa County, 06/04/09)
Datalink for GBU-53/B ready to fly
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon completed a series of hardware-in-the-loop lab
tests on the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II's datalink, a crucial step to clearing the
datalink for flight tests later this month. Engineers verified the Rockwell Collins datalink
worked as anticipated. Raytheon is competing for a GBU-53/B engineering and
manufacturing development contract, scheduled to be awarded in late 2009 with delivery
of production rounds beginning in late 2013. (Source: Raytheon, 06/05/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin is home of the Air Armament Center, where the Air Force develops and tests
aerial weaponry.
Northrop: Split tanker buy less costly
A report prepared by Northrop Grumman says buying aerial tankers from Boeing and
Northrop could offer significant long-term savings. That’s different than what Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates says. He says a split buy would add $7 billion to $14 billion to the
price tag. Northrop points out that it’s not advocating a split buy, just providing the
information. (Source: Reuters, 06/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and partner EADS
want to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala. Boeing wants to build its planes in Washington
State.
Resolution possible in F-35 fight
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A break may be looming in the dispute between the city of
Valparaiso and the Air Force over the F-35. WEAR-TV reports the city and Air Force filed
a joint motion to put Valparaiso's suit against the Air Force on hold for 90 days so they
can work towards a settlement. The suit seeks to prevent the Air Force from establishing
the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base. Valparaiso, concerned
about the noise, also has a suit over public records. (Source: WEAR-TV, 06/04/09)
ACCA a game changer for plane makers?
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The Air Force Research Laboratory
and Lockheed Martin had a demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo
Aircraft June 2 at Palmdale, Calif. The ACCA is a modified Dornier 328J with the fuselage
aft of the crew station and the vertical tail removed and replaced with new structural
designs made of advanced composite materials fabricated using out-of-autoclave curing.
The ACCA program manager said the program has the potential of changing aircraft
manufacturing. (Source: AFNS, 06/03/09) Gulf Coast note: South Mississippi has a
national known advanced materials research program; the National Center for Advanced
Manufacturing is located in New Orleans; unmanned aerial systems are built in Moss
Point, Miss.; EADS hopes to assemble tankers and cargo planes in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker tests underwing pods
The aircraft Northrop Grumman and partner EADS hope to use as an Air Force tanker,
the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport, conducted successful in-flight contacts using its
new generation hose and drogue refueling pod. The tests of the underwing pods were
performed with a Royal Australian Air Force A330 and F/A-18A fighter. The tanker also
has a fuselage hose and drogue. (Source: EADS, 06/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing and
Northrop Grumman are competing for the Air Force contract. Northrop and partner EADS
will assemble the planes, called a KC-45, in Mobile, Ala., if they win.
Lockheed awarded $1.5B for SBIRS
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.5 billion contract for
the third highly elliptical orbit (HEO-3) payload, the third geosynchronous orbit (GEO-3)
satellite and associated ground modifications for the Space-Based Infrared System
(SBIRS) constellation. A contract to include a fourth HEO payload and possible fourth
GEO satellite is expected to be awarded later this year. The SBIRS program is designed
to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other missions
including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. (Source:
PRNewswire, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS work locations include the SBIRS Wing at
Los Angeles Air Force Base, Sunnyvale, and Azusa, Calif.; Boulder, Denver, and
Colorado Springs, Colo.; Gaithersburg, Md.; Valley Forge, Pa.; and Lockheed Martin
Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Airbus not expecting big sales at show
Tom Enders, the chief executive of Airbus, says he doesn’t expect big orders at this month’
s Paris Air Show. Enders said Airbus must keep expanding abroad to stay competitive and
leave national sentiment behind. “Airbus will only remain competitive in the long term if it
develops resources and markets globally and becomes a genuinely international
company, with development and production also in the U.S., China, India and elsewhere.”
Airbus has already set up an aircraft assembly line in China, and India has pressed Airbus
for a production line there as well. But Airbus has been busy in domestic restructuring,
aircraft production delays and union opposition to offshoring. (Source: Liverpool Daily
Post, 06/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent EADS hopes to win an Air Force contract
for tankers and assemble them in Mobile, Ala. It also plans to build cargo aircraft in Mobile
if it wins.
Contracts: Lockeed Martin, $2.1B
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $2,106,525,040 modification of a previously awarded
Joint Strike Fighter air system low rate initial production Lot III advance acquisition
contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. This modification provides for the
procurement of seven Air Force conventional take off and landing and one for the
Netherlands; seven Marine Corps short take-off and vertical landing and two for the
United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire,
Maryland and the United Kingdom and is expected to be completed in December 2011.
This contract combines purchases for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and the governments
of the Netherlands and United Kingdom. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Space review panel named
An independent 10-member panel that will review the nation’s human space flight program
will hold its first meeting June 17 in Washington. Recommendations will be made by the
end of August. The administration last month announced formation of the panel and
named former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine to head the panel. The remaining
nine members were announced Monday. (Source: New York Times, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast
note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
are involved in the space program.
Gulfport gets another new flight
BILOXI, Miss. - Grand Casino Biloxi and IP Casino Resort teamed with Southern Skyways
to offer nonstop flights between Atlanta and Gulfport three days a week at Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport. Flights on a 117-seat Boeing 717 operated by AirTran Airways will
begin July 8. This is the third announcement of new service to Gulfport in the past three
months. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/01/09)
Bonner, Davis weigh in on tanker fight
The Washington Times published a commentary by Reps. Jo Bonner and Artur Davis of
Alabama, urging the Pentagon to build on the original Request for Proposal rather than
go back to square one in the tanker competition. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team are competing for the $40 billion contract to replace the fleet of KC-
135s. Northrop won the contract but it was overturned following a Boeing protest. The
competition is scheduled to get underway again this summer. (Source: Washington Times,
06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing wants to build the tankers in Washington State and
Northrop wants to build them in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: AeroVironment, $7M
Aerovironment Inc. of Monrovia, Calif., is being awarded a $7,000,000 modification to an
existing contract increasing the contract maximum to $10,000,000 for updated DDL
compliant Raven B Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle spares and retrofit kits in support of
the U.S. Special Operations Command Program Executive Office - Fixed Wing. The work
will be performed in Simi Valley, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August 2011.
(Source: DoD, 06/01/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an operation in Navarre,
Fla.
Rockwell buys DataPath
Iowa-based Rockwell Collins has completed the acquisition of satellite-based
communication network developer DataPath Inc. Rockwell Collins acquired all outstanding
shares of DataPath in a cash transaction worth some $130 million. (Source: Business
Wire, 06/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Rockwell Collins has an operation at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.
MAY 2009
NASA awards LN2, LOX contracts
NASA picked three companies to provide liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) to
six NASA facilities. Linde LLC of Murray Hill, N.J., will supply 256,500 tons of LN2 and
173,000 tons of LOX to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The three-year base period
has two one-year options with a maximum value of $28.8 million. The contract begins July
1. LN2 is used for pneumatic actuation, purging, cooling and pressurization of equipment
and LOX is an oxidizer in cryogenic rocket engines. Companies chosen to supply other
NASA facilities are Air Products and Chemicals of Allentown, Pa., and Air Liquide Industrial
of Houston. (Source: NASA, 05/29/09)
Push on for Tyndall fighters
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The news that the Air Force will speed up the drawdown of F-15s at
Tyndall Air Force Base is firing up efforts to find a replacement. Rep. Jimmy Patronis
wrote to the Secretary of the Air Force asking that F-35s be considered for Tyndall. He
pointed out that the community is supportive of the Air Force mission. (Source: Panama
City News Herald, 05/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home
of the F-35 training center, but all branches of the military are considering additional
bases for the joint-service fighter.
Test stand rises over Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Structural work has been finished on the A-3 test
stand that will be used to test engines for the Constellation Program. Work has now
begun on general construction. When completed, the A-3 stand will test J-2X engines that
will propel the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. The A-3
can simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet and can withstand a million pounds of thrust.
The stand has a completion date for May 2011. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/28/09)
Early Fire Scout test for Army planned
Northrop Grumman plans to test-fly for the Army its own Fire Scout unmanned helicopter
next month in Yuma, Ariz. The Fire Scout, called an XM157 Class IV UAV by the Army, is
part of the embattled Future Combat Systems program. The test is coming far earlier than
the one the Army plans in 2011. The Fire Scout is already being test-flown by the Navy.
(Source: Aviation Week, 05/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
AMRAAM completes test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Raytheon’s newest variant of the Advanced Medium-
Range Air-to-Air Missile completed its seventh test flight March 19 when an AIM-120D
AMRAAM was fired from an F-15D fighter. Initial analysis shows the missile achieved all
primary test objectives. The Navy and Air Force have tested AIM-120D on the F/A-18 E/F
and F-15C/D fighters. (Source: Raytheon, 05/29/09)
Blue Angels trim practice sessions
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Because of budget constraints, the Navy is cutting one day of
practice for the Blue Angels flight demonstration team. The F/A-18 Hornets will no longer
practice on Tuesday, but will continue Wednesday sessions. None of the remaining air
show appearances are being canceled. The team is based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. (Sources: Pensacola News Journal, AP via Miami Herald, 05/27/09) Note: Two
Tuesday practices were cut before the team returned to a full schedule, according to later
reports.
Contract: Far East Const., $13.8M
Far East Construction Corp., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $13,750,756 contract for
construction of parking lots and infrastructure. Buildings to be constructed include the
group support battalion logistics, tactical equipment maintenance facility, organization
equipment storage facility and more. Work is to be performed in Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2010. Corps of Engineers Mobile
Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/27/09)
Contract: Broadmoor, $5.9M
Broadmoor LLC, Metairie, La., is being awarded $5,950,000 contract under a previously
awarded contract for design and construction of a jet engine maintenance shop addition
and an aircraft test cell foundation at Naval Air Station - Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans.
Work will be performed in Belle Chase, La., and is expected to be completed by June
2010. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/27/09)
Tanker now in active wing
Boeing says three KC-767J aerial tankers have achieved initial operational capability and
are now in an active air wing in the Japanese air force. The tankers were designated
operational after a yearlong technical evaluation. A fourth plane will be delivered in the
first quarter of 2010. (Source: Boeing, 05/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The KC-767 is
expected to compete against the Northrop Grumman/EADS KC-45 for a $40 billion Air
Force aerial tanker contract. Northrop hopes to build its planes in Mobile, Ala.
Airports get FAA funds
Mississippi airports will share $4.7 million in grants from the Federal Aviation
Administration, according to Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker. Among them,
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport will get $2.2 million for a covered walkway from the
parking area to terminal building. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 05/27/09)
Eglin fuzed weapon test successful
WILMINGTON, Mass. - Textron Defense Systems said its Sensor Fuzed Weapon smart
munition system completed three successful flight tests at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The
tests used SFW units assembled at the new McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in
Oklahoma. The Textron SFW, a cluster munition, has a redundant system - three modes -
that cause warheads to self-destruct if they fail to find a target or are rendered inactive
through the depletion of electrical firing energy after hitting the ground. (Source: Business
Wire, 05/26/09)
Bolden nominated as NASA chief
Veteran space shuttle commander Charles F. Bolden Jr. has been nominated by
President Obama to serve as NASA’s administrator. It's been four months since the
departure of former administrator Mike Griffin, a rocket scientist appointed by the Bush
administration to oversee the shuttle’s 2010 retirement and development of the
Constellation Program, designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. (Source:
Multiple, 05/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud
Assembly Facility and the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, both in New
Orleans, are involved in NASA programs.
Eglin impact study draft ready
The first draft of a study on the compatibility between Eglin Air Force Base and the
surrounding communities has been released and a series of public meetings has been
scheduled. The study reviews the impact Eglin's mission and the base's projected growth
stemming from the Base Realignment and Closure act. Comments from the meetings will
be incorporated in the final version expected to be completed by July. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 05/22/09. The study can be accessed at the Daily News web site.)
StenniSphere sports new exhibit
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The visitor center at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space
Center, StenniSphere, has unveiled its latest permanent exhibit: Science on a Sphere, a
68-inch global presentation of planetary data of the past, present and future.
StenniSphere is the third NASA visitor center to offer Science on a Sphere, a computer
system that uses four projectors to show dynamic, revolving, animated views of Earth’s
and other planets’ atmosphere, geography and more. Science on a Sphere was
developed by NOAA about five years ago. Stennis is the 36th site to house the exhibit.
(Source: NASA, 05/23/09)
Jet noise topic of meeting
NICEVILLE, Fla. – Sixty residents attended Eglin Air Force Base’s second town hall
meeting to discuss the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center. About a third of Maj. Gen. C.
R. Davis' presentation addressed plans to bed down the F-35s at Eglin and the options
for noise mitigation. Davis assured the audience that the Air Force was doing all it could
to consider ways to decrease noise. He said locating the center at other areas “begging
for the airplane” is not an option. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/21/09)
Low-flying jet tests radar system
MOBILE, Ala. - A Coast Guard jet made six low passes – 300 to 500 feet – over the Mobile
River near Austal USA Thursday, allowing radar tests aboard the littoral combat ship
Independence. Austal is part of a General Dynamics Corp.-led team competing to build
dozens of the warships. The Independence and a second LCS on order have aluminum
trimaran hulls. A team led by Lockheed Martin Corp. delivered the first of its steel-hulled
ships to the Navy in the fall and is working on a second vessel. (Source: Mobile Press
Register, 05/22/09)
Airport dumps taxi deal
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Just before a federal court was to finish hearing a claim that the
New Orleans Aviation Board rigged a competition for curbside taxicab management,
airport officials killed the deal and promised to revise their procurement process. (Source:
New Orleans Times-Picayune, 05/21/09)
AF likely to keep tanker oversight
A Pentagon official said the Air Force is expected to resume control over the aerial tanker
competition between Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, according to
Reuters. The Pentagon chief weapons buyer was given control over the program last
summer after auditors faulted the Air Force's handling of the competition. Early this week,
Aviation Week reported that the Pentagon had decided if the Air Force or Pentagon’s
acquisition chief would manage the upcoming competition. (Source: Reuters, 05/21/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they win
the contract.
TSA gets more Rapiscan scanners
The Transportation Security Administration has awarded Rapiscan Systems a follow-on
order of about $3 million for its Rapiscan 620DV Advanced Technology X-Ray scanning
systems. The award for the baggage and parcel screening system for airports is one of
the first made by TSA that uses economic stimulus funds. Rapiscan, of Torrance, Calif., is
a global supplier of security inspection systems. (Source: Business Wire, 05/20/09) Gulf
Coast note: Rapiscan has a manufacturing operation – Ferson Technologies/Rapiscan –
in Ocean Springs, Miss.
Ares I parachutes tested
The first test of the Ares I rocket’s three main parachutes was completed Wednesday at
the Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, Ariz. The largest rocket parachutes ever
manufactured – 150 feet in diameter and weighing 2,000 pounds each – they slow the
descent of the rocket's spent first-stage motor, permitting recovery for use on future
flights. Ares I, the first rocket in NASA's Constellation Program, is designed to launch
explorers aboard the Orion crew capsule on journeys to the International Space Station,
the moon and beyond. (Source: NASA, 05/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center
in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are involved in the
Constellation program.
AF retiring 250 fighters
The Air Force announced plans to eliminate some 250 fighter jets – including some from
Eglin and Tyndall air force bases in Florida - from its inventory to free up money for next-
generation aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to a news release. The move
would save $355 million in fiscal 2010 and $3.5 billion over the next five years. The
service would retire 112 F-15s, 134 F-16s and three A-10s. Five additional fighter aircraft
already had been designated to go out of service in the next fiscal year. Under the
proposal, Tyndall Air Force Base would lose 48 F-15s but retain 28 F-22s. Eglin Air Force
Base, which is scheduled to become the home of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center, would lose two F-15s and retain five. (Source: Stars & Stripes, European edition,
05/20/09. AF press release)
EADS edges out Boeing
Europe’s multi-country EADS edged out U.S.-based Boeing as the biggest aerospace and
defense company in the world in 2008, based on revenues. A study from Deloitte
released Tuesday said Boeing had led EADS in 2007, but a strike of machinists in
Boeing's commercial division last fall allowed EADS to move ahead. Deloitte's study of 67
aerospace and defense companies or divisions of companies found that European
companies grew faster at 9.56 percent in revenue than U.S. firms, which grew at 6.3
percent. (Source: PRNewswire, Inside Defense, 05/19/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS and
Boeing are competing to build the next generation of aerial tanker. Boeing wants to build
them in Washington State and EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Combat controller gets Bronze Stars
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - A combat controller was presented with two Bronze Stars with
valor during a recent ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Master Sgt. Ken
Huhman, a special tactics recruiter in San Antonio, received the medals for his actions
during a 2007 deployment to Afghanistan while assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics
Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source: AFNS, 05/19/09)
F-35 engine completes test
The Pratt & Whitney F135 short takeoff/vertical landing propulsion system exceeded
thrust performance expectations in recently completed tests, providing more vertical
power than required by the F-35 Lightning II STOVL aircraft. The testing was conducted
at a hover pit at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. There are three variants of the F-
35 Joint Strike Fighter, including the vertical takeoff and landing version. (Source: Pratt &
Whitney, 05/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is to be the home of the
Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Niceville unit achieves rating
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems’ Niceville Operations in Florida has
achieved CMMI Maturity Level 3 for systems engineering. The Niceville Operation
specializes in the design, development and production of warheads for tactical missiles,
rockets, ammunition and bombs. The designation means the operation incorporates CMMI
best practices into its system engineering processes throughout product life cycles. GD
Ordnance and Tactical Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics of Falls Church,
Va. (Source: General Dynamics, 05/19/09)
AF could lose tanker oversight
Pentagon officials have not decided whether an upcoming tanker competition between
Boeing and a Northrop Grumman/EADS North America will be managed by the Air Force
or the Defense Department’s acquisition chief, according to David Van Buren, acting
assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/18/09)
Gulf Coast note: If Boeing wins the planes would be built in Washington State; if
Northrop/EADS wins planes would be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
China Airbus completes flight
The first A320 aircraft assembled outside Europe completed a four-hour, 14-minute flight
Monday. It was assembled at the Final Assembly Line China, a joint venture between
Airbus, a 51 percent stakeholder, and a Chinese consortium that includes Tianjin Free
Trade Zone and China Aviation Industry Corp. The aircraft, which will be operated by
Sichuan Airlines, took off from Tianjin International Airport. An Airbus official said the
plane has the same quality as those assembled in Hamburg and Toulouse. (Source:
Airbus, 05/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent EADS plans to build an assembly facility
in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or a part of an Air Force contest to build tankers.
Tanker fleet shows age
WICHITA, Kan. - McConnell Air Force Base is the largest tanker base in the world, and
personnel know the problems keeping airborne a fleet built in the late 1950s and early
1960s. Metal fatigue, corrosion, and replacing parts never intended to be replaced are
common. As the debate continues in Washington over the Boeing vs Northrop Grumman
contract to replace the fleet, those in the field struggle to keep aloft aircraft so critical for
the nation’s defense. (Source: Wichita Eagle, 05/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and
partner EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win all or part of the
contract.
Hunter UAV hits milestone
HERNDON, Va. - Northrop Grumman’s Hunter unmanned aircraft, used by the Army since
1996, has surpassed 75,000 flight hours in service - 50,000 flown in combat. The MQ-5B
Hunter is used for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, weapons delivery and
communications relay. The model designated RQ-5A was the Army’s first fielded UAV.
(Source: Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 05/15/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., has done
refurbishing work on the Hunter.
Panel to get split buy data
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will provide data to Congress on
the cost of buying tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye planned to insert language
requiring the data in the fiscal 2009 war spending bill, but dropped the plan after talking to
Gates. Pentagon officials oppose splitting the contract, saying it would be too costly.
Some in Congress say a split buy would prevent a losing side from filing a protest and
delaying the important procurement. (Source: Reuters via Forbes, 05/14/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS will assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win all or part of the
contract.
Contract: Raytheon, $53.9M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Raytheon Missile Systems Co. of
Tucson, Ariz., for $53,919,693. This action will provide miniature air launched decoy Low
Rate Production for 25 month production effort to include all 162 up rounds, 81
containers, warranty rotable spares and a 12-month Interim Contractor Support. 692
ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/14/09)
Eglin to get AFOTEC personnel
KIRKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation
Center will begin realigning manpower to improve mission effectiveness pending
completion of an environmental impact assessment. The realignment will shift 33 percent
of the personnel from AFOTEC’s Kirtland Air Force Base headquarters to four AFOTEC
detachments at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Edwards AFB, Calif., Nellis AFB, Nev., and
Peterson AFB, Colo. The change affects 20 civilian and 71 military billets. (Source: AFNS,
05/12/09)
General wants to improve synergy
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The new commander of the Air Armament Center plans to
improve the synergy between weapons and aircraft. Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis, who
previously was program executive officer of the Joint Strike Fighter, has managed other
aircraft programs as well and wants to incorporate that knowledge into Eglin’s weapons
programs. "We at the AAC can do a better job trying to help build a strategic plan on how
we produce more synergy between the weapons and the airframe," Davis said. The
"levels of technology and capability between the two have always been out-of-sync and
mismatched,” and he wants to “rebalance the equation.” Eglin is scheduled to become
home to the Joint Striker Fighter Training Center and the 7th Special Forces Group.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 05/12/09)
Tanker boom tested
An Airbus A330 tanker transport completed a test of the in-flight handling characteristics
of its refueling boom system. The flutter testing of the first A330 built for Australia was
done under a variety of conditions. In a different test last month, the A330 was refueled by
a French C-135. Northrop Grumman plans to use the A330 platform for its KC-45, which is
competing against the Boeing KC-767 for a $40 billion Air Force contract. (Source: EADS,
05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plans to build the KC-45 in Mobile, Ala., if it
wins the contract.
Boeing moves MDS to Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Boeing Co. will relocate headquarters for its Missile Defense
Systems division from Arlington, Va., to Huntsville, starting immediately. Boeing initially will
shift division management and support functions to Huntsville, and will evaluate moving
other MDS employees. Between 40 and 50 positions may be transferred by the end of this
year. Boeing says customers have been locating more operations to Huntsville and it
wants to remain close to them. Boeing Huntsville operations include the defense work and
work with the space program. (Source: Boeing, 05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing also
has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
Loud jet noise played at meeting
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A Valparaiso resident recorded the sounds of an F-35, F-15 and F-
16 last month and played them Monday at a Valparaiso City Council meeting to show the
differences. Bob Webb, an audio professional, played the 45-second clip during an hour-
long presentation attended by about 50 people. According to his estimates, the average
person would find the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter two to three times louder than the F-16.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/11/09) Gulf Coast note: The Air Force plans to
locate the JSF training center at Eglin Air Force Base.
Coast Guard pondering UAVs
The U.S. Coast Guard is still in the market for an unmanned aerial system to extend the
surveillance reach of the new National Security Cutter fleet, the head of acquisition for the
service said May 11. The Coast Guard ended its planned vertical takeoff UAV program,
and has been monitoring other UAV programs, said Rear Adm. Gary Blore, assistant
commandant for acquisition. He said the Navy’s Fire Scout appears to be the farthest
along but "we’re still waiting for [maritime] radar to be integrated on Fire Scout." (Source:
Aviation Week, 05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss., and the first National Security Cutter was built in Pascagoula, Miss.
EADS: Plans still on track
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. on Monday refuted a published report
that indicated the slumping economy may force it to scrap plans to build cargo aircraft in
Mobile, Ala. Aerospace Daily quoted Airbus executive Domingo Urena as saying the
company was re-evaluating the plan to assemble a cargo version of the A330 in Mobile
because of slack demand for the planes. EADS and teammate Northrop Grumman are
competing for the Air Force contract to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala. The company
had previously said it would build the cargo planes in Mobile as well if it wins all or part of
the tanker contract. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/12/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $521.2M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for
$521,236,837 for 105 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air, Missile Air Intercept Missile All-
Up-Round missiles, 11 AIM-120 D air vehicles instrumented, two AIM-120D Integrated test
vehicles, 72 AIM-120D captive air training missiles, 495 AIM-120C7 FMS and more.
695ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/11/09)
Former LM chief named to panel
The long-term plan for human spaceflight will have to wait until the end of the summer at
the earliest while a panel headed by former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine
reviews it at the request of the White House. The panel will include NASA insiders and
outside experts to review the Bush-era “Vision for Space Exploration.” Among topics to be
covered will be narrowing the post-shuttle gap in delivering crews to the International
Space Station on U.S. vehicles; pushing human exploration beyond low Earth orbit to the
moon and beyond, and boosting commercial human spaceflight, according to John
Holdren, Obama's science adviser. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/08/09) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are
both involved in the space program.
Drone washes ashore
OKALOOSA ISLAND, Fla. – A target drone that had been shot down Feb. 25 over the
Gulf of Mexico was found washed ashore over the weekend. The BQM-167 subscale
drone had been shot down as part of a weapons evaluation test by the 83rd Fighter
Weapons Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. It washed up on Air Force property a
quarter mile west of El Matador Condominiums. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
05/11/09)
BAE Systems marks milestone
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – BAE Systems employees gathered at Lake Terrace Convention
Center Friday to celebrate the 500th M777 howitzer made in Hattiesburg. The plant is the
only supplier of the M777 howitzer, producing 14 of the lightweight howitzers each month.
The company is under contract for 737 howitzers by January 2011. The Hattiesburg
facility opened in 2003. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 05/09/09) Gulf Coast note: BAE
Systems also has operations in Gautier, Miss., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Board OKs flight academy construction
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Naval Aviation Museum Foundation's board of directors
voted this week to begin construction on the National Flight Academy at Pensacola Naval
Air Station. The foundation approved plans for the $26.5 million construction project,
which includes a 100,000-square-foot academy facility, and a 55,000-square-foot addition
to the National Naval Aviation Museum. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/09/09)
Program aims to inspire students
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - High school students in communities near Stennis
Space Center can participate in NASA's Interdisciplinary National Science Program
Incorporating Research Experience, or Inspire. Selectees will participate in an online
learning community in which students and parents have the opportunity to interact with
peers and NASA engineers and scientists. Inspire is designed to encourage students to
pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. For information, visit www.
nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE. (Source: NASA, 05/08/09)
NASA budget, planned study unveiled
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Along with the unveiling of NASA’s fiscal year 2010 budget on
Thursday, the White House announced the launch of an independent review of NASA's
human spaceflight activities. The review will examine NASA programs and possible
alternatives. As for the budget, NASA is requesting an $18.69 billion budget to advance
Earth science, complete the International Space Station, explore the solar system and
conduct aeronautics research. All totaled, an additional $2 billion has been added to
NASA's 2009 and 2010 budgets under the Obama administration and funds a program of
space exploration involving humans and robots with the goal of returning Americans to the
moon and exploring other destinations. (Source: NASA, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both
involved in NASA programs.
Pentagon big on UAVs
The fiscal 2010 Pentagon budget released Thursday held no surprises since Defense
Secretary Robert Gates in early April previewed what it would include. As expected, the
budget provides a good deal of money for unmanned aerial systems. It includes $1.45
billion for five Air Force Global Hawks high-altitude UAVs, as well as funding for five Fire
Scout unmanned helicopters for the Navy. The Pentagon also plans on buy Ravens for
the Army and Shadows for the Marines. The Predator will be giving way to the more
advanced Reaper. The budget also includes $400 million to restart the competition
between Boeing and Northrop Grumman/EADS for the aerial tanker project. (Source:
Multiple, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks and Fire Scouts are made in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.; Northrop/EADS plan to build the tanker
in Mobile, Ala., if they win the competition.
Pentagon: Kill alternative F-35 engine
The Pentagon is killing the alternate engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in
the fiscal 2010 defense budget request. The move ends funding for the F136 General
Electric/Rolls-Royce engine, leaving funding only for Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine. But
lawmakers have restored funding every time the Pentagon has sought to cut it in the past.
(Source: Aviation Week, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will
become home to the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Runway work begins
MOSS POINT, Miss. – Work has begun on a new taxiway linking Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center to Trent Lott International Airport's runway. The 419-foot-long
project should be finished within two weeks, said Carol Snapp, the airport's executive
director. With Taxiway C3 in place, Northrop can begin product flight tests of Fire Scout
unmanned helicopters, said site manager Bryan Mahoney. (Source: Mississippi Press,
05/07/07)
Northrop awards suppliers
A Pensacola company was among 130 suppliers nationwide honored by Northrop
Grumman this week. The suppliers provide Northrop’s Aerospace Systems sector with
products ranging from aircraft parts to electronics for spacecraft, as well as everyday
services. Johnson Supply Co., which supplies coatings and sealants, was among 62
platinum award winners for 2008. The company also recognized 11 top suppliers and 56
gold award winner. (Source: Globe Newswire, 05/06/09)
EADS appoints tanker program chief
EADS North America appointed Michael Cosentino as vice president and program
manager, tanker programs. He’ll work closely with Northrop Grumman on the KC-45
tanker and oversee the company’s tanker program and engineering efforts in the United
States. EADS North America and Northrop Grumman are competing against Boeing to
replace the aging Air Force tanker fleet. The KC-45 will be built in Mobile, Ala., if the
Northrop/EADS team wins. (Source: EADS North America, 05/05/09)
Constellation review expected
The Obama administration this week may order a review of the spacecraft program NASA
hoped would replace the space shuttle, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The review
would examine whether the Ares I rocket and Orion capsule are the best options to send
astronauts into orbit by 2015. The review of the Constellation program could be finished
by fall. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 05/06/09) Gulf Coast note: Any changes in NASA
programs are crucial for Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans.
Court won’t block airport
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A court has nixed a bid to block a new airport from being built. The
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied a pending petition for review of the
Federal Aviation Administration's Record of Decision approving relocation of the Panama
City - Bay County International Airport to a new site. The National Resources Defense
Council, Defenders of Wildlife and Friends of PFN argued against the FAA and airport on
Jan. 23, 2008. The new airport is under construction with an expected opening of May
2010. It’s being built on 4,000 acres donated by The St. Joe Company. (Source: Business
Wire, 05/05/09)
Moss Point UAV plant takes added role
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A Navy contract will establish the Unmanned Systems Center in
Moss Point as a service center for Fire Scout unmanned helicopters. The Navy awarded
Northrop Grumman a contractor logistics support contract valued at $5 million the first
year, with options for three more years that will total $19 million. It’s the first step to a long
term MQ-8B Fire Scout maintenance program. The center, which also builds portions of
the Fire Scout and Global Hawk, will provide maintenance and periodic upgrades for the
MQ-8B. The contract also includes operational and maintenance training. (Source: Globe
Newswire, 05/05/09)
Shuttle tank heads to Florida
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The space shuttle's latest external fuel tank built by Lockheed
Martin at the Michoud Assembly Facility is heading for Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The tank, constructed by using friction stir welding, will be used in the August launch of
Discovery. The 15-story tall tank left New Orleans by barge on Friday. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 05/05/09)
Osprey facing reliability issues
The Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation told Aerospace Daily that the MV-22
Osprey is facing reliability issues due to inaccurate predictive modeling. Lt. Gen. George
Trautman said reliability and maintainability are “not meeting my full expectations yet.” He
said it has become evident that early predictions of mean time between failures on certain
parts were inaccurate. But he praised Bell Boeing for being engaged in working on the
issues. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Air Force Special Operations
at Hurlburt Field, Fla., uses the CV-22 variant.
Austal, Baldwin honored
Site Selection, a magazine that tracks economic development projects, recognized Austal
USA and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance in its May issue. Shipbuilder
Austal received an honorable mention in the top North American deals category, and the
Baldwin alliance received an honorable mention among Top Economic Development
Groups of 2008. Recent accomplishments include Segers Aero Corp., a $7 million project
that created 100 new jobs. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/05/09)
Fire Scout completes key test
An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter successfully completed fully autonomous flight
operations onboard the USS McInerney. This follows at-sea operations aboard the USS
Nashville, which included the first autonomous ship landings by a Navy unmanned aerial
vehicle. The Fire Scout, which eventually will be deployed on littoral combat ships, is
scheduled to deploy on the McInerney for its next counter-narcotics trafficking deployment
later this year. The ship is based at Mayport Naval Station, Fla. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part at the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.; Austal USA builds a version of
the LCS in Mobile, Ala.
Small-boat threat system tested
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – NetFires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon and
Lockheed Martin, conducted the second captive flight test of the Non Line-of-Sight-
Launch System Precision Attack Missile. The system is also one of the key Littoral
Combat Ship mission modules to combat small-boat threats. The LCS Mission Module can
fire as many as 45 PAM missiles from three container launch units. With a range greater
than 25 miles, the PAM missile gives the LCS an increased surface warfare weapon
capability. (Source: Raytheon, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: The Austal USA shipyard in
Mobile, Ala., is building LCS ships for the Navy.
EADS, Lockheed team on new helo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - EADS North America said today that American Eurocopter is teaming
with Lockheed Martin to offer a new armed scout helicopter to the U.S. Army, the Armed
Scout 645. The announcement was made at the Army Aviation Association of America’s
2009 Annual Convention. The Armed Scout 645 is based on the Eurocopter EC145
commercial airframe, the platform for the UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter. The Armed Scout
645 will be produced at EADS’ American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Miss., facility, which also
builds the UH-72A Lakota. (Source: EADS North America, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS operates an engineering center and maintenance center in Mobile, Ala., where it
also hopes to assemble aerial tankers for the Air Force.
F-15 team marks final demo
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The ACC’s Eglin-based “West Coast” F-15 demo team
performed its last demonstration here Friday at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nomad reunion.
Vintage P-51 Mustangs also performed. The 33rd has been one of the ACC's
demonstration teams since the 1990s. The demonstration team originated from Holloman
Air Force Base, N.M., and moved to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., before settling at Eglin.
"West Coast" was retained for heritage purposes. In addition to ending its demonstration
team work, the Nomads are ending 30 years at Eglin in September to make way for the F-
35 Joint Strike fighter training complex. ACC now has six demonstration teams left to
showcase America's air power. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 05/02/09)
NASA begins layoffs
NASA is laying off 160 people in New Orleans and Utah, the first of 900 jobs that will be
eliminated over the next months at NASA centers. NASA is preparing to retire its space
shuttle fleet in 2010. The first notices went out Friday, primarily to contractors producing
the space shuttle fuel tanks outside New Orleans and the shuttle solid rocket boosters in
Utah. (Source: Multiple, 05/02/09)
AAC gets new commander
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis assumed command of the Air
Armament Center from Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune in a ceremony Friday. Davis most
recently was executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II Program Office, in charge of
developing and acquiring the F-35. The initial F-35 training school will be based at Eglin.
Eidsaune will become director of operations of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/01/09)
Contract for Michoud awarded
NEW ORLEANS, La. - NASA selected Jacobs Technology of Tullahoma, Tenn., to receive
the manufacturing support and facilities operations contract at the Michoud Assembly
Facility. The contract value is $120.49 million for the base period, $40.11 million for option
year one and $42.16 million for option year two. Jacobs Technology will manage the
Michoud facility and provide support to its multiple NASA projects and other tenants.
Michoud, a NASA-owned facility, is one of the world's largest manufacturing plants.
(Source: PRNewswire, 05/01/09)
Murtha won’t propose split just now
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that language to force the Pentagon to buy
tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman won’t be included in this year's
supplemental war spending bill. The newspaper says Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said he
was abandoning his push to add language, but that he intends to make another push for
the dual buy later this year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/01/09) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop Grumman and its partner, EADS, plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if
they win the contract.
Raytheon buys right to KillerBee
TUCSON, Ariz. - Raytheon has purchased rights to the technology and name of the
KillerBee unmanned aircraft system from Northrop Grumman. Under the agreement,
Raytheon will submit the KillerBee for the Navy and Marine Corps' Small Tactical UAS and
Tier II competition. The KillerBee UAS features a blended-wing aircraft body design. It also
has common systems for land or sea launch, recovery and ground control. The design of
KillerBee enables growth for future payloads and additional mission capabilities. (Source:
Raytheon, 05/01/09)
APRIL 2009
First production F-35 fuselage delivered
Northrop Grumman has delivered to Lockheed Martin the center fuselage for the first
production F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, designated AF-6, a conventional takeoff and landing
variant for the Air Force. Northrop, a partner of Lockheed Martin on the F-35 program,
designs and produces the center fuselages for all three F-35 variants – conventional,
short-takeoff and carrier-compatible. (Source: Globe Newswire, 04/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the JSF training center.
Lifeline thrown to shuttle
House and Senate leaders authorized $2.5 billion to keep the space shuttle flying through
2011, if it’s necessary to complete planned missions to the international space station.
Funding to maintain shuttle operations past the current deadline of December 2010 is
part of the nonbinding $3.4 trillion budget blueprint passed by the House and Senate
Wednesday. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both involved in the
shuttle program.
Outlook bright for Coast
BILOXI, Miss. - Representatives from six airlines and about 150 South Mississippi
executives expressed optimism for the Coast at Wednesday’s Airline and Tourism
Development Summit at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. Bruce Frallic, executive
director of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, said airlines are making money serving
Gulfport and are considering adding flights. Jeremiah Gerald, director of air service and
business development for the airport, said Gulfport is outpacing U.S. growth, with
passenger volume up 230 percent since 1998. (Source: The Sun Herald, 04/29/09)
General Dynamics 1Q report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - General Dynamics first-quarter earnings rose 3 percent as sales
of warships and other military equipment made up for lower profits from business jets. The
Falls Church, Va.-based defense contractor reported first-quarter net income of $590
million, up from profit of $572 million in the same quarter last year. (Source: GD, 04/29/09)
Northrop adds to UAV lineup
Northrop Grumman, a major unmanned aerial vehicle maker with its Global Hawk and Fire
Scout, has acquired Swift Engineering of San Clemente, Calif. The purchase gives
Northrop the KillerBee line of unmanned aircraft, renamed the Bat. The blended wing-
body UAV will be offered in sizes with wingspans ranging from 6.5 feet to 33.2 feet.
(Source: Aviation Week, 04/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned
Systems Center is in Moss Point, Miss., where the company builds portions of the Fire
Scout and Global Hawk.
Control system for multi-UAVs gets nod
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Raytheon Co. received a $16.5 million Navy contract to migrate
the current Tactical Control System to a Linux-based operating system and add upgrades
to the system software. The Navy’s vision is to develop a common unmanned aircraft
ground system for multiple platforms, allowing operators to run on one system
simultaneously multiple unmanned aircraft and payloads. Among other things, the
contract provides for integration and testing leading to operational evaluation on the Fire
Scout. The Navy plans to conduct operational evaluations of the Fire Scout this summer.
(Source: Raytheon, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Sides forming in tanker deal
Despite a movement towards buying aerial tankers from both Boeing and Northrop
Grumman/EADS, there’s still plenty of opposition and fence-sitting. The Mobile Press-
Register reports that Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., blasted the split buy in an interview
Monday. Meanwhile, Aviation Week reports that several key senators are not persuaded
about the split. It says Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich.,
as well as Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and E. Benjamin Nelson, D-Neb., are not taking
a position yet. (Sources: Mobile Press Register, Aviation Week, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win the contract.
Contract: Multiple, $48M
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to multiple
contractors, including Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for a maximum
$48,000,000. Other contractors are Mark G. Miller Inc. of Layton, Utah, SoBran Inc. of
Dayton, Ohio,, White Dot Solutions Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Gauss Management
Research and Engineering of Ogden, Utah. This action will provide engineering and
related services in the development and sustainment of software engineering support for
the 309th Software Maintenance Group. OO-ALC/PKES, Hill Air Force Base, Utah is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/28/09)
Tanker marks refueling milestone
The Airbus A330 tanker transport marked a new development milestone when it was
refueled by a French Air Force C-135, according to EADS. In two sorties, the C-135 made
20 contacts with a Royal Australian Air Force A330. The A330 is the platform that
Northrop Grumman plans to use for the KC-45, which is competing against the Boeing KC-
767 to provide tankers for the U.S. Air Force. (Source: EADS, 04/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS North America and Northrop Grumman plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.,
if they win the contract.
GBU-53/B completes CTV test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon launched its first GBU-53/B Small Diameter
Bomb II as a control test vehicle flight from an F-15E. After safely separating from the
aircraft, the weapon deployed its wings, performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers
and flew to a predesignated position. The mission met all primary test objectives. It’s
designed to take out moving targets in adverse weather conditions. (Source: Raytheon,
04/28/09)
33rd provided summit cover
EGLIN AIR FORCE, Fla. - Ten F-15s and 125 personnel from the 33rd Fighter Wing
returned last week from a 15-day deployment providing aerial security support for Summit
of the Americas conference. Wing members operated from Port Salines International
Airport, Grenada, where a Joint Task Force set up a bare base. The airport had no
taxiways or equipment to support fighter operations before the team arrived with four tons
of equipment needed to establish 24-hour security protection. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 04/24/09)
Fire Scout payload gets nod
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Northrop Grumman received Milestone "C" approval from the
Defense Department for its Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA)
system, designed to support Marine Corps amphibious assault operations. The system
now moves toward low-rate initial production. COBRA is designed to detect and localize
minefields patterns and other obstacles in the littoral zone prior to amphibious assaults. It
will be carried aboard MQ-8B Fire Scout UAVs. (Source: Global Newswire, 04/27/09) Gulf
Coast note: Fire Scouts are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.; two COBRA team members
are Arete Associates of Niceville, Fla., and QinetiQ North America, which owns PSI of
Long Beach, Miss.
F-35 in UK for testing
The first structural test airframe for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter arrived in the United
Kingdom to undergo tests in the Structural and Dynamic Test facility at BAE Systems’ site
in Brough, East Yorkshire, England. The F-35A, designated AG-1, is the conventional
takeoff and landing variant. BAE Systems is a principal subcontractor to Lockheed Martin.
AG-1 left Fort Worth, Texas, March 27. It took three weeks to make the ocean voyage.
(Source: BAE Systems, 04/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to become the home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Museum to restore ditched plane
A vintage dive bomber pulled from Lake Michigan will be restored at the National Museum
of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla., and go on display at the National World War II
Museum in New Orleans. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was on a training mission in 1944
when it was ditched and found in the mid-1990s 20 miles from shore. It was brought to
shore Friday. (Source: AP, 04/25/09)
Hurlburt top AF installation
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - For the second time in six years, Hurlburt Field received the
Commander In Chief's 2009 Installation Excellence Award. The first time was in 2003. The
award includes a $1 million prize to be used to improve quality of life on the base. The
award was established in 1984. Hurlburt is home of the Air Force Special Operations
Command. (Source: Florida Freedom Newspapers, 04/24/09)
2008 big for bird strikes in N.O.
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Bird strikes at Louis Armstrong International Airport showed a six-
fold increase between 2007 and 2008, but the number of serious strikes remained steady
over the past 18 years, according to Federal Aviation Administration data released
Friday. Officials said the jump indicates the airport is doing a better job reporting strikes..
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 04/24/09)
Gulf Breeze vies for aviation company
GULF BREEZE, Fla. - Gulf Breeze is competing with Georgia to bring in a new avionics
manufacturer that may mean 37 or more jobs. The Santa Rosa County Commission voted
Thursday to designate “Project Broken Arrow” as a “Qualified Target Industry” to receive
state tax discounts. The project would be a headquarters and manufacturing facility. The
company manufactures and designs aviation-related components, said Shannon
Ogletree, industry recruiter for TEAM Santa Rosa. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
04/24/09)
Teledyne Continental to cut hours
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors will cut the hours of its employees as the
maker of piston airplane engines struggles with low demand. The company, which
employs 400 people at Brookley Field Industrial Complex, will put employees on four-day
weeks, and could close entirely for five weeks during the rest of the year. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 04/24/09)
Senators lift hold on Carter
After meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby
and Jeff Sessions said they will lift their hold on Ashton Carter, the nominee for Under
Secretary of Defense and Acquisition. The two senators met with Gates to discuss the
controversial Air Force tanker contract, which pits Boeing against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team. Shelby, who said he wants to contract to go to the best value
rather than based on price alone, said Gates echoed the desire to deliver the best
airplane to troops. (Source: WKRG-TV, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS will assemble
the plane in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the contract.
Contract: Lockheed, $5.6M
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $5,553,093 contract for engineering and technical
support in the integration of Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures (OAMCM) Systems
into a MH-60S helicopter. The systems to be incorporated in the MH-60S are the
Advanced Sonar System; Airborne Mine Neutralization System; Airborne Laser Mine
Detection System; Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System; and Organic Airborne and
Surface Influence Sweep. Half the work will be done in Panama City, Fla., and half in
Oswego, N.Y. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 04/23/09)
Contract: Northrop, $8.7M
Northrop Grumman is being awarded an $8,743,239 modification to a previously awarded
contract to provide additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk
Maritime Demonstration. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. and San Diego,
Calif., and is expected to be completed in November 2009. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/23/09). Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Goodrich 1Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. reported an increase in first-quarter net income to
$170 million, up from earnings of $158 million a year ago. Sales fell 2.8 percent to nearly
$1.7 billion in the latest quarter. Goodrich attributes the lower revenue to economic
conditions and the residual impact of the 2008 Boeing machinists’ strike on the company’s
major market channels. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich
operates a maintenance center in Foley, Ala.
Raytheon 1Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. reported first quarter 2009 income from continuing
operations of $457 million compared to $401 million in the first quarter 2008. Net sales for
the first quarter 2009 were $5.9 billion, up 10 percent from $5.4 billion in the first quarter
2008, with growth across all of the company's businesses. (Source: PRNewswire,
04/23/09). Gulf Coast note: Raytheon has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Boeing OK with tanker split
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Boeing's top defense executive said Wednesday the company will
support splitting the aerial tanker deal with the Northrop Grumman/EADS team if the
Pentagon chooses that approach. Boeing had been mum up to now, though both
Northrop and EADS had OKd a split. Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposes buying
two different tankers, but a movement has grown in Congress to split the deal because it
may be the best way to move the process forward. The Air Force considers replacing the
tanker fleet a high priority. (Source: AP via Seattle Times, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or part of the contract.
Events overtake NASA study
Delays in establishing a clear space policy may have rendered NASA plans to narrow the
post-shuttle "gap" in U.S. human access to space out of date before implementation. A
Constellation Program Acceleration Study released April 20 finds the U.S. space agency
$1.9 billion short of the funds it needs to meet an internal initial operational capability
target date of September 2014. (Source: Aviation Week, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Michoud Assembly Facility and National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, both in New
Orleans, and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are all involved in the Constellation Program.
Long-time airport chief leaving
PENSACOLA, Fla. – After 22 years as director of Pensacola Regional Airport, Frank Miller
is leaving to become San Antonio’s aviation director. Miller, whose new position becomes
effective May 18, will oversee the day-to-day operations at the San Antonio International
Airport and its $500 million expansion project. (Source: San Antonio Business Journal,
04/22/09)
F-35 lands at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – After a one-day delay, a Joint Strike Fighter designated
AA-1 landed at Eglin for the first time Wednesday afternoon. It will remain until Friday,
giving local mayors, county commissioners and school board members an opportunity to
see the plane that has been the focal point of several lawsuits. The city of Valparaiso
wants to stop the Air Force from establishing a JSF training center at the base, but the
county is suing the city to get it to drop its suit. (Source: Tcp, 04/22/09)
F-35 critical data not taken
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin suggested that cyber-attacks had not caused any
serious security breaches in the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Defense
and corporate officials said attacks on the Pentagon as well as the F-35 program are
constant. The comments came in response to a Wall Street Journal story Monday
reporting that cyber-attackers copied and siphoned off data related to design and
electronics systems. (Source: Washington Post, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Inouye to consider split tanker buy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-
Hawaii, signaled he’s giving serious consideration to a proposal that would split the
contract to build the next fleet of aerial refueling tankers between Boeing and the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposes a split buy, but
some congressional leaders think it may be the only way to get the purchase moving
forward. (Source: Government Executive.com, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or part of the contract.
Northrop Grumman 1Q report
LOS ANGELES - Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that first quarter 2009 earnings from
continuing operations increased 48 percent to $389 million compared with $263 million in
the first quarter of 2008. First quarter 2008 earnings were reduced by a pre-tax charge of
$326 million in the company's Shipbuilding sector. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 04/22/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has multiple operations along the Gulf Coast.
Teledyne Technologies 1Q report
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Teledyne Technologies Inc. reported first quarter 2009 sales
of $440.3 million, compared with sales of $451.8 million for the same period of 2008. Net
income for the first quarter of 2009 was $20.8 million compared with net income of $27.9
million in the first quarter of 2008. (Source: Business Wire, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Teledyne Continental in Mobile, Ala., is part of Teledyne Technologies.
Boeing 1Q report
CHICAGO - Boeing Co. reported first quarter net income of $0.6 billion with earnings per
share of $0.86 which includes the previously announced $0.38 per share reduction from
revised twin-aisle commercial airplane production rates and lower price escalation
forecasts. Revenue rose 3 percent to $16.5 billion on higher commercial airplane
deliveries and higher volume in defense. (Source: Boeing, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
Contract: Northrop, $21.6M
The Air Force is awarding a fixed price incentive firm contract to Northrop Grumman
Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for $21,600,000. This contract will provide advance
procurement of LRIP Lot nine selected long lead items required to meet the production
schedule of two Global Hawk Block 30 and three Global Hawk Block 40 Air Vehicles as
well as the selected long lead items for the ASIP sensors. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
F-35 visit delayed
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The F-35 that was supposed to arrive here today has
been delayed until Wednesday. A Lockheed official said the aircraft experienced an
anomaly with a system during engine startup. The plane is making its inaugural visit to
Eglin, which is scheduled to be the home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/21/09)
Lockheed Martin 1Q report
Lockheed Martin Corp. reported first quarter 2009 net earnings of $666 million compared
to $730 million in 2008. Net sales for the first quarter of 2009 were $10.4 billion,
compared to $10.0 billion in 2008. Cash from operations for the first quarter of 2009 was
$1.2 billion, compared to $880 million in 2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 04/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Lockheed Martin has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region
Northwest fades in Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. - Northwest Airlines will begin fading from view next month at Mobile
Regional Airport as Pinnacle Airlines Corp. stops providing ground services for its three
daily round trips to Memphis. Beginning May 12 passengers on Northwest will check in at
the Delta Air Lines ticketing desk and board at one of Delta's two gates at the airport.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/21/09)
Friction stir weld underway on Orion
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin has begun its first friction stir weld process on an
Orion crew module ground test article at the Michoud Assembly Facility. This ground test
article will help validate the process, which will be used for all crew module welds. The
weld system is part of the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, managed by the
University of New Orleans Foundation in partnership with NASA and Louisiana. Weld
operations on the test article will continue for three months. The structure will then
undergo mechanical assembly, integration and testing in New Orleans and Denver.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the Orion crew exploration vehicle, slated to
make its first crewed flight in 2015. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/20/09)
City can proceed with F-35 suits
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The city of Valparaiso will be able to proceed with two suits against
the Air Force over the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base. In
Pensacola federal court, a judge rejected a motion by the Air Force to dismiss the city’s
Freedom of Information suit. Earlier in Valparaiso, a circuit judge denied a temporary
injunction requested by Okaloosa County which would have halted two Valparaiso suits.
Valparaiso fears the noise of the F-35 will drive down property values. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/17/09)
City violated records law in F-35 fight
VALPARAISO, Fla. - An Okaloosa County circuit judge ruled Valparaiso officials violated
state public records law in their fight over the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin
Air Force Base. Valparaiso has 10 days to turn over documents. Okaloosa County’s
request for a temporary injunction to halt Valparaiso’s federal suit against the Air Force
was denied until the state suit between the county and city is resolved. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/17/09)
EADS chief OK with split tanker buy
The chief executive of EADS, Louis Gallois, said his company and partner Northrop
Grumman would probably bid on a $35 billion tankers project even if the Pentagon
decided to buy from both Northrop/EADS and Boeing. His condition is his company would
have to be able to build at least 12 planes a year. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
opposes a split buy, but there’s a move underway in Congress to buy from both
aerospace giants. (Source: New York Times, 04/16/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS NA plans
to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex. Northrop Grumman
also plans to build a site next to EADS’ plant should the team win the contract. EADS has
also expressed interest in building cargo planes at the site.
Land buy helps protect Whiting
MILTON, Fla. - The Navy has partnered with Santa Rosa County to buy nearly 600 acres
near Naval Air Station Whiting Field to help prevent encroachment at the base in Milton. In
the last eight years the county has been using state money to buy up land to keep
development away. The Navy contributed $2.8 million, 75 percent of the cost. (Source:
WEAR-TV, 04/16/09)
Center to provide new service
FOLEY, Ala. - Goodrich Corp.'s Alabama Service Center received approval from Boeing
to provide overheat service bulletin inspections and modifications for Boeing Next-
Generation 737 aircraft. The bulletin outlines instructions for inspection of the aircraft's
CFM-56-7 engine thrust reverser inner walls as well as insulation blankets. In 2007, the
Alabama Service Center became the third facility in Goodrich's worldwide maintenance,
repair and overhaul network authorized to participate in Boeing's Network Service Center
program to repair and overhaul Next-Generation 737 and 777 thrust reversers. (Source:
Goodrich, 04/16/09)
Gulfport hosts airline summit
GULFPORT, Miss. – The Mississippi Gulf Coast Airline and Tourism Development Summit
will be held at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino with a dinner April 28, followed by a
day of presentations and tour of the Coast. The first Airline Summit was held soon after
Hurricane Katrina and the fourth summit this year will give airline executives a look at the
progress on the Coast and plans for more development. (Source: The Sun Herald,
04/16/09)
Lakota program chief wins award
The Huntsville, Ala.-based program manager for EADS North America’s Light Utility
Helicopter, John Burke, will receive the 2009 Leadership Excellence Award from the
National Defense Industrial Association’s Tennessee Valley Chapter. Through March
2009, the company has delivered 62 of the Columbus, Miss.-built UH-72As to active Army
and National Guard units nationwide. The Army plans to buy 345 Lakotas through 2016,
and the Navy wants five. (Source: EADS North America, 04/15/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS
also has an engineering center and maintenance operation in Mobile, Ala.
NASA picks 16 STTR projects
Mississippi State University and a company in Winona, Miss., think they’ve come up with a
way to ensure the purity of hydrogen fuel that’s important for engine testing at Stennis
Space Center, Miss. The proposed is among 16 selected by NASA for negotiation of
Phase 2 contract awards in the Small Business Technology Transfer program. Mississippi
Ethanol LLC and MSU want to develop a technique and sensor to measure
simultaneously concentrations of several contaminants in hydrogen gas storage tanks
and supply lines. The purity of hydrogen fuel is important in NASA engine testing. The
proposed sensor may also be used for quality control in pharmaceutical, chemical and
food processing industries. (Source: NASA, 04/15/09)
Director steps down
GULF BREEZE, Fla. – Brice Harris, director of the Andrews Institute's space-tourism
program, resigned Tuesday in the wake of accusations he used his state job to get the
position. Gov. Charlie Crist is seeking an Ethics Commission inquiry into Harris' role in
developing the institute's contract for Project Odyssey, designed to get tourists ready to
launch into orbit. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/15/09)
Goodrich Alabama center wins award
FOLEY, Ala. - Goodrich Corp's Alabama Service Center in Foley and Customer Services
campus in Monroe, N.C. received Corporate Diamond Certificate of Excellence awards
from the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Maintenance Technician program. The
Corporate Diamond award is the highest award presented in the AMT program. The
awards have now been presented eight times to the Alabama center. (Source: Goodrich,
04/15/09)
F-35 to visit Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will make its inaugural
landing at Eglin April 21 and will remain at the base for four days. Base officials invited
local mayors, county commissioners and school board members to visit the base and see
the plane that has been the focal point of several lawsuits. The city of Valparaiso wants to
stop the Air Force from establishing a JSF training center at the base, but the county is
suing the city to get it to drop its suit. No pubic events are scheduled. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/15/09)
More money for pro-tanker Web site
MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile County Commission approved paying a Pensacola, Fla.,
company $63,500 to train county workers to run a Web site that encourages the Air Force
to select Mobile as the site for construction of new refueling tankers. Birdwell Photography
& Multimedia Inc. has previously been paid nearly $450,000 by the county to build and
maintain the Web site. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/14/09)
Stennis center wins award
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The NASA Shared Services Center won the Best New
Captive Services Delivery award from the Shared Services Outsourcing Network. The
award recognizes the most successful shared services organization launched within the
last three years. About 30 public and private sector organizations applied for the award.
The center is a public-private partnership between NASA, CSC, Mississippi and Louisiana.
CSC provides administrative, financial, human resources and procurement support
services to about 20,000 NASA employees, applicants, contractors and university
partners. The center combined the services that were once done at NASA headquarters
and 10 NASA centers. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/13/09)
Navy won’t expand Wolf OLF
MOBILE, Ala. – Wolf Field in Lillian was removed from consideration for expansion to meet
the needs of a new Navy training aircraft. The Navy is replacing the T-34C trainer with the
T-6B, which requires longer runways. Three other fields in Baldwin County are still being
considered. The planes will be operating out of Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton,
Fla. Outlying fields, or OLFs, are used to practice takeoffs and landings. (Source: Mobile
Press Register, 04/13/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $41.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded a $41,200,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition
contract for long lead materials and effort associated with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Air
System Low Rate Initial Production Lot IV procurement of three additional Navy Carrier
Variant Air Systems and one United Kingdom Short Take Off Vertical Landing Air System.
Work is expected to be completed in January 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/09/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center.
Civic leaders briefed on security issues
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Civic leaders from 20 states got an in-depth view of Eglin
and Hurlburt Field's national security programs during the National Security Forum Alumni
Tour March 31 to April 3. More than 50 community leaders looked at the McKinley Climatic
Lab, the Air Force Research Lab's Taconi Room and Air Force Special Operations
Command's Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt. The program is hosted by the
Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 04/08/09)
GE chief backs split tanker buy
The head of General Electric is supporting a move to split the Air Force tanker contract
between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. Jeff Immelt, GE's chairman and chief
executive officer, said the compromise proposed by Rep. John Murtha may be the best
way to get the troubled program back on track. "I think Murtha has created a path to
break the deadlock," Immelt told The Enquirer newspaper in Cincinnati in an interview
published Wednesday. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/09/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop Grumman/EADS North America team wants to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
County sues city over F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – Okaloosa County filed suit Wednesday in circuit court against the
city of Valparaiso, seeking to torpedo the city’s suit against the Air Force over the Joint
Strike Fighter Training Center. Valparaiso sued the Air Force because of concerns over
the noise of the F-35, claiming the Air Force did not consider alternate sites at Eglin Air
Force Base that would mitigate the noise. But some are concerned Valparaiso’s suit is
jeopardizing the center, which will have a $350 million impact through construction alone.
(Sources: Northwest Florida Daily News, WEAR-TV, 04/08/09)
International flights to resume
NEW ORLEANS, La. - International air service will return to Louis Armstrong International
Airport in July. AeroMexico will begin offering nonstop flights to Mexico City from New
Orleans July 6. The flights will operate six times a week. AeroMexico will be the first foreign
line to operate out of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. (Source: New Orleans Times
Picayune, 04/07/09)
Contract: BAE, $22.4M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$22,427,138 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
maintenance, logistics, and life cycle services in support of communication-electronic
equipment/systems and subsystems for various Navy, Army, Air Force, Special
Operations Forces and other federal agencies. Two percent of the work will be done in
Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/07/09)
FWB company honored by Boeing
A Fort Walton Beach, Fla., company is among nine named by Boeing as 2008 Suppliers
of the Year. Fort Walton Machining Inc. was chosen in the diversity/veteran owned small
business category. The winners are from among the company's 10,800 active suppliers
worldwide. Winners were judged on quality, delivery performance, cost, environmental
initiatives, customer service and technical expertise. (Source: Boeing, 04/06/09)
Louisiana aviation market stable
NEW ORLEANS, La. - New Orleans and Louisiana in general have stable aviation
business, aviation consultant Mike Boyd said during the Louisiana Airport Managers &
Associates conference. Part of the reason is a higher demand in Louisiana for air service.
Nationwide, about 41 million fewer passengers flew in 2008 than 2007, a 7 percent
decline. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 04/07/09)
Fire Scout preps for final exam
Fire Scout unmanned helicopters will be ready for their first deployment later this year,
paving the way to full-rate production, possibly before 2010. A story in the April issue of
Seapower said two Fire Scouts will be aboard the guided missile frigate USS McInerney
when it deploys with the Fourth Fleet to the Southern Command’s area of operations. The
Fire Scout was designed for use on Littoral Combat Ships, but delays in that program
prompted the Navy to test the system on a frigate. The Fire Scout, MQ-8B, provides
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance using electro-optical sensors, UHF radios
and a data link to relay videos to a receiver station on a ship. The Navy plans to buy 168
of the aircraft, built in part in Moss Point, Miss. (Source: Seapower, April 2009)
Tanker rebid in summer; more F-35 funds
The Pentagon plans to reopen the competition this summer to replace the Air Force’s
fleet of aerial tankers, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates still wants to go with one
supplier – either Boeing or the Northrop Grumman/EADS North America team. Gates, who
announced his proposed fiscal 2010 budget today, also wants to put more money into the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project. Both projects are important to the Gulf Coast region. The
tankers would be assembled in Mobile, Ala., if the Northrop/EADS team wins. Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the designated home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
(Source: Multiple, 04/06/09)
Flight academy aims for equipment funds
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A foundation that wants to build a flight academy at the National
Museum of Naval Aviation has raised $17.5 million for the four-story building. Now it’s
trying to raise the $8.8 million for equipment. The National Flight Academy is designed as
a five-day camp that teaches middle and high school students science and technology in
a Navy-themed setting. Some of the most expensive equipment for the carrier-themed
facility will be flight simulators. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/05/09) Gulf Coast
note: A group in South Mississippi is also raising funds to build a science center, called
Infinity, near Stennis Space Center.
Airport eyes new taxi system
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The New Orleans Aviation Board has recruited Dulles Airport Taxi
of Virginia to overhaul the taxicab system at Louis Armstrong International Airport. The
board has not yet signed a contract. The airport's disorganized network of taxicabs has
long been a sore point for the bureau, which often hears complaints from meeting
planners and tourists that many of the vehicles are dirty and inconvenient for travel.
(Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 04/04/09)
Murtha, Gates meet to discuss tanker
Rep. John Murtha, chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, met with
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday in an effort to secure Pentagon backing for
dividing the $35 billion aerial tanker contract between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman
Corp. (Source: New York Times, 04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop teammate EADS
North America plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the contract.
Contractors fret over budget
Defense contractors have converged on Capitol Hill in recent weeks to shore up
congressional support for projects, according to Politico. They’re concerned by the
pledge by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reduce military spending. While details of
the $534 billion defense budget remain unknown, the ax could fall on some as early as
next week. (Source: Politico, 04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Numerous defense programs
impact on the Gulf Coast, which has multiple military bases and defense contractor
operations.
Constellation Program cost rises
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The cost of the Constellation Program has gone up, and is
likely to keep rising, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The cost and delays may force
some rethinking in Washington of America's lunar ambitions and could doom the project
as the nation faces an economic crisis and record deficits. (Source: Orlando Sentinel,
04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation program.
Airport decision expected in May
BATON ROUGE, La. - State leaders will decide by May 1 whether to continue efforts to
build a $4.4 billion airport near Donaldsonville. Critics claim the state has spent too much
on a 17-year project that has failed to attract private investors. Backers envision an
airport with links to water, rail and highways built on a 25,000-acre site. Supporters
contend the airport, called the Louisiana Transportation Center, would be the biggest
economic development project in state history. Donaldsonville is between Baton Rouge
and New Orleans along Interstate 10. (Source: Baton Rouge Advocate, 04/02/09)
EADS launches ad campaign
EADS North America launched an advertising campaign to underscore the company’s role
in America’s economy as the largest international commercial customer for U.S.
aerospace products. The campaign highlights the $11 billion spent in the U.S. by EADS
and its business units in 2008, supporting more than 200,000 American jobs. The initial
ad features members of the Mississippi-based American Eurocopter team that produces
UH-72A Lakotas. A total of 345 UH-72As are expected to be acquired by the Army through
2016, with nearly 60 of these rotary-wing aircraft already delivered. (Source: EADS North
America, 03/31/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and an
EADS CASA maintenance center in Mobile, Ala.
Delta adds flights in Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. - Delta Air Lines will add two more flights to Mobile Regional Airport
beginning June 5, bringing its total to nine on weekdays and returning mainline jet service
to Mobile for the first time since November. The carrier's total number of seats will
increase by just 1.7 percent because Delta will substitute 50-seat regional jets for some of
the 70-seat regional jets it is flying. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/01/09)
MARCH 2009
County moves against city over F-35
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Officials in the county where the Air Force plans to locate
the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center are taking legal steps to force a city opposed to
the center to drop its fight with the Air Force. Okaloosa County commissioners voted
Tuesday to initiate the dispute resolution process, the first step for one government
agency to sue another in Florida. At issue is Valparaiso’s suit filed Monday against the Air
Force seeking to stop the center from being built at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/31/09)
City files suit to block F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The Valparaiso City Commission filed suit in U.S. District Court
Monday seeking an injunction blocking the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center from
coming to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.. It asks the courts to halt all ground breakings,
movement of aircraft and personnel, and claims the Air Force violated federal rules by not
considering other locations on Eglin that would have less noise impact on Valparaiso. In
two related matters, a lawyer told WEAR-TV that a suit will be filed in state court against
Valparaiso, claiming a violation of sunshine laws. And Florida Freedom Newspapers
reports that the Bay County commission has sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael
Donley offering Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Fla., as a good location for the
training center. That base is losing two F-15s squadrons by the end of 2010. (Sources:
Florida Freedom Newspapers, WEAR-TV, WJHG-TV, 03/30/09)
Air show expects 70,000
BILOXI, Miss. – Officials expect as many as 70,000 spectators Saturday and Sunday for
the first air show at Keesler Air Force Base since Hurricane Katrina. Thunder on the Bay
will include the Thunderbirds, the Air Force flight demonstration team, returning to the
Coast for the first time in 15 years. Other military aircraft and stunt flyers will perform
during the two-day show. (Source: The Sun Herald, 03/30/09)
Contract: L-3, $11M
L-3 Communications Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded an $11,069,296 time
and material contract for aircraft production support. Work is to be performed at Corpus
Christie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of January 8, 2010. Corpus Christie
Army Depot, Corpus Christie, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Contract: EDO, $49.5M
EDO Corp., Panama City Operations, Panama City, Fla., is being awarded a $49,545,446
contract to provide services and materials for repair, modification, and overhaul of the
Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures System. This procurement is in support of depot
level repair, overhaul, and modification of the MK-105 Magnetic Minesweeping Gear,
Precision Navigation System, Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep System, and
the MH-53 Airborne Mine Neutralization System components. Work will be performed in
Panama City and is expected to be completed by March 2014. The Naval Surface Warfare
Center Panama City is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Contract: Bates, $20M
Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga., was awarded a $20,048,601 contract
for the design and build of a Joint Communications Support Element Squadron Facility at
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Work is to be performed at MacDill with an estimated
completion date of June 10, 2012. Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Lockheed, UF to develop mini satellites
Lockheed Martin has partnered with the University of Florida to develop and launch five
miniature satellites to test innovative space concepts. Lockheed will fund $450,000 of
research and development projects at the university this year. The satellites will be used
to investigate, among other things, miniaturized, space-hardened GPS electronics and
state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The satellites,
called CubeSats, are cube-shaped, measuring less than four inches per side and
operating on a power output similar to a cell phone. The work will complement work of the
UF-led Advanced Space Technologies Research & Engineering Center, ASTREC.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/26/09) Gulf Coast note: UF has several engineering-related
research programs in Shalimar, near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; The Institute for Human
and Machine Cognition in Pensacola, Fla., is a participating member of ASTREC.
Special Forces groundbreaking held
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – An indoors groundbreaking was held at Eglin Air Force
Base Thursday for the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group. It was the second
groundbreaking in a week following last week’s event for the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center. The 600,000-square-foot campus near Duke Field will include a gymnasium,
dining facility and two group headquarters on 500 acres. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 03/26/09)
Murtha develops own defense budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Absent a 2010 defense budget from the Pentagon, the chairman of
the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense has fashioned his own military
spending plan. Key elements of Rep. John Murtha’s plan: A new refueling tanker is the top
Air Force priority, and splitting the buy between Boeing and Northrop Grumman is his
priority. Murtha also wants a second engine option for the Joint Strike Fighter, even if the
Air Force doesn’t. (Source: Defense News, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: If Northrop
Grumman and partner EADS win some of the tanker competition, planes will be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.; The Joint Strike Fighter training center is being built at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla.
Guard finds support to replace planes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate appropriators offered sympathy and support for the Air
National Guard in its effort to gain new tactical aircraft. Committee Chairman Daniel
Inouye told the director of the Air National Guard that appropriators would do their best to
make sure replacement fighters are in the budget. The Guard uses F-16s and F-15s. The
Government Accountability Office reported in January that if the planes aren’t replaced by
2020, 11 of 18 domestic air sovereignty alert sites could be without aircraft. (Source:
Aviation Week, 03/25/09)
Orion crew module recovery tested
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A full-scale mockup of NASA's Orion crew module is being tested in
water under simulated and real landing weather conditions as part of the Constellation
Program designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. A Navy-built, 18,000-
pound Orion mockup is being tested in a pool at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's
Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md. Ocean testing will begin April 6 off the coast of
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Source: NASA, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program.
Bill seeks to protect bases
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The state Senate is taking action to protect the Florida’s 20 military
bases and $55 billion economic impact. Legislation introduced by Sens. Don Gaetz and
Durell Peaden makes base closure and mission realignment a state issue. The bill
establishes the Florida Council on Military Base and Mission Support and work groups to
focus on intrastate activities, liaison with the Defense Department, competitive strategies,
and public awareness. (Source: WMBB, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Northwest Florida is
home to a half-dozen military bases.
Contract: Lockheed, $320M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded $320,000,000 not to exceed modification to a previously awarded advance
acquisition contract. This modification provides for long lead materials and efforts
associated with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air System Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP)
Lot III procurement of the required Special Tooling, Special Test Equipment and Technical
Assistance. Work is expected to be completed in November 2011. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to the JSF training
center
Contract: L-3 Vertex, $15.6M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed contract to L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace,
Madison, Miss., for $15,563,895. This action will provide fleet maintenance and training
support on twelve Cessna 173 aircraft and five Cessna 208B trainer aircraft owned by the
Iraqi Government. 727 ACSG/PKB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09)
Lakotas pass milestone
The Army’s fleet of UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters passed the 10,000 flight-hour
milestone. Fifty-eight UH-72As have been delivered by EADS North America to the Army
and Army National Guard for missions including homeland security, medical evacuation,
logistics and VIP flights. The helicopters are built in Columbus, Miss. (Source: EADS North
America, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and
EADS CASA operation in Mobile, Ala.
Contract awarded for Stennis A-3 stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Roy Anderson Corp. of Gulfport, Miss., was awarded a
five-year contract to build the A-3 test stand for the Constellation Program. The 300-foot
tall stand will be used to test the J-2X engine, built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, that
will power the upper stage of Ares I and Earth departure stage of Ares V. The contract
value is not to exceed $45 million. Contract work includes installation of the general
mechanical and electrical support for the A-3 test stand. The first test at the stand is
slated for 2012. (Source: NASA, 03/24/09)
V-22s temporarily grounded
Naval Air Systems Command temporarily grounded 84 Navy and Air Force V-22 Ospreys
after an inspection of a V-22s in Iraq revealed loose bolts damaging components in the
rotor assembly. More than 50 aircraft have now cleared inspections, though four of the 12
V-22s in Iraq required repair. Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Hurlburt
Field, Fla., expected all 11 of its CV-22s to be cleared. (Source: InsideDefense, 03/24/09)
Contract: Tybrin, $16.8M
Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded by the Air Force a cost plus award
fee contract for $16, 799,185. This action provides non-personal advisory and assistance
services to fully support Aerospace Research, Development, Test and Evaluation
Advisory and Assistance Services program. It focuses on robust systems engineering and
technical assistance services. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/24/09)
Split tanker buy gaining steam
Democratic lawmakers appear determined to push a bill splitting a $35 billion contract for
aerial tankers between Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Rep. John
Murtha, D-Pa., and other defense appropriators think it will get the program moving again.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates sees the move as an expensive compromise, but
defense analyst Loren Thompson says the split contract could save money by more
quickly retiring the existing fleet of KC-135 tankers. (Source: Seattle Times, 03/23/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS plan to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Homeowners offered compensation
MOBILE, Ala. - Homeowners in the loudest places around Mobile Regional Airport are
being offered compensation. A Federal Aviation Administration grant of a little more than
$1.6 million will be used for a one-time payment that could equal 10 percent of the home’s
fair market value for noise abatement. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/22/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $49.9M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems and Sensors, Integrated Defense
Technologies, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a fixed price contract not-to-exceed
$49,877,689 for FY08 MK 41 Vertical Launching System production and delivery
requirements. The MK41 VLS program is integral to the navies of nine allied and friendly
foreign nations. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the governments
of Turkey and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Fourteen percent of
the work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 64 percent in Baltimore, Md., 19
percent in Minneapolis, Minn., 2 percent in Eagan, Minn., and 1 percent in Virginia Beach,
Va. Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/20/09)
UK announces F-35 purchase
FORT WORTH, Texas – The United Kingdom will buy three Lockheed Martin F-35B
Lightning II operational test aircraft, a sign of the U.K.’s commitment to the Operational
Test and Evaluation phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program. British Defense Secretary
John Hutton made the announcement during a visit to Washington, D.C. The F-35B
combines stealth with short takeoff/ vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. It will
be flown from the two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The U.K. plans to bring
138 F-35s to the fleet. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center
ATK delivers Ares I-X hardware
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Four Alliant Techsystems' Ares I-X motor segments
have arrived at Kennedy Space Center, bringing together all of the final hardware
required for the upcoming test flight this summer, part of NASA’s Constellation Program.
The segments were originally produced for the space shuttle and later transferred to the
Ares I-X mission. (Source: ATK, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the
Constellation program
Marine flies F-35 for first time
FORT WORTH, Texas – An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter took off Thursday for the first time
with a Marine at the controls. Maj. Joseph Bachmann, a test pilot, flew an F-35A for an
hour and 20 minutes at a Lockheed Martin facility. According to Bachman, the flight “was
badass.” The F-35 he flew is not the vertical landing version the Marines will use.
Bachmann will be a government test pilot with the Harrier-type version. (Source: Wired,
03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike
Fighter Training Center
Airport sports new parking garage
GULFPORT, Miss. – Officials gathered Wednesday for a dedication and ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the new $15 million parking structure at the Gulfport-Biloxi International
Airport. Bruce Frallic, executive director of the airport, said the three-story, 800-car
parking garage was no small undertaking. It was 10 years in the making. (Source: The
Sun Herald, 03/18/09)
F-35 center groundbreaking set
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Groundbreaking for the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center is slated for Friday. The Washington-based assistant secretary of the Air Force for
installations, environment and logistics is scheduled to preside. Also attending will be the
director of plans and programs from the Air Education and Training Command in Texas
and the commander of the Air Armament Center at Eglin. (Source: Pensacola News
Journal, 03/18/09) All branches of the military will use the Eglin Air Force Base center for
training in the three variants of the F-35 Lightning II
United Space gets ATK contract
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Alliant Techsystems awarded United Space Alliance a $257 million
contract to perform subcontractor support to ATK for the NASA’s Ares I and Ares 1-X
programs through the design, development, test and engineering phase. The contract,
part of the Constellation Program to return astronauts to the moon and beyond, includes
engineering, deceleration system development and technical operations support for
Stage I activities. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are involved in the Constellation
Program
Blue Angels back home
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team has returned home
to Naval Air Station Pensacola. The team had been at the Navy Flight Demonstration
Squadron’s winter training grounds at El Centro, Calif. The team opened its show season
Saturday in El Centro. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/17/09)
Airport authority OKs spending
MOBILE, Ala. – The Mobile Airport Authority approved $26.1 million in spending for the
year that began Oct. 1. That includes $8.69 million in federal funds that will go for
improvements at the agency's two airports. Projects include taxiway work and terminal
work at the Mobile Regional Airport, as well as road and drainage work at Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/17/09)
Contract: Northrop, $59.6M
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with Northrop Grumman
Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for $59,608,897. This action will provide engineering,
manufacturing and development infrastructure activities in support of the Global Hawk
program. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 03/13/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
Tyndall’s F-15 drawdown set
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Air Force plans to draw down Tyndall’s two F-15
Eagle squadrons by the end of 2010. The drawdown, long rumored, was confirmed in an
e-mail from the 325th Fighter Wing commander. Tyndall also has an F-22 Raptor
squadron. Bay Defense Alliance president Tom Neubauer said that event without the F-15
training mission he’s confident about the base’s future. He says military officials have said
that something “will fill that tarmac.” (Source: Florida Freedom Newspapers, 03/13/09)
Push on for new gunships
FT. WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Special Operations officials want to begin developing a new
gunship to replace the AC-130H/U in the fiscal 2010 budget. But in a tight budget
environment it may be hard. Replacement candidates include the L-3
Communications/Alenia North America C-27J and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J. The topic
was discussed at the Precision Strike Association’s annual review conference here March
10. (Source: Aviation Week, 03/12/09)
Murtha presses forward on tankers
The chairman of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee plans to use the
upcoming war emergency supplemental bill to jumpstart the aerial tanker program. Rep.
John Murtha, D-Pa., advocates splitting the purchase between Boeing, which would build
them in Washington State, and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which would build
them in Mobile, Ala. Murtha has been working on a proposal that would fund two tankers
to be built a month, instead of just one, as initially projected. (Source: The Hill, 03/12/09)
Lakotas delivered to D.C. Guard
Three Mississippi-built UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters were delivered by EADS
North America to the District of Columbia National Guard. The helicopters are the first of
16 Lakotas to be operated in the region. The D.C. National Guard will get eight, as will the
Military District of Washington. All 16 will be based at Fort Belvoir, Va. The UH-72A is built
at the American Eurocopter plant in Columbus, Miss. (Source: EADS North America,
03/12/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has a maintenance center and engineering facility
in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Imedia.it, $8.4M
Imedia.it, Houston, Texas, is being awarded an $8,370,187 contract for education/training
products and support services managed by the Naval Education and Training
Professional Development and Technology Center, Pensacola, Fla. Contract includes a
base year and four option periods, which if exercised, would bring the value to
$43,850,230. Five percent of the work will be done in Pensacola, the rest in Houston.
Work is expected to be completed by September 2009. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 03/12/09)
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $11M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,066,515
modification to a previously awarded contract for Increment II of the CV-22 aircraft Block
20 upgrade program. Efforts provided include concept definition, non-recurring
engineering, drawings, non-recurring prototype manufacturing, installation, and logistic
support to integrate and test the V-22 Multi-Mission Advanced Tactical Terminal
Replacement Receiver, and improved crew interface of broadcast data. Nine percent of
the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Other sites are Philadelphia, Pa., (81
percent) and Fort Worth, Texas, (10 percent). Work is expected to be completed in
September 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/12/09)
BAMS team wins award
HERNDON, Va. - The Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration team was recognized with the
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Commander's Award in a ceremony at Naval Air
Station Patuxent River, Md. The award is the result of the team's achievements during
2008, which include providing support during Hurricane Ike and the California wildfires.
(Source: Globe Newswire, 03/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
White House denies seeking tanker delay
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that the White House is not seeking to delay plans
to buy new aerial refueling tankers. That’s according to Ken Baer, a spokesman for the
administration. Baer said reports that the Office of Management and Budget requested a
five-year delay were “simply inaccurate.” Defense analyst Loren Thompson said the White
House budget office listed tankers among a group of items that could be cut or delayed to
save money. But Thompson said the administration gave no indication that it wanted to
delay the program. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/12/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $11.4M
The Air Force is extending a firm fixed price contract with Raytheon of Tucson, Ariz., for
$11,397,736. This action will extend the period of performance to provide contractor
logistics support for CY09. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/11/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $265M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $265 million for long
lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate
Initial Production (LRIP) Lot IV procurement of 12 Air Force Conventional Take Off and
Landing air systems, 14 Marine Corps Short Take-off and Vertical Landing air systems,
one Navy Carrier Variant air system, and one Netherlands CTOL air system. In addition,
this contract provides for associated ancillary mission equipment, sustainment support,
special tooling/special test equipment and technical/financial data. Work will be performed
in Fort Worth, Texas, El Segundo, Calif., Warton, United Kingdom, Orlando, Fla., Nashua,
N.H., and Baltimore, Md., and is expected to be completed in January 2010. The Naval Air
Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
03/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to
the JSF training center.
Reaper to get more muscle
The armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system will be getting an additional weapon
system: the Joint Direct Attack Munition. Results of tests in California are still being
evaluated, but it appears the 500-pound GBU-38 JDAM could be certified in July. The
Reaper can carry the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb and the AGM-114 Hellfire
missile. The JDAM adds a weapon with global positioning system guidance along with
adverse weather capability. Eglin Air Force Base’s 678th Armament Systems Squadron
and 679th Armament Systems Squadron participated in the tests. (Source: Air Force,
03/10/2009)
Ares I igniter tested
NASA completed a successful test firing of the igniter that will be used to start the Ares I
rocket first stage motor. The March 10 test paves the way for the initial ground test of the
Ares I first stage later this year. Ares I is the first launch vehicle in NASA’s Constellation
Program, which will return astronauts to the moon and beyond. The test, conducted at
ATK Launch Systems test facilities near Promontory, Utah, generated a flame almost 200
feet long. (Source: NASA, 03/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are involved in Constellation
Delay tanker five years?
CQPolitics reports that the White House wants to delay buying aerial refueling tankers by
five years. The recommendation is part of negotiations between the Office of
Management and Budget and the Defense Department. If the guidance survives the
internal budget process, Capitol Hill is likely to protest. According to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-
Ala., whose state would assemble the planes if the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins:
“For a group who has been in the OMB for just a matter of weeks to come in and suggest
the cancellation of the No. 1 Air Force priority for procurement is stunning, and I don’t
think Congress will accept that.” Boeing is also competing to build the tankers. (Source:
CQPolitics, 03/09/09)
F-35 suit topic of meeting
VALPARAISO, Fla. - Valparaiso residents packed into Monday’s city commission meeting
to discuss the city’s plan to sue the Air Force. Signatures of close to 500 residents and
more than 1,000 from those outside the city who oppose the suit were presented to the
commission. The commission took no action. The city is suing because of concerns about
the noise that will come when the Joint Strike Fighter training center is established.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/10/09)
Supporters rally for F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – Supporters of the plan to bring the Joint Strike Fighter training
center to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., gathered a petition Friday. The group opposes
Valparaiso’s plans to sue the Air Force, and wants to present the petition to the city
commission Monday. Rally organizer Rick Woelfl said F-35 supporters had collected more
than a 1,000 signatures online and on paper. Valparaiso officials are concerned over the
noise the F-35 will bring, and claim it will lower property values. (Source: Northwest Florida
Daily News, 03/06/09)
Contract: Northrop, $107.6M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. of San
Diego, Calif., not to exceed $107,575,999. This action will provide for long lead items
associated with Lot 8 Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/05/09)
Turkish company delivers F-35 parts
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. has delivered its first composite
parts for the F-35. The structural composite panels are used to form the outer surface of
the fighter. Northrop Grumman will integrate the parts into the center fuselages of the first
two production F-35s. Northrop Grumman is a founding member of the Lockheed Martin-
led F-35 Lightning II team, and is responsible for the design and production of center
fuselages for all three variants of F-35 aircraft. The F-35 has multiple international
suppliers. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/05/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be home to the F-35 joint training center
Parachute test successful
NASA successfully completed the second drop test of a drogue parachute for the Ares I
rocket. The test was Feb. 28 at the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Ares I, part
of the Constellation Program, will send explorers to the International Space Station, the
moon and beyond in coming decades. The drogue parachute is designed to slow the
descent of the spent first-stage motor that will be jettisoned by the Ares I during its climb
to space. The first-stage solid rocket motor powers Ares I for the first two minutes of
launch. (Source: NASA, 03/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation
Program
Teledyne cuts jobs
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors laid off about 20 workers late last month,
officials said. The airplane piston engine maker has been hit by the economic downturn. It
has 400 workers at Brookley Industrial Complex location. The company is a subsidiary of
Teledyne Technologies of Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
03/03/09)
EDC launches J-35 support effort
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - The Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County
has launched a campaign in support of the Joint Strike Fighter mission at Eglin Air Force
Bas. EDC is asking residents to take an online poll on U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller's Web site. The
City of Valparaiso, right outside Eglin, voted last month to sue the Air Force over plans to
bring the F-35 training center to Eglin. The polls is designed to show how much support
the basing has, despite Valparaiso’s suit. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
03/01/09)
Gilbrech returning to Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA has appointed Richard Gilbrech associate
director of Stennis Space Center. He’s the former director of Stennis who served between
January 2006 and August 2007, when he was appointed associate administrator for NASA’
s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. Last November Gilbrech announced his
retirement from that headquarters post. With the new appointment, Gilbrech will return to
Stennis in early May. (Source: NASA, 03/02/09)
FEBRUARY 2009
Extra flight to Charlotte will resume
GULFPORT, Miss. - Early-morning flights between Gulfport and Charlotte, N.C., on US
Airways will resume Tuesday. Fuel prices and a slow economy led the airline to suspend
the third daily flight in October. But over the past few weeks the flights are operating at
near capacity so the extra flight is returning. (Source: The Sun Herald, 02/28/09)
Northrop, EADS asked to hire Haas
MOBILE, Ala. – Northrop Grumman and EADS North America have been asked by Mobile
officials to hire Bay Haas, the retired airport authority executive director, to coordinate
local support for the effort to win the contract to assemble aerial refueling tankers in
Mobile. According to the Mobile Press-Register, the request was made in a Feb. 18 letter.
A spokesman said Northrop Grumman is giving the suggestions “active consideration.”
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/28/09)
NASA picks spacesuit developer
WASHINGTON, D.C. - NASA has awarded an interim letter contract to Oceaneering
International Inc. of Houston to begin work on the design, development and production of
a new spacesuit system for the Constellation Program. The system will protect astronauts
during voyages to the International Space Station and exploration of the moon's surface.
(Source: PRNewswire, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast has space-related
operations at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: Northrop, $5.8M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated
Systems Air Combat Systems, San Diego, Calif., for $5,857,128. This action will provide
engineering, manufacturing and development infrastructure activates in support of the
Global Hawk Program. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk fuselage work is done in
part in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing submits Altair proposal
HOUSTON, Texas - Boeing through its Space Exploration division submitted a proposal to
NASA for Altair lunar lander design support. NASA is expected to award multiple contracts
this spring. The lunar lander, part of NASA's Constellation Program, will launch aboard the
Ares V heavy-lift rocket and provide astronauts with life support and a base for
exploration missions. Altair will also return the crew to the Orion spacecraft that will
transport the astronauts back to Earth. (Source: Boeing, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program
Extra Ares I flight tests eyed
NASA managers are pulling together options for spending some $400 million in extra
funds that have become available for human exploration under the economic stimulus
package, and have not ruled out an extra flight-test to hasten development of the Ares I
crew launch vehicle. Also on the table is advancing development work on Ares I and the
Orion crew exploration vehicle. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program
Tanker still top priority
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aerial tankers remain the Air Force's top priority and the competition
could be completed within a year, according to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley. The
tankers are needed to replace KC-135s. Donley, speaking at a military conference
sponsored by the Air Force Association, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates expects to
issue a new request for bids this spring. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/27/09) Gen.
Duncan McNabb, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, told a joint hearing of
the seapower and air and land forces subcommittees of the House Armed Services
Committee that the tanker is his No. 1 modernization priority, according to the Los
Angeles Business Journal. Boeing is competing against a Northrop Grumman/EADS,
which wants to construct an assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., to build the planes.
County to buy more industrial acreage
MILTON, Fla. - The Santa Rosa County Commission voted to use $3.1 million in electric
franchise fees to buy 90 acres in not far from Interstate 10 to use for industrial
development. Pullum Park will join the nearby Santa Rosa County Industrial Park and the
planned Whiting Aviation Park as county-owned property available for industrial
development. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/27/09)
Contract: Textron, $9.5M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Textron Systems Corp., of Wilmington, Mass.,
for $9,527,490. This action will provide 30 additional Sensor Fuzed Weapons, Full Rate
Production Lot 12. 683rd ARSS/SYKA, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 02/26/09)
$533.7B defense budget proposed
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Defense Department would get a baseline budget of $533.7
billion in fiscal year 2010, up from $513.3 billion appropriated by Congress in 2009, under
President Barack Obama’s proposed budget. It’s part of the $3.55 trillion budget the
White House released Thursday. (Sources: Wall Street Journal, Aviation Week,
Washington Post, 02/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The DoD budget is important to this region,
which is home to military bases as well as large and small defense contractors
Scolese: NASA funding responsible
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting NASA Administrator Christopher J. Scolese said the $18.7
billion for NASA in the 2010 fiscal year budget is “fiscally responsible and reflects the
administration's desire for a robust and innovative agency.” Scolese said the budget
ensures NASA maintains global leadership in Earth and space research and “funds a
robust program of human and robotic space exploration.” When combined with the $1
billion provided for NASA in the Recovery Act, the funding is more than $2.4 billion above
the 2008 level. (Source: NASA, 02/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The region is heavily involved
in the space program through Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis
Space Center in Mississippi.
Second F-35B marks first flight
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin’s second short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B
Lightning II accomplished its first flight on Wednesday. The aircraft, known as BF-2, joins
a conventional takeoff and landing F-35A and another F-35B that already have logged a
combined total of 84 flights. (Source: PRNewswire, 02/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center
Teledyne to buy back shares
Teledyne Technologies, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., said it will repurchase up to 1.5 million
shares of stock, or 4.2 percent of the shares that were outstanding as of Dec. 28. The
company said it would use cash on hand and money borrowed through an existing credit
agreement. Teledyne operates Continental Motors division at Brookley Field Industrial
Complex in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/26/09)
Keesler command change slated
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Brig. Gen. Greg Touhill turns over command of the
81st Training Wing to Col. Ian Dickinson in a ceremony April 6. Dickinson, who reports to
Keesler by March 31, is Joint Staff deputy chief information officer at the Pentagon. Touhill’
s new assignment is Chief, Office of Military Cooperation, U.S. Central Command, Kuwait.
(Source: Keesler Air Force Base, 02/25/09)
Airbus placing bet on freighters
Airbus is preparing to birth a new generation of freighter aircraft just as the industry is
seeing declines in demand. But Airbus is looking beyond the immediate crisis and making
a long-term bet on creating freighters that could compete with rival Boeing, which has long
dominated the freighter market. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS, parent of Airbus, said last year that it would produce a cargo version of its A330
airliner in Mobile if it won the Air Force tanker contract. A new competition will begin this
year.
Shuttle fuel tank in Florida
NEW ORLEANS, La. – An external fuel tank made for NASA by Lockheed Martin at the
Michoud Assembly Facility is expected to arrive at Kennedy Space Center Saturday. The
tank, which is 15 stories tall and almost 28 feet in diameter, traveled by covered barge.
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/20/09)
Contract awarded for engine testing
WASHINGTON - NASA signed a five-year, $45 million contract Thursday with American
Tank and Vessel Inc. of Mobile, Ala., for installation of a test cell diffuser and associated
systems in the A-3 test stand at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The test stand will
test the J-2X engine that will power the upper stage of the Ares I crew exploration vehicle
and the Earth departure stage of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. Construction began on
the A-3 stand in summer 2007, with the first test scheduled for 2012. The structure is the
first large test stand to be built since the south Mississippi site was established in the
1960s. (Source: NASA, 02/19/09)
Boeing bids for Ares V
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Boeing’ Space Exploration division submitted proposals for the Ares
V Phase 1 Design Support Contracts. The proposals are for design support of the Ares V
cargo launch vehicle’s payload shroud; the Earth-departure stage; the liquid-fueled
central booster element core state; and avionics and software. The two-stage, vertically
stacked Ares V will be NASA's primary rocket for delivery of large-scale hardware to
space. The Ares V Phase 1 contracts will be managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville. (Source: Boeing, 02/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing has an
operation in New Orleans at Michoud Assembly Facility
City votes to sue over F-35s
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The City of Valparaiso voted to sue the Air Force over the F-35
Record of Decision. Two of the commissioners, both of whom had opposed a previous
Freedom of Information Act suit against the Air Force, were absent. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 02/18/09) The Air Force earlier this month signed a record of decision
that allows construction to begin for the Joint Strike Fighter training center. To address
noise concerns, the Air Force is limiting use of one runway.
Keesler chief gets new assignment
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Brig. Gen. Greg Touhill, 81st Training Wing
commander, has been selected for a new assignment as Chief, Office of Military
Cooperation, U.S. Central Command, Kuwait. Touhill came to Keesler in October 2007.
Announcement of his replacement is expected soon. (Source: Keesler Air Force Base,
02/17/09)
LCROSS heads to Florida
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. - NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known
as LCROSS, is enroute from Northrop Grumman's facility in Redondo Beach, Calif., to
Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in preparation for a spring launch. The satellite's mission
is to search for water ice on the moon in a permanently shadowed crater near one of the
lunar poles. LCROSS is a companion mission to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter,
or LRO. At Kennedy the two spacecraft will be integrated with an Atlas V launch vehicle
and tested for final flight worthiness. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's
plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020.
(Source: NASA, 02/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation Program, the return
of astronauts to the moon and beyond
Contract: Raytheon, $21.7M
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentive contract with
Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for $21,695,993. This contract is for the Advanced
Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Processor Replacement Program, Phase II. 695 ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 02/17/09)
Study expects UAV market to double
WASHINGTON - Unmanned aerial vehicles remain the most dynamic growth sector of the
aerospace industry. That’s according to Teal analysts in their latest analysis. Teal Group’
s 2009 market study estimates UAV spending will almost double over the next decade.
Current worldwide UAV expenditures is $4.4 billion annually. That’s expected to go to $8.7
billion within a decade totaling over $62 billion in the next 10 years. (Source: PRNewswire,
02/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scout and Global Hawk UAVs are built in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Two towers readied
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A new radar approach control facility at Pensacola Gulf Coast
Regional Airport is nearing completion. The $21 million Terminal Radar Approach Control
facility is replacing the current 31-year-old building. At Whiting Field Naval Air Station in
Milton, construction wrapped up on a new $4 million control tower replacing one built in
1972. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/17/09)
Murtha visits Boeing plants
SEATTLE, Wash. - U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., toured the 767 final assembly at the
Boeing factory in Everett as part of a fact-finding mission for replacing the Air Force’s fleet
of KC-135 tankers. Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Defense, was invited by Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. Murtha also toured the 737 and P-8A
Poseidon aircraft facilities in Renton. (Source: Boeing, 02/16/09) Gulf Coast note: Last
month Murtha visited Mobile to see the site where the Northrop Grumman/EADS team
hopes to build the plane. Both teams are competing to build the tanker. At that time,
Murtha said he favored splitting the contract between the two teams.
Northrop gets piece of drone refuel program
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. - Northrop Grumman's relative navigation system has been
selected by the Air Force for the Automated Aerial Refueling program follow-on contract.
Relative navigation, the ability to measure the relative motions of two vehicles, is key to
the aerial refueling of unmanned vehicles. The Air Force Research Laboratory
demonstrated the ability of the AAR system during flight tests in November 2007. It is
designed to work with the existing tanker fleet. (Source: Globe Newswire, 02/16/09) Gulf
Coast note: Unmanned aerial systems are built in part in Moss Point Miss.; Northrop
Grumman and partner EADS hope to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala.
AF plans realignment for centers
The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center will move about 70 personnel in
the next 18 months to support its cyber operations. Personnel from Kirtland Air Force
Base, N.M., will be moved to Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center
Detachments at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla. (Source: Federal Computer World, 02/12/09)
Speaker predicts EADS plant
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Would the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. build an
aircraft plant in the region even if it loses the tanker competition? Yes, according to
Donald Epley, director of the Mitchell College of Business Center for Real Estate Studies
at the University of South Alabama. He said EADS, parent of Airbus, is being killed by the
exchange rate, and he predicts it will bring about 1,000 jobs to the region. He made the
comment Thursday at the annual Real Estate Trends Report and Forecast Conference in
Pensacola at New World Landing. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/13/09)
Northrop/EADS won the competition last year with Boeing to build the next generation of
Air Force tankers and planned to build them in Mobile, Ala. But the decision was
overturned after a Boeing protest. A new competition is expected this year.
Little progress in airport buyout idea
NEW ORLEANS, La. – A board created by the Legislature to evaluate a possible state
takeover of city-owned Louis Armstrong International Airport is unlikely to be ready to
offer a recommendation by this year’s legislative session, in part because the state has
given it few resources. The Southeast Regional Airport Authority wants to hire a
consultant but until a few days ago it had no idea where the money might come from.
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/12/09)
Teledyne recalls pistons
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors will recall 9,600 cylinders from piston aircraft
engines because the company found a metal-casting problem that can cause the cylinder
heads to crack. The company expects the recall to cost as much $18 million as cylinders
are replaced over the next year. The company will also destroy some unused cylinders.
Teledyne Continental employs more than 300 in Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
02/13/09)
BAMS Global Hawk operational
SOUTHWEST ASIA – The first operational Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Global Hawk
is now in Southwest Asia with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. In a concept of operations
called remote-split operations, the Navy Global Hawks’ arrival marks the culmination of
more than five months of joint effort to stand up a maritime surveillance presence in the
region. Prior to arrival here, the Navy Global Hawk has been in service for non-wartime
missions during its test and development phase, including spying on Hurricane Ike.
(Source: AFNS, 02/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Fuselage work on the Global Hawk is done at
the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
N.O. airport traffic count up
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passenger traffic at Louis Armstrong International Airport grew
moderately in 2008 but still has not reached levels seen before Hurricane Katrina.
Airport officials reported Wednesday that 7.9 million people passed through the Kenner
airport in 2008, up 5.5 percent from 2007. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune,
02/12/09)
Hurlburt hosts exercise
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Air Force Special Operations Command is hosting a field
exercise through Feb. 13 designed to train forces in combat scenarios. Emerald Warrior is
taking place at Hurlburt Field and nearby Eglin Air Force Base, and focuses on training
Air Force, Army and allied units in missions resulting from lessons learned in operations
Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Training includes troop insertions using a CV-22
Osprey, air-ground support operations using A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and AC-130 gunships,
and convoy active-defense scenarios. (Source: Air Force Link, 02/11/09)
Stennis unit gets new complex
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – A team that works closely with Navy SEALs will be
moving into a new, $9.7 million complex at Stennis Space Center Friday. Special Boat
Team 22, which specializes in riverine missions, has grown in the last four years. There
are 400 sailors assigned to SBT 22 and a training school for foreign sailors. (Source:
Navy Times, 02/10/09)
Lunar spacecraft bound for Florida
GREENBELT, Md. - NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was loaded on a truck
Wednesday for a two-day trip to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Launch is targeted for
April 24. The spacecraft recently completed a series of tests and was subjected to
temperatures it will experience as it orbits the moon. LRO will spend at least one year in a
low polar orbit on its primary exploration mission, with the possibility of three more years to
collect additional detailed scientific information about the moon and its environment.
(Source: NASA, 02/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation Program, the return
of astronauts to the moon and beyond
Eglin pilot chosen F-35 instructor
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A pilot from Eglin Air Force Base is among those chosen
for the initial cadre of F-35 instructors. Maj. Lee Kloos, who has nearly 2,000 flying hours,
said he’s excited he’ll be able to stay at Eglin, where he’s worked with the Joint Strike
Fighter Site Activation Task Force program. Three more cadre members are scheduled to
join the major this summer. Eglin will be the location of the Joint Strike Fighter training
center. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 02/10/09)
F-35C restored funds pass Congress
Four defense oversight committees in Congress approved the Navy’s reprogramming
request in fiscal 2009 for funds to secure purchases of the first Joint Strike Fighter for
carrier operations, according to defense officials and congressional staff. The
reprogramming for $40 million will pay for long lead parts for three Lockheed Martin F-
35Cs, according to the F-35 program manager. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/11/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the joint training site for the F-35 program
Eglin to search for old munitions
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin officials and contractors are preparing to conduct
visual surface surveys on private property in Santa Rosa County to ensure former
weapon test ranges are clear of old munitions. Eglin sent right of entry requests to 13
private property owners in an area that was formerly part of now defunct Range 30, where
aerial gunnery testing was conducted in the 1940s-50s. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base,
02/09/09)
Three indicted in contract cases
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Three Okaloosa County men were indicted on federal charges for
violations committed while working at or contracting with the Air Force Research
Laboratory on Eglin Air Force Base. The indictment claims one of the three, while
employed as a senior engineer at the federal lab, steered programs to Schaller
Engineering, or SEI, in which he had a financial interest. The three are accused of trying
to cover up the financial interests. (Source: WEAR-TV, Northwest Florida Daily News,
02/07/09)
NOAA satellite successfully launched
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket
successfully boosted a NOAA satellite into orbit Friday. The satellite will be used to track
fast-breaking storms and monitor climate changes. A Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-27A
engine powered the rocket, and three Alliant Techsystems GEM-40 solid propulsion strap-
on boosters ignited with the first-stage main engine. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, ATK,
02/06/09) Gulf Coast note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has a facility at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.; ATK has an operation in Shalimar, Fla.
F-35 Eglin bed down a done deal
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Air Force, which in November delayed the record of
decision establishing the Joint Strike Fighter school at Eglin because of noise concerns,
finally sealed the deal. The Air Force on Friday said steps will be taken to mitigate noise,
in part through limiting the use of one runway. The F-35 is twice as loud as an F-15,
prompting residents of nearby Valparaiso to express concern about the school. The Air
Force used the delay to explore its options to mitigate noise. The record of decision
means construction can now get under way in preparation for 59 F-35s that will arrive
beginning March 2010. Nine construction projects worth $170 million are in the bidding
process and construction is expected to begin before October. All branches of the military
will use the Eglin training center. A decision on additional planes for the base will be made
in 2010. (Source: Tcp, 02/06/09)
Army orders five more Lakotas
COLUMBUS, Miss. - The Army awarded EADS North America a contract for five additional
UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters, bringing the total on contract to 128. The Army
expects to acquire a total of 345 Lakotas, built at the American Eurocopter facility in
Columbus, Miss., through 2016. More than 50 UH-72As have been delivered by EADS
North America, and some 8,000 flight hours have been logged to date. Lakotas are in
operation at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.; Fort Eustis, Va.; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Irwin, Calif.;
Jacksonville, Fla.; Morrisville, N.C.; Pineville, La.; Tupelo, Miss.; and the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, N.Y. (Source: EADS North America, 02/05/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and EADS CASA operation in Mobile, Ala.
NFOs to get more realistic radar
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Boeing received a $28.3 million contract for two Virtual Mission Training
System retrofit kits that will integrate realistic radar training into the Navy T-45 Training
System. The VMTS is designed for the training of flight officers who operate weapons and
electronic warfare systems. The work involves T-45C aircraft and ground-station systems
assigned to Training Air Wing 6, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Boeing is currently
under contract for 221 T-45 Goshawk trainer aircraft. The two-seater forms the heart of
the fully integrated T-45 training system, used at NAS Kingsville, Texas, NAS Meridian,
Miss., and NAS Pensacola. (Source: Boeing, 02/05/09)
Contract: AeroVironment, $39M
AeroVironment, Simi Valley, Calif., was awarded a $39,003,452 contract for contractor
logistics support for the Raven RQ-11B Unmanned Aircraft System. Work is to be
performed in Simi Valley, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2010. U.S.
Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an
operation in Navarre, Fla.
Goodrich 4Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich announced a 31 percent increase in net income per
diluted share and a two percent increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2008. Full year
2008 sales were $7.1 billion, an increase of 10 percent over full year 2007. Full year 2008
income per diluted share from continuing operations was $5.33 and net income per
diluted share of $5.39, an increase of 37 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared
to 2007. (Source: Goodrich, 02/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich has a service center in
Foley, Ala.
NSF, Navy data added to Google Earth
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command
and the National Science Foundation have entered agreements with Google to provide
data for the popular program. According to NSF, a feature called “Oceans in Google
Earth” enables users to dive beneath the surface of the sea and explore oceans. It
includes videos, photos, diagrams and texts that illustrate glacial, geological and ocean
processes influencing the behavior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in Antarctica. The
Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command entered a cooperative research
agreement to share with Google Earth unclassified information about oceans. The
CRADA allows Google to use unclassified bathymetric data sets and sea surface
temperatures from the Naval Oceanographic Office as well as meteorological data from
Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, both subordinate commands of
NMOC. (Sources: NSF, NNS, 02/02/09)
Engine cleared for STOVL testing
Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine has been cleared for flight testing in the F-35B Joint Strike
Fighter. Approval follows a review of design changes made to eliminate vibration that
caused turbine blade failures in ground tests. The first redesigned engine was delivered
to Lockheed Martin last week for installation in aircraft BF-1, the first short takeoff and
vertical landing F-35B. Testing is expected to begin at Fort Worth, Texas, this month. The
first vertical landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., is expected in June or July.
(Source: Aviation Week, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the
F-35 pilot training center
Northrop 4Q report
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman, hurt by a $3.06 billion charge connected to
past acquisitions says it posted a fourth-quarter loss of $2.54 billion, or $7.76 per share,
in the latest quarter. It earned $457 million, or $1.32 per share, in the same period last
year. Excluding the charge, Northrop says it earned $524 million, or $1.57 per share.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/03/09)
ATK to expand in Mississippi
IUKA, Miss. – Alliant Techsystems will expand its northeast Mississippi plant to make
composite structures for commercial aircraft, Gov. Haley Barbour said Monday. The
Minneapolis-based company will keep the 176 jobs it already has in Iuka. Barbour said the
plant will have 800 jobs by 2017 with an average salary of about $53,000. (Source:
Jackson Clarion-Ledger, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK also has a weapons-
development operation in Shalimar, Fla.
Contract: DRS, $13.9M
DRS C3 Systems Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $13,915,132 contract for
new work modification for 1,520 Driver’s Vision Enhancer TWV A-Kits for the Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected Program and 224 DVE CV A-Kits and 756 cable assemblies.
Work is being performed at Fort Walton Beach, Fla., with an estimated completion date of
Sept. 30, 2009. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/02/09)
Contract: Concurrent, $11.5M
Concurrent Technology Corp., Johnstown, Pa., is being awarded an $11,468,212 contract
to provide technical and engineering services for continued Carriage, Stream, Tow, and
Recovery System (CSTRS) development, test, and analysis. This procurement supports
development of the CSTRS to incorporate Airborne Mine Countermeasures capabilities
and will be utilized on the MH-60S helicopter. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa.,
(88 percent) and Panama City, Fla., (12 percent), and is expected to completed by Feb.
2012. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 02/02/09)
Boeing receives F2AST contract
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Boeing has won its first contract award under the Air Force
Future Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment Tool (F2AST) program. The award is a $19.1
million Air Force Special Operations Command contract for AC-130U Gunship operational
flight and simulation software maintenance; field service support; configuration, data and
obsolescence management; and intermediate-level repairs. The government is expected
to negotiate three annual options during the first quarter of this year. An option may be
exercised every 12 months. (Source: Boeing, 02/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Work will be
performed by Boeing SOF at Hurlburt Field, Fla., home of the Air Force Special
Operations Command.
JANUARY 2009
Contract: L3 Communications, $6.1M
The Air Force is awarding a contract to L3 Communications Corp., Integrated Systems
Joint Operations of Lexington, Ky., for $6,156,863. This contract is to exercise the
remaining option for the production and installation of dual rails to the MC-130P. The work
will be performed in Crestview and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. WR-ALC/580th
ACSSG/Contracting, Robins AFB, Ga., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/30/09)
Satellite completes key test
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The first Space-Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbit
satellite, built by Lockheed Martin for the Air Force, has completed a key test using new
flight software. The SBIRS program is designed to provide early warning of missile
launches and support other missions, including technical intelligence and battlespace
awareness. The spacecraft will be delivered to the Air Force in fiscal year 2010 and
launched aboard an Atlas V. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/29/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS
work locations include the SBIRS Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Sunnyvale, and
Azusa, Calif.; Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Gaithersburg, Md.; Valley
Forge, Pa.; and Lockheed Martin Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center,
Miss.
Navy holds meeting about new trainer
SUMMERDALE, Ala. – The Navy held a public meeting in Summerdale Thursday to
discuss how the Navy’s new training aircraft may impact residents who live near outlying
fields used for touch-and-go training. About 200 people showed up at the Summerdale
Community Center. The Navy is upgrading its trainer to a more powerful T-6B, and that
will require more runway space at outlying fields. Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., which trains
naval pilots, operates 13 outlying landing fields in the region. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/30/09)
Cargo plane possibility impresses Murtha
MOBILE, Ala. - A Congressman who will play a key role in the battle between Boeing and
the Northrop Grumman/EADS over the Air Force tanker project said he was impressed to
learn cargo planes would also be built in Mobile if Northrop/EADS wins the contract. Rep.
John Murtha from Pennsylvania said after the visit to Mobile that the Pentagon is moving
forward and expects to have a request for proposals in the spring. But he added that
during the appropriations process his committee is looking at alternatives, though he did
not provide specifics. But the Mobile Press-Register reported Friday that during a
luncheon, Murtha said the Air Force should buy aircraft from both Boeing and
Northrop/EADS in order to break the stalemate. "I'm trying to work this problem out.
Because I don't think it's going to work the way the Defense Department is trying to work it
out," Murtha said. "I'm not going to say publicly a lot more because, obviously, I have to
convince a lot of other people. But I have convinced myself." The Northrop/EADS team
won the contract last February to build the tankers in Mobile, but a Boeing protest was
upheld. The Pentagon later decided to let the new administration take on the issue.
(Source: Tcp, 01/29/09)
Hurricane Hunters pull winter duty
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base airmen and two WC-130J
Hurricane Hunter aircraft deployed to Anchorage, Alaska, earlier this month for a month-
long mission in support of the 2009 Winter Storm Reconnaissance Program. The 403rd
Wing team includes Reserve aircrews, operations, maintenance, aerial porters, and
others to improve winter storm forecast models. Operations are directed by the National
Centers for Environmental Prediction, part of the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration. (Source: AFNS, 01/28/09)
Split tanker buy gaining traction?
As the Pentagon attempts to craft a way forward to replace the KC-135 aerial refueling
fleet, the option of a split buy between Boeing and EADS/Northrop is gaining attention on
Capitol Hill. The idea is sure to be a topic of discussion as Rep. John Murtha of
Pennsylvania visits Mobile, Ala., where Northrop Grumman and EADS want to assemble
the planes. Murtha is expected to visit Boeing’s Washington state facility in the coming
weeks. The Pentagon has opposed duel-sourcing, but some are beginning to think a split
buy is the only politically palatable way to move forward. (Source: Aviation Week,
01/29/09)
Raytheon 4Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. announced fourth quarter 2008 adjusted income from
continuing operations of $466 million or $1.13 per diluted share, compared to $420 million
or $0.96 per diluted share in the fourth quarter 2007. Reported fourth quarter
2008 income from continuing operations was $421 million or $1.02 per diluted
share compared to $634 million or $1.45 per diluted share in the fourth quarter 2007.
(Source: PRNewswire, 01/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Raytheon has operations in Northwest
Florida
Airbus won’t bid on Air Force One
EADS, which still hopes to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala., said it will decline an
invitation to bid on a contract to replace Air Force One. The European Aeronautic
Defence and Space Co. wants to remain focused on military contracts. EADS North
America spokesman Tim Paynter said building the presidential jet won’t help the company
meet its business objective in the United States. EADS also builds helicopters for the U.S.
Army in Columbus, Miss. The decision likely makes Boeing the sole contender to build Air
Force One. (Sources: multiple, including AFP, Mobile Press-Register, 01/29/09)
Northrop gets new RQ-4 contract
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a contract valued at $276
million for operations and maintenance support of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned
reconnaissance aircraft. The contract calls for training and peacetime operations support
for fiscal years 2009 and 2010. It will also provide operational assistance for new forward
operating locations in Guam and Italy. Northrop Grumman's contract teammates are L-3
Communications, Raytheon and Rolls-Royce. (Source: Globe Newswire, 01/28/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
ATK to make fan cases for XWB engine
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Alliant Techsystems has agreed to a contract valued in excess of
$200 million with Rolls-Royce to produce composite aft fan cases for the new Trent XWB
engine. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB will power the Airbus A350 XWB family of aircraft.
Rolls-Royce has received orders for over 1,000 Trent XWB engines. ATK will also
integrate additional components into the cases. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/28/09) Gulf
Coast note: The Trent XWB engines will be tested at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi
by 2010 or 2011; ATK has an operation in Northwest Florida; Goodrich was selected by
Airbus to supply wheels and carbon brakes for the A350 XWB. It has a service center in
Foley, Ala.
Tanker match reheating soon?
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday in Washington that he’s committed to
launching a new competition for the Air Force’s tanker contract as quickly as possible.
Gates told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he plans to meet with
top Air Force officials in the next few weeks to begin planning for a rematch between
Boeing and a team led by Northrop Grumman and EADS North America. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 01/28/09) Gulf Coast note: All three companies have operations in the
Gulf Coast. If the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins, it plans to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala.
Boeing 4Q report
CHICAGO – Boeing’s fourth-quarter net income declined to a loss of $56 million, or $0.08
per share, reflecting the now-settled machinists' strike, a charge related to the 747 and a
litigation-related reserve. Revenues for the quarter declined 27 percent to $12.7 billion,
due primarily to the effects of the strike which reduced commercial airplane deliveries by
about 70 units and revenues by an estimated $4.3 billion. For the full year of 2008, net
income fell 34 percent to $2.7 billion, EPS was $3.71 per share and revenue fell 8 percent
to $60.9 billion. Full-year results were impacted by the strike, the 747 charge, the
litigation-related reserve, and higher costs for AEW&C announced in the second quarter,
which reduced full-year EPS by an estimated $2.56 per share. (Source: Boeing, 01/28/09)
Gulf Coast note: Boeing has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
General Dynamics Q4 report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – General Dynamics reported that earnings from continuing
operations in the fourth quarter of 2008 were $630 million, or $1.62 per share on a fully
diluted basis, compared to 2007 fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations of
$578 million, or $1.42 per share fully diluted. Revenue increased to $7.9 billion in the
quarter, compared to fourth-quarter 2007 revenue of $7.5 billion. Earnings from
continuing operations for the full year of 2008 were $2.48 billion, or $6.22 per share on a
fully diluted basis, an increase of 19.1 percent over 2007 full-year earnings from
continuing operations of $2.1 billion, or $5.10 per share fully diluted. Revenue for the full
year of 2008 was $29.3 billion, compared with $27.2 billion for 2007, an increase of 7.6
percent. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/28/09)
Contract: Hensel Phelps, $121.1M
Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $121,144,000 firm fixed
price contract for construction of the FY09 Special Forces Complex at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. Work includes clearing, grubbing, earthwork and erosion control of some 350
acre containment site and 130 acre access road, construction of road system and
electrical and communications distribution, water wells and elevated water storage tanks,
water distribution, wastewater collection and storm drain systems. Buildings include group
headquarters, 4-battalion headquarters/company operations facility, combat readiness
training facility, group support battalion headquarters/company operations facility, dining
facility and audio visual equipment purchase and installation. Estimated completion date is
Aug. 1, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/27/09)
F-16 pilots picked as F-35 instructors
Two pilots from F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons at Luke Air Force Base, Texas, are
among the pilots tapped to form the initial cadre for the F-35 Lightning II. Both are
instructor pilots for Air Education and Training Command. They’ll be part of the initial
group of 10 instructors in the F-35 training program at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and will
be responsible for training subsequent instructors. (Source: Air Force Times, 01/26/09)
The Marine Corps earlier this month selected six pilots for their version of the F-35 and
will arrive at Eglin later this year or early next.
Lunar lander engine tested
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s Common Extensible Cryogenic
Engine successfully demonstrated capabilities required for NASA’s Altair lunar lander. The
engine performed with stable operation at the widest throttle range of any known high
performance cryogenic engine during its third series of ground tests at the company’s
West Palm Beach, Fla., test facility. The CECE is a variant of the RL10 upper-stage
engine that has helped place military, government and commercial satellites into orbit and
powered space probe missions to planets in the solar system. (Source: Pratt & Whitney,
01/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Link between funding, job probed
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Charlie Crist asked for an inspector general’s inquiry to see if
the director of a new space-tourism medical program at the Andrews Institute in Gulf
Breeze, Fla., got his job after setting up the $500,000 in state grants to create it. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 01/27/09)
Airbus picks Goodrich for support
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Airbus selected Goodrich Corp.to deliver broad maintenance, repair
and overhaul as well as asset management services as part of an Airbus Total Support
Package for Singapore Airlines' fleet of 19 leased Airbus A330 aircraft. The support
agreement, which includes Goodrich evacuation, lighting, actuation, sensors, de-icing and
power products, covers the aircraft for an initial period of five years. The maintenance
work will be conducted at various Goodrich MRO facilities in Asia, Europe and North
America. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich has its Alabama
Service Center in Foley, Ala.
Orion integration building readied
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The High Bay Facility of the Operations & Checkout Building at
Kennedy Space Center is ready to begin preparations to build the new Orion crew
exploration vehicle. Built in 1964, the O&C facility has been the final integration and
checkout building for manned spacecraft beginning with the Apollo program. The State of
Florida, Lockheed Martin and NASA invested $55 million renovate the facility for the
Constellation Program. Flight hardware is being fabricated at locations nationwide for final
integration at the O&C facility, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia. (Source:
PRNewswire, 01/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed will build large structures and
composite parts for Orion at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
Union defends ‘Buy America’ provision
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers Monday called on Congressional leaders to reject a campaign by the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce to strip “Buy America” provisions from the pending $825 billion
economic stimulus package. In a recent letter to House and Senate leaders, the chamber,
business roundtable and 13 lobbying organizations warned Congressional leaders
against any use or expansion of "Buy American" provisions. (Source: PRNewswire,
01/26/09)
Base has billion-dollar impact
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Naval Air Station Pensacola had a $1.15 billion economic impact on
local communities, according to an impact report. The base employed more than 21,000
military, civilian and contract employees in 2008. The military's economic impact was
almost $39 million higher than in 2007. The report combined salaries for military, civilian
and contract personnel along with local contract spending to reach the total. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 01/26/09) Other bases in the region include NAS Whiting Field
in Milton, Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, near Fort Walton Beach, FL, and
Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. The Navy is also the largest tenant at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Military secretaries to stay put
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Each U.S. military service secretary has agreed to Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates' request to stay in office for at least several weeks to ensure
the Defense Department’s smooth transition under the President Barack Obama
administration. (Source: AFNS, 01/23/09)
Mobile airport holding its own
MOBILE, Ala. – Higher fares may not seem like such a great thing, but it apparently is the
reason Mobile Regional Airport is holding on to many of its flights - down just 4 percent in
capacity. Data compiled for the airport authority shows the average fare to fly out of
Mobile was seventh-highest among the nation’s 150 largest airports in the 12 months that
ended June 2008, and that’s likely causing airlines to stick around. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/25/09)
NASA closing in on flight test of Ares I-X
HAMPTON, Va. - NASA is a step closer to the first flight test of the rocket that will send
humans towards the moon as part of the agency’s Constellation Program. Rocket
hardware was completed this week at Langley Research Center in Hampton. In late
January the rocket elements will be shipped to Kennedy Space Center in Florida and
integrated into the Ares I-X, an unpiloted test vehicle. Test lift off is scheduled for the
summer of 2009. (Source: NASA, 01/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation
Program.
F-35 readies for avionics test
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin has completed the first F-35 Lightning II
equipped with mission systems, and avionics testing is set to begin. The short
takeoff/vertical landing F-35 variant is scheduled for delivery to the flight line by the end
of January with the first flight expected this summer. Aircraft BF-4 will carry the Northrop
Grumman radar and integrated communications, navigation and identification suite and
the BAE Systems electronic warfare system. Five F-35s are already undergoing testing.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be the location for the F-35 training center. All three companies have
operations in the Gulf Coast.
Eglin partners with local business
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Engineers at Eglin’s 693rd Armament Systems Squadron
partnered with Joint Technology Engineering Inc. of Valparaiso, Fla., to improve mission
planning test and training software for the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. (Source: Eglin Air
Force Base, 01/22/09)
Contract: Northrop, $39.9M
Northrop Grumman, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $39,987,905 modification to a
previously awarded contract for procurement of three low rate initial production Fire Scout
vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle units. The contract also
provides for three ground control stations, three light Harpoon grids, three UCARS
systems and six portable electronic display devices. Work is expected to be completed in
March 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/23/09) Final work on the Fire Scout is done at the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Northrop to write off $3B
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman Corp. will record a fourth quarter loss of $3
billion to $3.4 billion, due to a drop in the book value of its shipbuilding and space
technology activities. The company determined that the book value exceeded the fair
value. As a result of this charge, the company will report a net loss for the fourth quarter
and 2008 when it issues its report Feb. 3. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 01/22/09) Gulf
Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a large presence in the Gulf Coast, including
shipyards and an unmanned aerial systems plant.
Eglin eyes beachfront resort
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin Air Force Base wants to use some of a 17-acre
beachfront test site as a military resort. The proposed Emerald Breeze Resort could
provide a revenue stream. Test Site A-5 is a mostly bare parcel next that has a small
storage building with antennae only occasionally used to support test missions. The
military pictures a 250-room resort. The Air Force will accept public comments until March
12. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/22/09)
Teledyne 4Q report
Teledyne Technologies profits rose 24 percent for 2008 to $122.2 million, with fourth
quarter profit up 16 percent to $30.8 million. The company's Mobile subsidiary, Teledyne
Continental Motors, lost $2.8 million in the fourth quarter compared to a $3 million profit in
the same three months of 2007. Teledyne Continental employs 440 at the Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/23/09)
Mobile airport wins project money
The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $1.4 million to the Mobile Regional
Airport for upgrades, according to Sen. Richard Shelby. The money will be used to repair
storm drainage systems, replace the beacon and tower and other projects. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 01/23/09)
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $581.4M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a contract with an
estimated value of $581,446,845 to provide Joint Performance Based Logistics support
for the Marine Corps (MV-22), Air Force, and Special Forces Operations Command (CV-
22) aircraft during the production and deployment phase of the V-22 Program. Just over 6
percent of the work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Most work will be
performed in Ft. Worth, Texas and Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed in
November 2013. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/09)
Contract: AeroVironment, $17M
AeroVironment Inc., Simi Valley, Calif., was awarded a $17,060,507.76 contract to procure
a digital data link upgrade for the Raven RQ-11B Unmanned Aircraft System and FY 09
engineering services and accounting for contract services. Work will be performed at Simi
Valley, Ca. with an estimated completion date of Oct 30, 2010. U.S. Army Contracting
Command, Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/09) AeroVironment has an operation at Navarre, Fla.
Lockheed Martin 4Q report
BETHESDA, Md. - Lockheed Martin reported fourth quarter 2008 net earnings of $823
million - $2.05 per diluted share - compared to $799 million in 2007. Net sales were $11.1
billion, compared to fourth quarter 2007 sales of $10.8 billion. Cash from operations for
the fourth quarter of 2008 was $997 million, compared to $425 million in 2007. (Source:
Lockheed Martin, 01/22/09)
Eurocopter seeking U.S. partners
PARIS - Eurocopter is looking for American partners on a proposed European heavy-lift
helicopter and its bid for the U.S. Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH),
according to CEO Lutz Bertling. The helicopter maker, an EADS subsidiary, is in early
talks with Boeing and Sikorsky, a United Technologies company, as potential partners for
a Future Transport Helicopter. (Source: Defense News, 01/20/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eurocopter operates American Eurocopter manufacturing facility in Columbus, Miss.;
Sikorsky has operations in Northwest Florida; Boeing is the rival of Eurocopter’s parent,
EADS, in the bid for the U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tanker project.
Finalists for cyber headquarters chosen
The Air Force announced this week finalists for headquarters of 24th Air Force, a new
numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission – protecting the nation from attacks on
computers and other communications systems. The bases are Barksdale Air Force Base,
La.; Lackland, Texas; Langley, Va.; Offutt, Neb.; Peterson, Colo.; and Scott, Ill. A final
selection will be made in June. (Source: AFNS, 01/21/09) Original plans called for a
Cyberspace Command, but last fall the Air Force opted to make it a numbered Air Force.
Keesler Air Force Base, in Biloxi, Miss., was among the candidates for the command.
Murtha to visit proposed tanker site
MOBILE, Ala. – Rep. John Murtha, who could play a key role in the battle over the Air
Force refueling tanker contract, will visit Mobile Jan. 29 and tour the proposed Northrop
Grumman/EADS site assembly site. The Pennsylvania Democrat, who chairs the House
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was invited by Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham,
and Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/22/09) Northrop/EADS
was awarded the contract last year, but Boeing’s protest was upheld and the Pentagon
later opted to cancel the contract and let the new administration decide.
United Technologies 4Q report
HARTFORD, Conn. – Growth in the aerospace activities of Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney
boosted United Technologies’ fourth quarter 2008 income by 8 percent to $1.15 billion.
That compares with $1.1 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share were up 14 percent to
$1.23. (Source: United Technologies, 01/21/09) UTC has Sikorsky operations in
Northwest Florida and a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne operation at Stennis Space Center
in Mississippi.
Contract: EADS, $25.6M
EADS North American Defense, Arlington, Va., was awarded a $25,588,548 contract for
funding of the Army's Light Utility Helicopter contract for five UH-72A and supporting
mission kits and equipment packages. Work will be performed at Columbus, Miss., with an
estimated completion date of March 1, 2010. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command,
Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/21/09) EADS North
America also has operations in Mobile, Ala.
Marines pick F-35B instructors
The Marine Corps recently selected six pilots to become some of the first instructors for
the Marine version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Marines will travel to Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., where the training detachment for the F-35B will be located, by the end
of this year or beginning of next. The three variants of the JSF are the Air Force F-35A,
Navy F-35C and Marine Corps F-35B. (Source: Desert Warrior, 01/15/09)
General sees clear skies for F-35
The officer who will become commander of Eglin Air Force Base’s Air Armament Center,
Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, said the F-35 Lightning II is on track despite an earlier budget
shortfall. At a roundtable discussion in Washington last week, the departing program chief
for the F-35 Lightning II also predicted that Israel, Singapore, Spain and Japan will join
eight other international partners in the JSF program. (Source: Aviation Week, 01/16/09)
At Eglin Davis is replacing Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, who will become director of
operations at headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Ohio.
RS-68s part of spy satellite launch
A classified spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office was launched from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Saturday onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV
powered by three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 engines and one upper-stage
RL10B-2 engine. The National Reconnaissance Office is responsible for operating
overhead reconnaissance missions for the Department of Defense and the intelligence
community. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/18/09) Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an RS-68
operation at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
New Navy trainer will need more room
The switch to a more powerful Navy training aircraft will require an expansion of runways
and safety zones in outlying fields. Starting this year Naval Air Station Whiting Field in
Milton, Fla., which does preliminary training for military pilots, will begin a four-year switch
from the T-34C to the T-6B trainer. Whiting runs 13 outlying fields in the region, where
pilots do touch-and-go landings, maneuvers and other exercises. Four of those outlying
fields are in Baldwin County, Ala., between Pensacola, Fla., and Mobile, Ala. The number
of training flights will also increase. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/17/09)
Budget woes put aviation school on hold
MOBILE, Ala. – Budget cuts have grounded plans for a stand-alone aviation college with a
branch in Mobile, according to the chancellor of the Alabama Community College System.
Bradley Byrne first announced plans for the Alabama Aviation College in October 2007.
Byrne said he remains committed to the idea, but wants to delay it now because of budget
considerations. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/16/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $38.7M, $4.5M
The Air Force is exercising an option with Raytheon Co., Tucson Ariz., for the production
of 46 R7 HARM Targeting System pods and initial spares. In separate action, the Air
Force has obligated $4,533,762 to Raytheon to provide for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation
Missile Targeting Systems Software Upgrade Program. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity for both. (Source: DoD, 01/15/09)
Contract: CSC, $29.2M
The Air Force is exercising an option with the CSC Applied Technologies LLC of Fort
Worth, Texas for $29,186,679. The contract provides for Base Operation Support at
Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 81CONS Keesler Air Force Base is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/15/09)
NASA unveils earth science drone
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center has
unveiled the first Global Hawk unmanned system dedicated to earth science research.
NASA plans to use them to support its Science Mission Directorate and the Earth science
community that require high-altitude, long-endurance, long-distance airborne capability.
The initial mission will be Global Hawk Pacific 2009, six long-duration missions over the
Pacific and Arctic in the late spring and early summer of 2009. Twelve NASA and NOAA
scientific instruments integrated into one of the drones will collect atmospheric data while
flying through the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. (Source: NASA via
PRNewswire, 01/15/09) John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi is home to a large
earth science community, including NASA’s Science and Technology Division.
NATO Global Hawk pact seen soon
An announcement is expected soon that NATO will buy eight Global Hawks from Northrop
Grumman in a deal that would be worth more than $1.3 billion. NATO is targeting a 2012
entry-into-service date for the airborne alliance ground surveillance fleet (AGS). NATO
has wanted a capability similar to the Air Force’s E-8C JSTARS airborne round
surveillance system since the early 1990s, and originally planned a mix of Airbus manned
aircraft and Global Hawks, but opted for an all-unmanned system instead. (Sources:
Florida Today, 01/14/08; FlightGlobal, 01/15/09) Portions of the Global Hawk fuselage are
built at the Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss. The program is managed in
Melbourne, Fla.
Gulfport airport has record 2008
GULFPORT, Miss. - More people flew into and out of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in
2008 than ever before, with a 6.5 percent increase over the previous year. The next best
year was in 2000, before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when 949,000 total passengers came
through Gulfport. In 2008, the airport saw 974,861 passengers, an increase of 50,000
over 2000 and 63,598 over 2007. (Source: The Sun Herald, 01/15/09)
AF eyes robot ground refueler
Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is developing an automated aircraft refueling system for
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Researchers at the directorate's Airbase Technologies
Division at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., received a request for an automated system to
refuel the F-35 while on the ground and developed the robot. (Source: AFNS, 01/12/09)
Shuttle crew members visit Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Two crew members of the STS-126 shuttle mission
visited staff at Stennis Space Center to share highlights of their November delivery of
equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/14/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $16.3M
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentives to Raytheon
Co., of Tucson, Ariz. for $16,298,964. This contract will provide a High-Speed Anti-
Radiation Missile Targeting Systems Software Upgrade Program. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/13/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $6.7M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Raytheon Co., Tucson Ariz., for $6,736,211.
This contract is a modification to the AMRAAM Production Lot 22 contract. 695ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/12/09)
Will Boeing, Airbus fight over AF1?
The Air Force last week officially launched the search for a new widebody presidential jet
when it issued a request for information. This competition could pit Boeing’s 747 against
the Airbus 380. Airbus told Flight International the company received the RFI and is
“taking a look.” Boeing, which has provided AF1 for more than 50 years, has said keeping
the contract is a top priority. Boeing has provided the presidential jet for more than 50
years. (Sources: Flight International, Wired, 01/09/09) The other high-profile
Boeing/Airbus battle is over the Air Force tanker. The Northrop Grumman/EADS (Airbus)
team won and planned to build them in Mobile, Ala. But Boeing’s protest was upheld and
the Pentagon cancelled the contest – opting to let the new administration decide where to
go from here.
Airport hopes to land WestJet
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Northwest Florida Regional Airport officials chose the
eighth annual Senior Snowbird Expo Friday to roll out plans to lure a Canadian airline to
the area. Local airport officials have set up a Web site and are asking people to show
their interest. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/09/09)
Boeing trimming commercial plane workforce
SEATTLE, Wash. - Boeing said today that employment at its Commercial Airplanes
business unit is expected to decline by approximately 4,500 positions in 2009 as part of
an effort to control costs. The reduction will bring Commercial Airplanes' employment to
about 63,500, similar to the level it was at the start of 2008. Most of the cuts are expected
in Washington state in the second quarter of the year. (Source: Boeing, 01/09/09) Boeing’
s operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida are not in the commercial airplanes
sector.
Contract: Northrop, $13.4M
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus award fee contract to Northrop Grumman Systems
Corp., San Diego, Calif., for $13,474,949. This contract is for engineering, manufacturing
and development activities in support of the Global Hawk Program. 303 AESG/SYK,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/08/09)
Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Ground broken on new high-tech facility
SLIDELL, La. - Northrop Grumman’s 3001 International broke ground Wednesday on a
new facility. Northrop in October 2008 bought 3001, a provider of geospatial data
production and analysis, including airborne imaging, surveying, mapping and geographic
information systems. The new office combines the existing Slidell 3001 office with the one
at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The new 20,000 square-foot facility brings 85
jobs, including 50 new positions to St. Tammany Parish. (Source: Northrop Grumman,
01/07/09)
Northrop streamlines units
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman has combined seven units into five to lower
costs. The Integrated Systems group was combined with Space Technology to form the
Aerospace Systems unit, led by Gary Ervin. The Information Technology and Mission
Systems groups have combined as Information Systems, led by Linda Mills. Northrop
Grumman last year streamlined its shipbuilding business. (Source: Los Angeles Times,
01/08/09) The new aerospace unit includes Moss Point, Miss., and other facilities that
build the Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned aerial systems.
NASA leader plans to step down
Like the other political appointees of the Bush administration, NASA Administrator Mike
Griffin is planning to step down Jan. 20. Griffin does not expect to be offered an
opportunity to stay on after President-elect Barack Obama takes office. A small list of
potential appointees has already emerged. (Source: Florida Today, 01/07/09) NASA
operates facilities at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi and Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans.
Boeing gets JDAM, SDB contract
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Boeing Co. received two contracts totaling $217.1 million from the
Department of Defense for continued production of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
tail kits and Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). The JDAM contract includes more than 4,000
tail kits for the Air Force and Navy. The SDB contract includes more than 2,500 weapons
and associated carriages for the Air Force. Deliveries are scheduled for 2010. (Source:
Boeing, 01/07/09). Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is where the Air Force develops airborne
conventional weapons.
DAGR tested at Eglin
ORLANDO, Fla. - Lockheed Martin successfully conducted the first live warhead ground
launch test of the DAGR guidance kit for the 2.75-inch rocket. Conducted at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., the test demonstrated DAGR’s vehicle penetration and time-delayed
fuzing feature. Lockheed Martin engineers fired a DAGR-equipped rocket armed with a
live warhead at a stationary vehicle. It penetrated the side of the vehicle before
detonating inside. The system is designed for rotary-wing Hellfire platforms, including the
Cobra, Apache, Seahawk, Kiowa and Tiger. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/06/09)
Eglin building renamed for engineer
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Building 22 at Eglin Air Force Base has been renamed
the Register Physical Sciences Center, in honor of the late Henry I. Register. Register
spent more than 50 years at Eglin and was one of the pioneers of laser-guided smart
weapons. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/05/09)
NASA issues RFP for Ares V
WASHINGTON, D.C. - NASA issued a request for proposals for the Ares V rocket Monday.
The rocket will perform heavy lift and cargo functions as part of the next generation of
spacecraft that will return humans to the moon - the Constellation Project. Proposals are
due to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 9. Selections will be
made in the spring of 2009. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/05/09) Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the
Constellation Project.
Contract: Raytheon, $12.2M
The Air Force modified a contract with Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., for $12,247,290. This
contract action will provide a miniature air launched decoy jammer Block II program
contract for a 14-month concept refinement study for data link and increased effective
radiated power. 692 ARSS/PK, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
01/05/09)
Stennis names deputy director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA named Patrick Scheuermann as the deputy
director of John C. Stennis Space Center, NASA's primary testing ground for propulsion
systems. The promotion of Scheuermann, the center's associate director since August
2006, became effective Dec. 21. Scheuermann previously was chief operating officer of
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. (Source: NASA, 01/05/08)
Option exercised for Deepwater aircraft
ROSSLYN, Va. - Lockheed Martin and the Coast Guard exercised contract options valued
at $13.25 million to install mission systems aboard two additional HC-130J aircraft used in
the Deepwater Program. The new system uses the technology developed for the HC-
144A Ocean Sentry Maritime Patrol Aircraft. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/05/09) Support
for the HC-144A, based on the EADS CASA CN-235, is provided at EADS North America’s
facility at Mobile Regional Airport in Mobile, Ala.
Stennis kicks off robotics competition
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – This past weekend 27 high school teams from
Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana gathered at Stennis Space Center’s StenniSphere for
the regional kickoff of the 18th annual For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology Robotics Competition. It’s the first step towards the national and international
competition. Teams will participate in the Bayou Regional, March 19-21 at the University
of New Orleans, to qualify for a place in April at the FIRST Championship in Atlanta.
(Source: The Sun Herald, 01/03/09)
F-35 production on schedule
FORT WORTH, Texas – Lockheed Martin's F-35 production is on schedule and nearing
its goal of a 2010 delivery to Eglin Air Force Base. Last month Lockheed rolled out two
more F-35s that are ready to be tested. The AF-1 is a flight test aircraft and AG-1 a
ground test unit. Six F-35s are now complete and 17 are in production. The test aircrafts
have completed 83 flights. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/04/09)
CV-22 to be fitted with all-quadrant weapon
Special Operations Command is on track to install all-quadrant 7.62mm Gatling guns
underneath seven Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Ospreys in 2009. The
413th Flight Test Squadron is testing the turret-mounted gun at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
It’s passed a series of tests including firing from a hover in August, said Dave Adamiak, a
BAE Systems official. Critics had complained that the craft had no all-quadrant weapons,
but in 2007 a contract was awarded to BAE Systems to deliver seven Remote Guardian
Systems and install them onto CV-22 Ospreys for AFSOC deployments. (Source: Air
Force Times, 01/04/08)
Contract: McDonnell, $13.8M
The Air Force awarded a firm fixed-price contract to the McDonnell Douglas Corp., St.
Louis, Mo., for $13,835,952. This will authorize McDonnell to provide various test assets
in support of The Small Diameter Bomb I program for aircraft/weapon integration for
threshold and follow-on aircraft. 681 ARSS/PK, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/02/09)
Goodrich, Rolls enter joint venture
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich and Rolls-Royce announced today that they’ve formed a
joint venture company to develop and supply engine controls for Rolls-Royce aero
engines. The joint venture company, Rolls-Royce Goodrich Engine Control Systems
Limited, operates as Aero Engine Controls. Each of the contributing companies owns 50
per cent of Aero Engine Controls. Goodrich will retain the aftermarket products and
services business associated with the joint venture's products. (Source: PRNewswire,
01/02/08) Both companies have Gulf Coast operations. Rolls-Royce has a foundry in
Pascagoula and tests jet engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss; Goodrich has a service
center in Foley, Ala.
Election a referendum on F-35?
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The 2010 mayor’s race may shape up as a referendum on the city’s
face-off with the Air Force over the F-35. The March 9 ballot so far pits Valparaiso Mayor
Bruce Arnold against challenger Brent Smith. Arnold was a driving force behind the city’s
lawsuit against the Air Force, while Smith opposed the litigation. The Air Force is building
the F-35 joint training center at Eglin, but some residents have been concerned over the
noise. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 12/30/09)
Contract: Vertex, $11.4M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded an
$11,406,910 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide specialized
technical services in support of depot level maintenance work performed at the Fleet
Readiness Center, Southwest on aircraft and rework of associated components and
materials. Services to be provided include modifications, in-service repairs and all other
categories of service associated with aircraft depot level maintenance and its planning.
Work will be performed in California, Washington, Hawaii and Arizona and is expected to
be completed in April 2010. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake,
Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/30/09)
Second F-35B arrives
The second Lockheed Martin F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing arrived Tuesday at
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The aircraft flew nonstop from Fort Worth, Texas,
and completed an aerial refueling en route. Over the next year a team will ramp up the
plane for flight testing. (Source: PRNewswire, 12/29/09) In another F-35-related
development, the United States may let Japan take part the multinational team developing
the F-35, according to a Kyodo News report. (Source: Japan Times, 12/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to be the JSF training center.
Pensacola airport gets director
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Melinda Crawford will be appointed Wednesday as the new director of
Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport. Crawford has been the interim director since May
15, when former director Frank Miller left the position for a job in San Antonio, Texas.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 12/29/09)
Contract: General Dynamics, $33.6M
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, Burlington, Vt., was awarded a
$33,638,976 firm-fixed-price contract for 144 Bradley reactive armor tile sets for the
Bradley Fighting Vehicle systems. Most of the work will be done in Haifa, Israel; Burlington
and Lyndonville, Vt., but McHenry, Miss., will do 1.7 percent of the work. Estimated
completion date is Nov. 30, 2010. Army Contracting Command, Joint Munitions and
Lethality, Contracting Center, Picatinny Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 12/29/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $12.4M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $12,427,000 contract, with a task order from
an existing requirements contract, to purchase 43 range safety systems necessary for
decoy operational testings and miniature air launched decoy and jammer initial
operational test and evaluation. 692 ARSS/PK Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/29/09)
Rapiscan may get more work
The attempted attack of an airliner by a man wearing explosives under his clothing may
mean more business for Rapiscan Systems of Torrance, Calif., and its 10,000 square-foot
production facility in Ocean Springs, Miss. Louis Peters, general manager of Rapiscan
Mississippi, said Rapiscan has a contract with the Transportation Security Administration
to provide 150 systems for airports across the United States. The plant recently hired 25
additional workers. TSA in May awarded Rapiscan a follow-on order of about $3 million for
its Rapiscan 620DV Advanced Technology X-Ray system to screen baggage and parcels.
A year ago Rapiscan was named the 2008 North American Homeland Security Inspection
and Screening Company of the Year by Frost & Sullivan for its ability to develop and
deploy products that enhance security at airports, seaports and border crossings
worldwide. (Sources: WLOX-TV, Sun Herald, Tcp, 12/28/09)
Contract: Lockheed Martin, $98M
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $98,000,000
modification to the previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for special tooling
and special test equipment required for the manufacture of Joint Strike Fighter Air System
low rate initial production aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is
expected to be completed in November 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the JSF training center.
JSF center construction funded
More than $84 million for F-35 structures and a 96-room dormitory at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is part of the $13.5 billion fiscal 2010 military construction budget. It’s part of
the $2.4 billion headed to the Air Force for new or better dorms, fitness centers, training
centers, control towers and runways. Final approval of the funds came Dec. 13, when the
Senate passed the 2010 consolidated appropriations bill. President Barack Obama also
must sign off on the measure. (Source: Air Force Times, 12/27/09)
Teledyne Continental eyes new markets
MOBILE, Ala. – Teledyne Continental Motors is making a push into diesel-powered
engines to enter new markets worldwide – including small unmanned aerial vehicles.
Teledyne Continental is hiring engineers and has bought diesel-related technology,
licenses and hardware from an outside source. Teledyne plans to announce details in
January. Teledyne Continental is a unit of Teledyne Technologies of Thousand Oaks,
Calif., and has about 450 workers in Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/27/09)
Developer picked for Eglin resort
A developer has been chosen for the new Emerald Breeze Resort on Air Force Gulf-front
property in Okaloosa County. Eglin chose Innisfree Hotels and Innisfree Development for
the operation and development of a $24 million hotel and multi-use resort next to the Four
Points Sheraton, a dozen miles south of Eglin's west gate. The 17-acre property with 600
feet of Gulf frontage will continue its military function as a radar installation, but the resort
will be open to military and civilian visitors. Innisfree beat out more than 100 potential
developers to create the resort. (Sources: WEAR-TV 12/24/09, Hotels, 12/22/09)
UK announces third JSF buy
The United Kingdom has received financial approval to buy its third Lockheed Martin F-
35B Lightning II operational test aircraft. The approval follows recent F-35 down-select or
procurement commitments by Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy and the United
States. The U.K. has invested $2 billion in the F-35's development. More than 100 British
companies are involved in the program. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 12/22/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home of the JSF training center.
Hurricane Hunters fly winter storm mission
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron have been tasked by National Weather Service officials to fly their first winter
storm of the season on the East Coast starting Dec. 25. The Air Force Reserve's
"Hurricane Hunters," assigned to the 403rd Wing, normally collect weather data during
tropical storms, enabling forecasters to make more accurate predictions. Between
hurricane seasons, they have a lesser known role of collecting weather data during winter
storms. The Hurricane Hunters fly WC-130Js at high altitudes and drop small weather
canisters, or dropsondes, designed to collect weather data in key locations of high-
weather activity. (Source: AFNS, 12/21/09)
Shuttle tank leaves Michoud
A 15-story shuttle external tank left Sunday from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans for its roughly 900-mile trip to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The trip
usually takes six days, meaning it should arrive on or around Christmas day. The tank,
manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will boost shuttle Discovery into orbit in March.
(Source: Florida Today, 12/21/09)
Ravens to get upgrade from analog
AeroVironment of Monrovia, Calif., has received a $23.9 million firm fixed-price order
under an existing contract to upgrade existing analog Raven systems being used by the
Army and Marine Corps. The potential value is $66.6 million. The Raven unmanned
aircraft is a 4.2-pound, hand-launched sensor platform that provides real-time video
imagery for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of tactical
units. (Source: BusinessWire, 12/21/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an
operation in Navarre, Fla.
Missile two for two in testing
An F-15C fired Raytheon’s AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder advanced, infrared-guided air-to-air
missile as part of the missile's developmental testing program. The weapon successfully
passed within lethal range of a BQM-74 target drone, meeting all primary test objectives.
The Nov. 20 test occurred at the test range at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and marks the
second time the missile has been fired. (Source: Raytheon, 12/21/09)
ST Mobile gets contract extension
MOBILE, Ala. - ST Aerospace Mobile said Friday that it has won a three-year extension of
a contract to maintain/overhaul Airbus A330s, Boeing 737s, Boeing 757s and Boeing
767s for US Airways. No terms were announced. It’s the second big contract announced
this month for the company at Brookley Field Industrial Complex. It earlier won a three-
year $90 million contract to maintain Airbus A320s and Boeing 767s for an unnamed
airline. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/18/09)
Composite joining method passes test
An innovative method for joining composite structures has passed a series of structural
tests. Gene Fraser, vice president of Advanced Programs and Technology for Northrop
Grumman Aerospace Systems, said it’s a major step towards using composites in future
space missions. The joint design was used to mate two segments of NASA’s composite
crew module demonstrator. The test article represents the inner pressurized shell for the
Orion crew module, part of the Constellation Program to return astronauts to the moon
and beyond. Test results proved the mating process retains compartment pressure and
withstands external loads at twice the level normally experienced in flight. Tests were done
at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. (Source: Globe Newswire, 12/17/09)
Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans are involved in the Constellation program.
Jacobs acquires FWB’s Tybrin
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., announced Friday that it has acquired
Tybrin Corp., a 1,500-person professional services firm headquartered in Fort Walton
Beach, Fla. Jacobs did not disclose the terms of the transaction. Founded in 1972, Tybrin
is a supplier of mission planning solutions, systems engineering, software development,
modeling and combat environment simulation, engineering and testing, range safety, and
other services to the Department of Defense, NASA, and other government clients.
(Source: Jacobs via PRNewswire, 12/18/09)
Star Aviation gets military work
MOBILE, Ala. – Ten-year-old Star Aviation has won its first military subcontract. MacAulay-
Brown Inc., an engineering firm based in Dayton, Ohio, awarded the Mobile company a
deal to work on combat survivor locator systems for Air Force C-130s. Star will do
structural and electrical engineering work, make wiring harnesses and structural parts,
and support installation work. Star did not disclose the value of the work. The company is
based at Brookley Field Industrial Complex, where it has about 55 workers. (Source:
Mobile Press Register, 12/16/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $19.8M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,763,454 contract which will provide the
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Production Lot 23 contract. At this time, the
entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/17/09)
Rocketdyne wins contractor award
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne received the 2009 Large Business Prime Contractor
Excellence Award from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. The company
was recognized for exemplary support of the center’s subcontracting programs under the
J-2X upper stage engine and space shuttle main engine contracts. The J-2X engine will
power the nation’s next generation space launch vehicles, Ares I and V. The space shuttle
main engine – all tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss. – is a reusable rocket engine that
has powered the shuttles since 1981. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 12/15/09) Gulf Coast
note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne also has an operation at Stennis Space Center.
AirTran returns to airport
GULFPORT, Miss. – AirTran Airways flights will resume at Gulfport-Biloxi International
Airport on Jan. 8. The non-stop flights will initially be three days a week, on Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays, aboard a 117-seat Boeing 717. Jeremiah Gerald, director of air
service and business development at the airport, said it’s been almost a year since
AirTran pulled out of the market. AirTran returned under a partnership between the IP
Casino Resort, Grand Biloxi Casino and Aviation Advantage. (Source: Sun Herald,
12/16/09)
Donley: Change in tanker request unlikely
The Pentagon is unlikely to change its list of requirements for a fleet of aerial tankers,
despite objections from one of the bidders, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said.
Northrop Grumman and partner EADS said the terms favor Boeing. Northrop said it would
not compete without significant changes. (Source: Reuters, 12/14/09) U.S. Sen. Jeff
Sessions, R.-Ala., said Tuesday that he’s unsure what Congress will do if the Northrop
makes good on its threat. “I don't think Congress is going to want to be drawn into this,
although it could very well happen," he said. (Source: Defense News, 12/15/09)
Meanwhile, the war of words continues. A comment on NPR by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-
Wash., saying she’s never seen anyone standing in line to build anything in Alabama,
elicited a host of responses pointing out that Alabama is home to automakers,
shipbuilders, aerospace workers and more. (Multiple, sample McClatchy, 12/15/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $114.6M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $114,558,014 contract which will
provide support for small diameter bomb Increment 1 production for munitions, carriages
and technical supports. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/15/09)
New park likely to target aerospace
BILOXI, Miss. – Harrison County is on its way to buying some 600 acres for an industrial
park north of Interstate 10 that likely will be marketed to aerospace companies. Harrison
County supervisors on Monday gave the OK to buy land in Saucier for the North Harrison
County Industrial Park. Larry Barnett, executive director of the Harrison County
Development Commission, estimates the park will be ready for tenants in 2013. Plans call
for one site of 250 to 300 acres, along with four smaller lots of 50 acres each. Barnett
expects manufacturing that would be appropriate for the aerospace corridor that runs
along Interstate 10 from New Orleans to Florida. (Source: Sun Herald, 12/14/09)
Rocketdyne opens facility at university
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne celebrated the opening of the new PoWeR Innovations
Research facility on the campus of University of Alabama in Huntsville last week. The
facility is part of a collaborative effort designed to develop new technologies and business
strategies for both company and the Alabama university. UAH will provide offices,
laboratories and support so Rocketdyne personnel can collaborate on planning, research
and development activities. Rocketdyne will provide access to its technical and business
personnel co-located at the university. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne will help develop new
technologies of interest to both parties. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 12/11/09) Gulf Coast
note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has activities at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
EADS details $247M helo contract
The Army awarded the fifth year contract for the Lakota Light Utility Helicopter to EADS
North America for $247.2 million. This contract increases the company’s supply of 45
additional Lakotas along with hardware to equip the rotary-wing aircraft for medical
evacuation, personnel transport and multi-mission applications. The contract funds fiscal
year 2010 production of UH-72A Lakotas to be delivered through June 2011, and brings
the total number of Light Utility Helicopters ordered by the U.S. Army to 178. The contract
ensures continuity of UH-72A deliveries from the state-of-the-art facility in Columbus,
Miss., operated by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter business unit. (Source:
EADS North America, 12/10/09)
Eglin to host air show
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin officials confirmed that the base will host an air
show in 2010. "75 Years of Eglin Pride" is the theme for the air show scheduled for April
10-11. A wide variety of aerial performers, including the Thunderbirds, will headline the
show, which will include static displays. Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, Air Armament Center
commander, said air shows allow the public to better understand the military mission.
(Source: Eglin, 12/10/09)
RS-68 boosts DoD satellite
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne helped boost into orbit the third in a series of Wideband
Global SATCOM satellites designed to increase communications capabilities for the
Department of Defense. The mission launched Dec. 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV with Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10
engines providing the booster and upper stage propulsion, respectively. It was the 11th
launch of a Delta IV vehicle powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engines. (Source:
Pratt & Whitney, 12/07/09) Gulf Coast connection: RS-68 engines are assembled and
tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
United selects Trent XWB engines
Rolls-Royce has been selected by United Airlines to power its new fleet of Airbus A350
XWB aircraft. The contract for 25 Airbus A350 XWB plus long-term service support is
worth $2 billion. The aircraft are due to be delivered between 2016 and 2019. In addition,
the airline has also announced future purchase rights for a further 50 aircraft. Firm orders
for the Trent XWB engine total more than 1,000 from 33 customers. The engine will enter
into service in 2013. (Source: Rolls-Royce, 12/08/09) Gulf Coast connections: ATK will
produce composite structures and tooling for the A350 XWB in Iuka, Miss.; XWB engines
are scheduled to be tested the Rolls-Royce test stand at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
beginning in 2010 or 2011.
Keesler air show wins award
BILOXI, Miss. – Keesler Air Force Base’s “Thunder on the Bay” air show held in April has
been named the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Best Military Show Site 2009. Lt. Col.
Gregory Thomas, Thunderbird commander/leader, presented the award at the annual
International Council of Air Shows in Las Vegas. Thunder on the Bay was held April 4 and
5 and drew an estimated crowd of 142,000. Keesler's next air show will be March 19-20,
2011, showcased with a performance by the Navy Blue Angels, based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola, Fla. (Source: Keesler, 12/08/09)
Block 40 Global Hawk takes to air
PALMDALE, Calif. - The first Block 40 configuration of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned
aerial system successfully completed its first flight last month. Designated AF-18, the
Global Hawk flew about two hours from Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility in
Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Global Hawk production acceptance activities
will transition in the near future from Edwards to Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. The
company performs Global Hawk subassembly work at its Unmanned Systems Center in
Moss Point, Miss., and final assembly at its Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center in
Palmdale. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 12/08/09)
ST Aerospace lands contract
MOBILE, Ala. - ST Aerospace Mobile won a new airplane maintenance contract and could
hire as many as 200 new employees. The contract calls for the company to maintain
Airbus A320 and Boeing 767 planes belonging to an unnamed airline. The contract is
worth $90 million for the first three years, and has an option for another two years worth
another $80 million. The company has close to 1,300 employees and contractors.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/05/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $329.4M
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $329,400,000
modification to the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter air system low rate initial
production Lot III cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract for special tooling and special
test equipment. Work will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire,
Maryland, and the United Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed in November 2011.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 12/04/09)
Contract: Composite Engineering, $29.3M
Composite Engineering Inc., Sacramento, Calif., was awarded a $29,342,315 contract
which will provide Lot 7 option to procure a quantity of 36 additional BQM-167As, also
known as the Air Force Subscale Aerial Target. 691 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/04/09)
Senators: Move forward on tankers
Two senators say the Air Force should move forward with plan to buy aerial tankers even
if Boeing is the only bidder. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Kent Conrad, D-S.D., said in a joint
statement that there have already been too many delays. Northrop, which wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., said Tuesday it would not bid on the contract unless
the Pentagon makes big changes to its request for proposals. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 12/04/09)
Airbus’ Trent named chamber chair
MOBILE, Ala. - David Trent, head of the Airbus Engineering Center at Brookley Industrial
Complex, has been named 2010 chairman of the board of the Mobile Area Chamber of
Commerce. Opened in 2007, the Airbus center has 145 employees who do interior design
work on several Airbus commercial aircraft. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/03/09)
Contract: EADS, $247.2M
EADS North American Defense, Arlington, Va., was awarded a $247,242,722 firm-fixed-
price contract for the funding of program year 2005 of the Army's Light Utility Helicopter
program for 45 light utility helicopters, 30 medical evacuation mission equipment
packages, 30 MEDEVAC B-kits, 30 hoist B-kits, four personnel mission equipment
packages, 11 engine inlet barrier filters, 34 environmental control units, and 45 airborne
radio communication 231s. Work is to be performed in Columbus, Miss., with an estimated
completion date of June 30, 2011. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, CCAM-BH-C,
Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/03/09)
Hearing becomes Constellation rally
WASHINGTON - A congressional hearing on astronaut safety turned into a pep rally for
NASA’s Constellation program, with lawmakers and witnesses endorsing it as the best
replacement for the shuttle. U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who
heads the House subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, organized the hearing as a
counter to a presidential panel that raised questions about the value of Constellation's
Ares I rocket in favor of commercial launchers. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 12/02/09) Gulf
Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
are involved in the Constellation program.
Fire Scout may play CG role
The Coast Guard is actively pursuing a vertical-takeoff-and-landing unmanned aerial
vehicle to satisfy requirements for its National Security Cutter. In October, the service
used Northrop Grumman's company-owned Fire Scout, P6, for land-based tests from
Webster Field at NAS Patuxent River, Md. The UAV was equipped with off-the-shelf
imaging surveillance radar. Northrop used its own money to integrate the radar on the
aircraft and has been pouring R&D funds into the Fire Scout to reduce risk. (Source:
Aviation Week, 12/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: GCC, CCI, $10M each
GCC/Thomco LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and CCI Group, LLC, Shalimar, Fla., were
each awarded a $10,000,000 contract which provides acquisition of base engineering
requirements, maintenance, repair and minor construction efforts. 96 CONS/PKAC, Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 12/01/09)
Northrop threatens not to bid on tanker
Northrop Grumman won’t bid for the Air Force refueling tanker program unless changes
are made to the draft request for proposals. In a letter to the Pentagon, Northrop notes
the draft request shows a clear preference for a smaller tanker than the A330 the
Northrop and teammate EADS are offering. The letter said competing would be a financial
burden. Northrop and EADS won the contract in February 2008 over Boeing, which
offered the smaller 767. The decision was overturned following a Boeing protest, and
restarted in September. Northrop/EAD planned to build the tanker in Mobile, Ala.
(Sources: Multiple, including Bloomberg, Reuters, Mobile Press-Register, 12/01/09)
GATR test successful
Alliant Techsystems and Elbit Systems Ltd. have successfully conducted flight tests of the
Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket (GATR) fired from an Army OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
The recent tests took place at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. GATR can be used in urban
areas and against targets where a low collateral damage solution is required. GATR uses
advanced acquisition, tracking and guidance algorithms to achieve one-meter accuracy
against stationary and moving targets. The GATR system fills the gap between larger,
more expensive guided missiles and the current family of unguided rockets. (Source:
PRNewswire, 12/01/09)
NOVEMBER 2009
Contract: Raytheon, $19M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $19,078,537 modification to
a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for AIM-9X Sidewinder (Block II) missile
obsolescence and engineering technical support for the Navy and Air Force. Work to be
provided include missile obsolescence tasks, engineering technical support and software
development. Five percent of the work will be done at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., but the
majority, 90 percent, will be done in Tucson, Ariz. Another 5 percent will be done at China
Lake, Calif. Work is expected to be completed in November 2010. This contract combines
purchases for the Air Force and Navy. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River,
Md. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/30/09)
NATO to fund spy system
NAPLES, Italy - Fifteen NATO nations will fund an air surveillance command and control
system to be located at Naval Air Station Sigonella, a shared Italian-U.S. Navy base in
Sicily. The Air Ground Surveillance system consists of eight Northrop Grumman RQ-4B
Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles. The ground portion will be developed by
Canadian and European industry, according to a NATO news release. The NATO
surveillance project is expected to cost between $1.5 billion to $2.3 billion. Plans are for
the project to be in place by 2012. (Source: Stars and Stripes, 12/01/09) Gulf Coast note:
Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Airport embarks on renovation
NEW ORLEANS – Louis Armstrong International Airport has begun $755 million worth of
projects to modernize its facilities. It includes construction of a new concourse and the
eventual abandonment of two old ones. The airport has identified 16 projects, including
new signs and lighting at the terminal curbside and rescue station. (Source: New Orleans
Times Picayune, 11/29/09)
Contract: Composite Engineering, $37.6M
Composite Engineering Inc. was awarded a $37,551,848 contract which procures
additional subscale aerial targets. At this time, $37,551,848 has been obligated. 691
ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/25/09)
U.S. to withhold F-35 code
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., could wind up with another F-35-related mission in addition to
being the primary Joint Strike Fighter training center. Reuters is reporting that the United
States plans to keep to itself sensitive software code that controls the F-35 fighter,
despite requests from nations that have helped fund the JSF. The code is key to the
plane's electronic brains, Jon Schreiber, who heads the program's international affairs,
told Reuters. Instead, the United States plans to set up a "reprogramming facility,"
probably at Eglin, to further develop F-35-related software and distribute upgrades, he
said. Software changes will be integrated there "and new operational flight programs will
be disseminated out to everybody who's flying the jet," Schreiber told Reuters. (Source:
Reuters, 11/25/09)
Teledyne recalling parts
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors is recalling and replacing an engine part in
several hundred airplane engines after the part began to wear out more rapidly than
normal. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all the planes containing the
hydraulic lifters until the parts are replaced. Rhett Ross, president of Teledyne
Continental, said about 450 engines and parts sets were in question, and more than two-
thirds have already been replaced. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/25/09)
NASA honors Haise
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will present astronaut Fred Haise Jr. with NASA's
Ambassador of Exploration Award during a Dec. 2 ceremony at the Gorenflo Elementary
School in Biloxi, Miss. Haise will present the award, consisting of a moon rock encased in
Lucite for display, to Paul Tisdale, superintendent of the Biloxi Public School System, and
Tina Thompson, the school's principal. Haise attended Gorenflo. NASA is giving the award
to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for
realizing America's goal of going to the moon. The moon rock is part of the 842 pounds of
lunar samples collected during six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972. (Source: NASA,
11/24/09)
Tanker does simultaneous refueling
An Australian A330 tanker has performed the first simultaneous fuel transfer with its all-
digital hose-and-drogue system, fueling two fighter aircraft at the same time, according to
EADS. The hose-and-drogue fuel transfers occurred Nov. 18 during a flight test sortie
that utilized both the A330 MRTT's left and right under-wing pods. The plane conducted
11 simultaneous airborne refueling contacts with two NATO F/A-18 fighters and
transferred more than 25,000 lbs of fuel. (Source: EADS, 11/23/09) Gulf Coast note: The
tanker is the same type being offered by the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to the Air
Force.
First Fire Scout production deliveries made
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman completed the first three MQ-8B Fire Scout production
deliveries to the Navy, which completes the first year of Low Rate Initial Production for the
UAV helicopter. Two of the three Fire Scouts were deployed aboard the USS McInerney
for use on a scheduled operational deployment. Fire Scouts have been aboard the USS
McInerney four times since December 2008, completing 110 ship takeoffs and landings
and 45 landings with the harpoon grid, accumulating over 47 hours of flight time. (Source:
Northrop Grumman, 11/24/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are made in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
NASA picks small biz projects to develop
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has selected for development 368 small
business innovation projects that include research to minimize aging of aircraft, new
techniques for suppressing fires on spacecraft and advanced transmitters for deep space
communications. Chosen from more than 1,600 proposals, the awards are part of NASA's
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.
Six of the awards will develop technologies for the Innovative Partnership Program at
Stennis Space Center. (Source: NASA, 11/23/09)
Goodrich to lay off nearly 80
FOLEY, Ala. – Goodrich in Foley will lay off 78 people in January. The layoffs are from the
maintenance, repair, and overhaul division. A representative from the company blamed it
on slow demand and the global recession. Company leaders say employees will be
offered severance packages and will be eligible to keep their health insurance for six
months. Goodrich employs about 800 people in Foley. (Source: WALA-TV, 11/23/09)
Arms buyer spurns calls to include WTO ruling
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon's chief arms buyer spurned pressure from Boeing allies in
Congress to factor a World Trade Organization ruling against Airbus into the competition
to build aerial tankers to the Air Force. Ashton Carter told reporters the Pentagon
addressed the trade issue when it put out draft bidding rules in September for a tanker
rematch between Boeing and the team of Northrop Grumman and Airbus parent EADS.
The Pentagon said the WTO findings were preliminary. (Source: Reuters, 11/23/09)
Passenger count up in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passenger levels were up nearly 9 percent last month at Louis
Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. Figures show there were 704,686
passengers, compared to 648,544 in October 2008. It’s attributed to concert-goers,
conventioners and football fans. (Source: AP via Times-Picayune, 11/22/09)
Navy seeks UAV anti-collision system
ARLINGTON, Va. - Navy researchers are asking industry to develop a collision avoidance
system to enable unmanned aerial vehicles to operate in civil airspace. The Office of
Naval Research issued a broad agency announcement for the Unmanned Air System
Autonomous Collision Avoidance System to enable UAVs to sense and avoid other aircraft
while operating in the National Air Space System. Initial research to develop a UAV
collision-avoidance system will focus on the Navy Fire Scout unmanned helicopter and
Army Tier 2 Shadow fixed-wing UAV. Air Force researchers are pursuing a similar
initiative. (Source: Military and Aerospace Electronics, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire
Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Sierra Nevada, $9.1M
Sierra Nevada Corp., Centennial, Colo., was awarded a $9,103,824 contract which will
provide aircraft weapon integration. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated.
AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/09)
Contract: DTS, $13.9M
DTS Aviation Services Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $13,893,827 contract
which will provide aircraft backshop maintenance, munitions and equipment support
services for the Air Armament Center and for their command and control,
communications, computers and intelligence systems testing for a 12 month period. 96
CONS/PKB, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/20/09)
Global Hawk gets airworthiness certificate
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman said the Air Force has granted the RQ-4 Global Hawk
unmanned aerial vehicle a military Airworthiness Certification, a step on the path to
routine unmanned flight within the United States. The AWC process verifies an aircraft
design has met performance requirements within the mission profile to safely fly in
national airspace and assures operators and mission managers that the production
articles conform to the design. The certification process evaluated more than 600
airworthiness criteria. (Source: Globe Newswire, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks
are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Politicking continues on tanker
MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile Mayor Sam Jones, in the wake of a lobbying trip to Washington this
week, expressed hope that lawmakers are open to the possibility of buying new aerial
refueling tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Jones said
the Mobile group met with nine lawmakers Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier this week, a
group of more than a dozen lawmakers who are Boeing supporters began a push to have
the Pentagon factor a World Trade Organization dispute over aircraft subsidies into the
tanker competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/20/09, 11/19/09)
Global Hawk contract awarded
SAN DIEGO – The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $302.9 million fixed price
incentive fee contract for five RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial systems. Under the Lot
7 production contract, the company will build two Block 30 systems and three Block 40
systems for the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton,
Ohio. The award includes a ground station consisting of a launch and recovery element
and a mission control element, plus two additional sensor suites that will be retrofitted into
previous production aircraft. The contract runs through 2011. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 11/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing laser downs UAVs
Unmanned aerial systems may be the rage, but Boeing has just announced the
successful test of a mobile laser system to bring them down. The just-announced test was
conducted in May, and demonstrated the ability of mobile laser weapon systems to track
and destroy small UAVs. During the tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake,
Calif., the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX) used a
single, high-brightness laser beam to shoot down five UAVs at various ranges. (Source:
Boeing, 11/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing has operations in the Gulf Coast; the Gulf
Coast has several unmanned systems operations.
Eglin team wins award
The secretary of the Air Force presented the 2008 and 2009 Small Business Programs
Special Achievement Awards at the Air Force Office of Small Business Programs
Conference Nov. 17 in Arlington, Va. Among the eight recipients of the fiscal 2009
awards: the 693rd Armament Systems Squadron, Lethal Suppression of Enemy Air
Defense Harm Targeting System Team at Eglin AFB, Fla., which won the team award. The
awards were presented in the opening session of the 2009 Air Force Small Business Fall
Training Conference. The conference ends Nov. 19. (Source: AFNS, 11/18/09)
Ares I named best invention
NASA’s Ares I rocket got top honors in TIME magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2009” special
edition. The magazine calls the rocket the "best and coolest and smartest thing built in
2009." The magazine’s Paul Kluger noted that in 2004 the nation committed itself to
sending astronauts back to the moon and beyond, and Ares I’s first flight last month
"dazzled even the skeptics." Alliant Techsystems is the prime contractor for the solid
rocket motor first stage of the Ares I. The company’s air-burst munitions system, XM25,
was No. 46 in the best inventions list. (Source: ATK, 11/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud
Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in
NASA's program to return astronauts to space.; ATK has an operation in Northwest
Florida.
F-35 STOVL in Maryland for testing
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – A Lockheed Martin F-35B short
takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) fighter arrived here Sunday, where it will conduct its first
hovers and vertical landings. The ferry flight initiates a sequence of F-35 arrivals at
Patuxent River this year and next. The F-35 flew from Fort Worth, Texas, with one stop in
Georgia. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners
Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 11/16/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training
center.
Change RFP or split tanker contract?
MOBILE, Ala. - Northrop Grumman Corp. and regional political leaders called Monday for
changes to the second round of tanker bidding or for a congressional mandate to split the
contract between the Northrop Grumman/EADS team and rival Boeing. The split buy
option has been brought up before, but it’s opposed by the Pentagon. Monday, U.S. Rep.
Artur Davis, D-Ala., and Mobile Mayor Sam Jones said they favored a split as a way to
head off more delays. Some 400 people gathered at the Battle House Hotel in Mobile for
the tanker briefing. Northrop and EADS want to assemble the tankers in Mobile. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 11/17/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $18.4M
Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $18,423,384 contract which
will provide for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Mission Targeting System fiscal year 10
contractor logistics support option. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 11/16/09)
ATK gets A350 XWB work
MINNEAPOLIS – Airbus SAS and partners Aerolia SA, Premium Aerotec GmbH and Spirit
AeroSystems Inc. selected Alliant Techsystems to produce composite structures and
tooling for its A350 XWB aircraft. Total expected revenues for ATK is about $1 billion.
Combined with the previous announcement for A350 XWB composite engine components,
this new selection makes the aircraft the largest commercial program in ATK's history. The
company will produce the components at its composite manufacturing center of excellence
in Iuka, Miss. (Source: ATK, 11/16/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK has an operation in
Northwest Florida; Airbus has an engineering center in Mobile, Ala.
30 apply for airport top spot
NEW ORLEANS – Airport officials say they hope to select a new aviation director for the
Louis Armstrong International Airport during the first quarter of 2010. Monday is the last
day for candidates to file resumes. About 30 applications have been received so far,
according to Aviation Board Chairman Dan Packer. The board began its search in mid-
September. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 11/16/09)
CV-22s return to Hurlburt Field
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The 8th Special Operations Squadron returned with their CV-
22s during the week, wrapping up their first operational deployment with the tilt-rotor
aircraft. The squadron deployed to Iraq with a Boeing contractor as part of the team. The
Osprey, which came to Hurlburt in 2007, has the vertical takeoff and landing and hover
capabilities of a helicopter and the long-range and speed of a turboprop fixed-wing
airplane. The squadron returned to Hurlburt Thursday. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 11/12/09)
AAC awarded for excellence
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Armament Center was recently awarded the Air
Force Organizational Excellence Award. The center manages a $52 billion portfolio of air-
launched precision attack, combat support and special project weapon applications. The
center also provided full spectrum battle space test capabilities to more than 1,000
ongoing test programs to include aircraft, weapons, command and control and special
operations for multiple joint and non-DoD agencies. The center also provided DoD and
combatant commanders with combat-ready forces and units forward deployed in support
of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. (Source: 96th Air Base Wing PAO,
11/12/09)
H-72A Navy trainer delivered
EADS North America has delivered the first of five H-72A training helicopters to the Navy.
The H-72A fleet will be based at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval
Air Station, Md., where it is to be used to train test pilots from the U.S. military and allied
countries. The H-72A shares the same airframe and is manufactured on the same
production line as the Army’s UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter, both of which are
produced in Mississippi by EADS North America’s American Eurocopter subsidiary.
(Source: EADS North America, 11/12/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America has two
operations in Mobile, Ala., and hopes to eventually assemble aerial refueling tankers and
freighters there.
Vought preps for F-35C drop tests
DALLAS - Vought Aircraft Industries has taken possession of an F-35C Lightning II joint
strike fighter test article from Lockheed Martin and will perform full-scale drop testing on
the aircraft in early 2010. The tests are to verify the strength of the F-35C Navy variant
landing gear and airframe structure for carrier landing operations. Pre-test aircraft
preparation includes the installation of special drop test fixtures, test systems and
instrumentation. Actual drop testing is currently estimated to start in January and continue
through April at the Vought Structures Test Lab in Dallas. (Source: Vought, 11/11/09)
Gulf Coast note: The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center is located at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla. Pilots for all variants will be trained there.
NASA teams with students
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center has announced
plans to team with students at four Mississippi high schools to develop prototype
hardware for the next-generation rockets being built to carry humans beyond low-Earth
orbit. During the next few months, students at East Central High School in Hurley, Gulfport
High School, New Albany School of Career and Technical Education and Petal High
School will participate in the High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH)
initiative. They’ll partner with NASA engineers and mentors and use materials provided by
the space agency to develop prototype models for the next generation J-2X engine and
the Ares I rocket. Both are being built as part of NASA’s Constellation Program plan to
transport astronauts to the International Space Station after the space shuttle is retired
and to explore destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. (Source: NASA, 11/12/09)
PC airport name changed again
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The new airport being built near Panama City is getting yet another
name change. The airport authority voted Tuesday to change the name to Northwest
Florida Beaches International Airport. It was a month ago that the authority settled on the
name Northwest Florida-Panama City International Airport. The new airport is scheduled
to open in May. (Source: WMBB-TV, Panama City Herald, 11/10/09)
McCain questions tanker rules
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John McCain, whose investigation helped derail an Air
Force plan to lease and buy 100 Boeing tankers, has raised concerns about the
Pentagon's latest attempt to replace its fleet of KC-135 tankers. In an Oct. 29 letter to
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, McCain asked detailed questions about how bids for
the program would be evaluated, how decisions were made about requirements for the
new airplanes and whether the new rules would favor mostly smaller airplanes. A copy of
the letter was obtained by Reuters. (Source: Reuters, 11/10/09) Gulf Coast note: If the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins the competition, the tankers will be assembled in
Mobile, Ala.
Contract: W.G. Yates, $37.3M
W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co., Biloxi, Miss., is being awarded a $37,258,000 firm-
fixed-price contract for construction of a community hospital tower at Keesler Air Force
Base. Work will be performed in Biloxi and is expected to be completed by September
2011. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online
website, with seven proposals received. The contracting activity is the Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla. (Source: DoD, 11/10/09)
Airbus tanker does night refueling
The A330 tanker achieved a new milestone with its first nighttime refueling operation
using the advanced Aerial Refueling Boom System. The Royal Australian Air Force A330
transferred more than 3,300 pounds of fuel through the ARBS during a multi-contact
mission involving two F-16 fighter aircraft. The nighttime refueling is part of final flight
testing for the A330 MRTT. (Source: EADS North America, 11/09/09) Gulf Coast note:
The tanker Northrop Grumman and EADS are proposing for the Air Force, the KC-45, is
based on A330. The team will assemble the plane in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
JSF engine passes key test
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine powering the F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter has completed altitude qualification ground testing, the final testing that
demonstrates the operability and performance required for conventional take-off and
landing and carrier variant initial service release (ISR). ISR is the government’s
recognition that the F135 engine is ready for operational use and clears Pratt & Whitney
to deliver and field production F135 engines. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 11/09/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the home base for the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center.
403rd evacuates planes
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - The Air Force Reserve's 403rd Wing evacuated
aircraft Monday from Keesler Air Force Base to forward operating locations in Texas to
avoid possible heavy winds from the tropical system Ida. The 403rd Wing, comprising the
53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron’s Hurricane Hunters and the 815th Airlift
Squadron's Flying Jennies typically evacuate the aircraft when winds are expected to
exceed about 30 miles per hour. (Source: AFNS, 11/09/09)
SSC gets formal Project Ready designation
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center was officially
designated a “Project Ready” site in a formal event Friday. It’s the first site to earn
certification in the “technology park” category of the Mississippi Power program. The
Project Ready designation indicates a site is “shovel-ready” for new businesses that come
calling. The 14,000-acre SSC has about 4,000 acres of developable space. (Source: Tcp,
11/06/09)
Boom trainer delivered, freighter airborne
In the tanker competition pitting Boeing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, no
“first” goes unnoticed. Boeing said it delivered the first Remote Aerial Refueling Operator
Trainer to the Japan Air Self Defense Force last month to support the Boeing KC-767J
tanker. It simulates the system that allows boom operators to refuel aircraft while sitting
near the tanker cockpit at a console using an array of cameras and remote controls.
Meanwhile, in Toulouse, France, the Airbus A330-200 freighter flew Thursday, a
milestone for a plane that could eventually be assembled in Mobile, Ala. The
Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the A330-based tanker and the freighter in
Mobile, Ala., if the team wins the Air Force competition. (Sources: Boeing, Mobile Press
Register, 11/06/09)
Whiting Field gets new commander
MILTON, Fla. – Capt. Pete Hall has been installed as the new commanding officer of Naval
Air Station Whiting Field, replacing Capt. Enrique Sadsad. More than 2,000 people were
at the change of command ceremony Thursday. Hall said he looked forward to becoming
part of the Whiting family. Sadsad is being assigned to Bahrain. Whiting Field provides
initial training for naval aviators. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 11/05/09)
AFSOC vice commander named
Brig. Gen. O.G. Mannon, 82nd Training Wing commander at Sheppard Air Force Base in
Texas, has been named the next vice commander of Air Force Special Operations
Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The announcement was made by the Defense
Department Nov. 2. Mannon, who has spent most of his career in the special operations
community, said he looks forward to working with old friends. (Source: 82nd Training Wing
Public Affairs, DoD, 11/02/09)
SBIRS on track
The first Space Based Infrared System missile warning satellite bound for
geosynchronous orbit is on track for delivery to the Air Force by the fourth quarter of
calendar year 2010, according to Lockheed Martin. It will be a milestone for the $10.4
billion program, which has undergone restructuring, overruns and delays. (Source:
Military.com, 11/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology
Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss., builds subsystems for the SBIRS program.
Airbus freighter to fly this week
Airbus said Tuesday that the maiden flight for its A330-200 freighter is scheduled
Thursday at its headquarters in Toulouse, France. The flight marks an important
milestone for a plane that eventually could be assembled in Mobile. Airbus, a subsidiary of
the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., is part of a team led by Northrop
Grumman Corp. that is competing for a contract to build aerial refueling tankers for the U.
S. Air Force. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/04/09)
Admiral: Speedup unmanned programs
WASHINGTON - The Navy's top admiral said he hoped to speed up work on unmanned
weapons systems, including underwater vehicles and an unmanned combat plane. Chief
of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead cited the Navy's earlier-than-planned
deployment last month of the MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, which he said is
performing “wonderfully.” Roughead also said he’s pressing to accelerate development of
the Unmanned Combat Aerial System. The Fire Scout and UCAV are both Northrop
Grumman products. (Source: Reuters, 11/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman
Fire Scout finishing work is done in Moss Point, Miss.
OCTOBER 2009
Contract: W.R. Systems, $26.9M
W R Systems Ltd., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a $26,946,956 contract for in-service
engineering technical support services for various navigation systems. This contract
combines purchases for the Navy, and foreign governments under the Foreign Military
Sales Program. Three percent of the work will be done in Pascagoula, Miss., and 75
percent in Hampton Roads, Va. Other sites are in Hawaii, California, Connecticut, Florida,
Texas, Washington and foreign military sites and is expected to be completed by October
2010. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Atlantic is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 10/30/09)
Contract: L-3, $24.6M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$24,605,198 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
organizational, selected intermediate and limited depot level maintenance for F-16, F-18,
H-60 and E-2C aircraft operated by the adversary squadrons based at Naval Air Station,
Fallon, Nev. Work will be performed in Fallon, Nev., and is expected to be completed in
October 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 10/30/09)
Micro UAV training program launched
HOLLEY, Fla. – A new joint training program has been launched at a Navy outlying field
near Holley in Santa Rosa County, Fla. The Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems will teach
special operations personnel from all branches how to operate Battlefield Air Targeting
Micro Vehicles, unmanned aircraft now used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Capt. Rick Sadsad,
commander of Naval Air Station Whiting Field, said the idea developed not even a year
ago. The training center falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command at
Hurlburt Field. There was a ribbon-cutting Thursday. The first class has 11 students.
(Source: Fort Walton Beach Daily News, 10/29/09)
Bases get on short list for F-35
Eleven Air Force and Air Guard bases are on the short list to gain hundreds of F-35
fighters through 2017, the Air Force announced. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., was chosen
some time back as the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center, but since then communities
have launched efforts to get the Air Force to choose them for other F-35s. The Air Force
is retiring 250 F-16s and F-15s over the next year. The Air Force proposed operating F-
35s out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Shaw Air
Force Base, S.C.; and two Air Guard bases. F-35s could be located at five active-duty
and Air Guard bases for training. The 11 bases were selected after the Air Force
evaluated 205 of its installations. (Source: Air Force Times, 10/29/09)
Contract: Bell, $13.2M
Bell Aerospace Services Inc., Bedford, Texas, is being awarded a $13,199,152 contract to
provide up to 145,152 hours of contractor engineering technical services on-site
proficiency training for the airframe, avionics, and electrical systems of the H-1 aircraft.
Nine percent of the work will be performed in New Orleans, La., and 53 percent in Camp
Pendleton, Calif. Other sites are Cherry Point, N.C., New River, N.C., Johnstown, Pa.,
Okinawa, Japan, and Atlanta, and is expected to be completed in October 2012. The
Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 10/29/09)
Boeing puts second 787 line in S.C.
Boeing has chosen its North Charleston, S.C., facility as the location for a second final
assembly site for the 787 Dreamliner program. In addition to serving as a location for final
assembly of 787 Dreamliners, the facility also will support the testing and delivery of the
airplanes. The Washington Roundtable, a group representing executives of private sector
employers in Washington state, said the decision shows the group needs to work harder
to make changes to make the state more competitive. (Sources: Boeing, Business Wire,
10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: The decision is of interest to the Gulf Coast, where Boeing is
competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to build tankers for the Air Force.
EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Leaders to debate next step in space
RESTON, Va. - Aerospace industry leaders will meet on Nov. 2 to debate the future of
America’s space programs in light of the recent findings by the Augustine Commission. It’s
also occurring after the successful launch of Ares I-X on Wednesday. The half-day event
will feature panelists from leading space exploration companies as well as from NASA and
academia. It’s organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
(Source: Business Wire, 10/27/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast is involved in the
space program through Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi.
Contract: McDonnell, $72M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., of St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $72,022,275 contract to
provide 2,925 Lot 14 guided vehicle kits for joint direct attack munition purposes. At this
time, the entire amount has been obligated. 678 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/28/09)
Northrop won’t rule out tanker boycott
Reuters is reporting that Northrop Grumman left open the possibility it might boycott the
Pentagon's aerial tanker competition, faulting draft bidding rules and expanding a
complaint that rival Boeing was given an unfair edge. Northrop, partnered with Europe's
EADS, said Wednesday the proposed rules set up a cost shootout with Boeing that would
spur a race to the bottom and reduce the capabilities of the refueling tankers. (Source:
Reuters, 10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Ares I-X launched
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - NASA successfully launched the Ares I-X rocket
Wednesday after scrubbing the launch Tuesday due to weather. The prototype rocket
was scheduled to fly about two minutes before the first-stage booster burns out and drops
in the Atlantic for recovery. The Ares I-X is part of the Constellation Program, which is
designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. The rocket is 327 feet tall.
(Source: NASA, 10/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Both Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation
Program.
College names scholarship for Goldman
Meridian Community College in Meridian has established an engineering scholarship in
honor of alumnus Gene Goldman, director of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center in
Hancock County. The first $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to an engineering student
attending MCC during the 2010 spring semester. As an MCC graduate, Goldman went on
to earn the Registered Professional Engineer-Civil certification and a Bachelor of Science
degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University in Starkville. (Source: NASA,
10/23/09)
Tanker fight escalates
Lawmakers who support Boeing and those who support Northrop Grumman/EADS in the
battle over a $35 billion Air Force tanker project are concerned about the fairness of the
draft request for bids issued last month. In separate letters, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
and Rep. Norman Dicks, D-Wash., expressed concerns. The battle for some times now
has been less about planes and more about jobs. Boeing wants to build them in
Washington, and Northrop/EADS want to build them in Mobile, Ala. Both sides have major
lobbying efforts. Northrop is expected to hold a press conference Wednesday to respond
to the draft request. (Source: Multiple, including AP, 10/27/09)
Ares I-X launch scrubbed
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - NASA scrubbed the launch of its Ares I-X rocket
because of the weather, but the agency will try again on Wednesday. The flight is part of
the Constellation Program, NASA’s bid to return astronauts to the moon and beyond.
Should it launch Wednesday, the test will last a matter of minutes. The rocket is a sub-
orbital prototype for a new booster for the shuttle’s replacement, Orion. (Source: Multiple,
10/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Ares I-X set to launch
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The Ares I-X is scheduled to take off Tuesday at 8 a.
m. EDT in a test launch of the brand new rocket that’s part of NASA’s Constellation
Program. The flight will last just minutes. NASA will broadcast the launch live on NASA TV,
which will be webcast simultaneously. The rocket is a sub-orbital prototype for a new
booster for the shuttle’s replacement, Orion. The rocket is 327 feet tall. (Source: Multiple,
10/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation Program.
JASSM passes test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, JASSM,
successfully completed Lot 7 Reliability Assessment Program flight tests with 15
successes out of 16 flights Oct. 22. The tests were conducted by the Air Force at White
Sands Missile Range, N.M., using B-52 bombers from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and
F-16 fighters from Eglin against a wide range of targets and various scenarios. The tests
pave the way for awarding the Lot 8 production contract to Lockheed Martin. JASSM is a
stealthy, conventional, precision, launch-and-leave, standoff missile that can be launched
from fighters and bombers. A 2,000-pound class weapon with a combination
penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously using an infrared
seeker in addition to the anti-jam GPS to find a specific point on the target. Eglin is home
of the Air Armament Center, which oversees the development of air weapons systems.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/23/09)
Four-state lobbying group announced
BAY MINETTE, Ala. – The battle between two regions over the Air Force tanker project
escalated Monday when the governors of Alabama and Mississippi jointly announced
formation of the Aerospace Alliance, a four-state effort to promote the Gulf Coast region's
aerospace activities. It's first task will be to support Northrop Grumman and EADS’ effort
to win the $35 billion Air Force tanker project. EADS wants to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala., while competitor Boeing wants to build them in Washington state and
Kansas. A large number of people, many of them elected officials, turned out for the
announcement at Faulkner State Community College. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley was there
and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour spoke to the gathering via satellite. Joining them were
representatives from Northrop Grumman and EADS. Boeing has its own large lobbying
effort that includes backing from congressional delegations in Kansas and Washington,
labor unions, and others. Northrop/EADS won the contract in 2008 but a Boeing protest
was upheld. The new group’s Web site is at www.aerospacealliance.com. (Source: Tcp,
10/26/09)
Eglin group wins DoD award
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 708th Armament Systems Group has been
recognized for unprecedented acquisition management success with selection by the
Department of Defense as the winner of 2009 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition
Award. The award singles out the group as the best acquisition team in the Air Force. The
708th delivered a new laser-guided version of the Joint Direct Attack Munition to
warfighters in 11 months. The award will be presented Nov. 3. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 10/23/09)
NASA Global Hawk returns to flight
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - NASA and Northrop Grumman Friday announced
the initial return to flight of a Global Hawk planned for environmental science research.
Dryden Flight Research Center and Northrop are returning NASA's two Global Hawks to
flight under a Space Act Agreement signed in 2008. The two aircraft were among seven
Global Hawks built and flown in the original Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration
program. The aircraft that flew for about four hours Friday last took to the skies in May
2003. (Source: NASA, 10/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Portions of current Global Hawks are
built in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing won’t release pricing to Northrop
Reuters reports that Boeing declined a Pentagon request to release its pricing information
from the last aerial tanker competition to Northrop Grumman. The Pentagon gave Boeing
information on the winning bidders pricing after Boeing lost the contest in 2008 to the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team. That’s common. But Boeing’s protest of the award was
upheld and the battle over the tanker contract has been renewed. That led Northrop to
seek Boeing’s pricing information. A Pentagon general counsel told Northrop in a letter
Sept. 23, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, that the Pentagon "sought Boeing's
permission to release this information, and Boeing declined," according to the letter.
(Source: Reuters, 10/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tanker
in Mobile, Ala., if they win the contract.
Frontier to restart New Orleans service
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Frontier Airlines will return to the Louis Armstrong International
Airport next year for the first time since Hurricane Katrina, offering a daily service to
Denver beginning June 15. In addition, Southwest Airlines, which trimmed New Orleans
service after the hurricane, is adding two daily trips in May. One is a direct flight to St.
Louis and the other is a second flight to Denver. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune,
10/23/09)
Goodyear 3Q report
Goodrich Corp. saw profit and revenue continue to fall in the third quarter. But company
leaders expressed confidence that the world economy would boost air travel next year, in
turn boosting sales. The company, which employs 800 people making and overhauling jet
engine cowlings in Foley, Ala., had a profit of $145.4 million in the third quarter, down 13
percent from a high-water mark in the same quarter of 2008. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 10/23/09)
Teledyne 3Q report
Teledyne Technologies profit per share hit a record in the third quarter, helped by cost
cutting and a tax windfall. Total profit rose to $35.1 million, up 14 percent from $30.9
million in the same quarter of 2008. The results were boosted by $8.2 million in research
and development tax credits. Teledyne is the parent company of Teledyne Continental
Motors, a 420-worker unit that makes propeller plane engines at Mobile's Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/23/09)
Industry concerned over tanker rules
Industry executives are starting to raise questions about the Pentagon’s draft rules for a
new aerial tanker competition and say the bid for a "fixed-price" deal on such a big
development program is unprecedented and risky. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are
not saying much, but some executives are beginning to privately air concerns about the
rules, according to Reuters. (Source: Reuters, 10/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and
partner EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they are awarded the
contract.
Tanker passes fuel to fighter
A Royal Australian Air Force A330 tanker, the same type EADS hopes to sell to the U.S.
Air Force, marked a performance milestone with the first in-flight refueling of a fighter. The
test involved the integrated Aerial Refueling Boom System. The fuel was transferred to
two F-16. The flight lasted four hours and 30 minutes, with more than 3,300 pounds of
fuel transferred during 13 contacts. (Source: EADS North America, 10/22/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to build tankers for
the Air Force. Northrop/EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Governors slate aerospace briefing
The governors Mississippi and Alabama have scheduled a briefing Monday in Bay
Minette, Ala., to discuss the KC-45 tanker project and a “major announcement” impacting
the future of aerospace in the Gulf Coast. The briefing is at Faulkner State Community
College. The Gulf Coast region between New Orleans and Northwest Florida has a long
history in aviation. But the contest pitting Boeing against Northrop Grumman and partner
EADS to build aerial tankers has galvanized efforts to promote the region’s aerospace
activities. EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., a move that would also
benefit Northwest Florida and South Mississippi. (Source: Tcp, 10/21/09)
Panama City airport to get Southwest
Southwest Airlines plans to begin serving the new Panama City, Fla., airport, when the
facility opens in May 2010. Three Florida cities, Panama City, Pensacola and Fort Walton
Beach, all hoped to get the discount airliner. Mobile, Ala., also made a pitch for the
airliner. The media in Pensacola also report that doesn’t mean Pensacola is out of the
running since the company considers Pensacola and Panama City separate markets.
(Source: Florida Freedom News, Pensacola News Journal, 10/21/09)
Officials get intro on F-35 status
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Okaloosa County commissioners received an introduction
and update of the F-35 program Tuesday from J.R. McDonald, Lockheed Martin’s vice
president of corporate and business development. McDonald, who moved to Okaloosa
County a few months ago to oversee the company’s activities from Pensacola to Panama
City, is the first vice president the company has stationed at its office in Shalimar.
McDonald said he anticipated the first F-35 to arrive next summer, a few months later than
the original March goal. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/20/09)
Boeing 3Q report
The Boeing Co. posted a third-quarter loss of $1.6 billion and reduced its full-year profit
forecast, hurt by $3.5 billion in charges for the delayed 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 jumbo
jet programs. Revenues rose 9 percent to $16.7 billion. (Source: Boeing, 10/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Boeing has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
Northrop Grumman 3Q report
Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that third quarter 2009 earnings from continuing
operations totaled $487 million compared with $509 million in the third quarter of 2008.
Third quarter 2009 net pension adjustment reduced earnings from continuing operations
by $47 million compared with an increase to earnings from continuing operations of $42
million in the third quarter of 2008. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 10/21/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop Grumman has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
O’Keefe named to EADS post
Former NASA leader Sean O'Keefe will become chief executive of EADS North America.
Ralph Crosby, current chief executive of EADS North America, will stay on as
nonexecutive chairman. O'Keefe is a former Navy secretary who served as administrator
of NASA from 2001 to 2005. A New Orleans native, he also served as chancellor of
Louisiana State University from 2005-2008 and most recently was GE Aviation vice
president. His EADS appointment is effective Nov. 1. (Source: Multiple, 10/20/09)
Stennis gets Project Ready certification
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center next month will
be formally recognized as a “Project Ready” site, a designation that indicates it’s “shovel-
ready” for new businesses that come calling. It’s the first site to earn certification in the
new “technology park” category, a later addition to the program. The formal recognition is
Nov. 6. “Since Hurricane Katrina, we have seen a 10 percent growth in our center’s
workforce in support of NASA, other government agencies, and private technology-based
companies,” said Gene Goldman, director of Stennis. “We feel that our future is bright in
South Mississippi, and we hope this certification will reassure those looking at our center.”
The certification program by Mississippi Power uses a third party to determine when a site
is ready. (Source: NASA, 10/19/09) Note: In August, the Jackson County Aviation
Technology Park in Moss Point, Miss., was awarded Project Ready status.
Airmen complete 800-mile march
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - After walking over 800 miles through five states, 12 special
tactics airmen arrived at Hurlburt Field Friday, completing a memorial march for their
fallen comrades. The marchers, including some from Keesler Air Force Base, split up into
six two-man teams and walked day and night to honor 12 special tactics airmen killed in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Each marcher carried a 50-pound ruck sack and a baton engraved
with the name of a fallen special tactics airman. The 12 airmen reunited just outside the
base and walked the final five miles as a team. The march began at Lackland Air Force
Base in San Antonio, Texas. (Source: AFNS, 10/16/09)
Contract: Wintec, $85M
Wintec, Arrowmaker, Inc., of Fort Washington, Md., was awarded a $85,000,000 contract
which will provide advisory and assistance services to Headquarters Air Force Special
Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. HQ AFSOC/A7KZ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/16/09)
ATK delivers composite crew module
Alliant Techsystems delivered a technological first to NASA: a full-scale, crew module
structure made of composite materials. The Composite Crew Module is designed to
reduce the overall weight of future manned launch vehicles. Full-scale structural testing
will be performed at NASA's Langley Research Center to determine the viability of the
composite structure. The structure was fabricated and assembled at ATK's facility in Iuka,
Miss. (Source: ATK, 10/14/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK has an operation in Northwest
Florida; South Mississippi has multiple companies involved in manufacturing with
composites; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
are involved in the space program.
Next Biloxi air show in 2011
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – People who want to see more air shows at Keesler
Air Force Base will have to wait until the spring of 2011. Col. Chris Valle, vice commander
of the 81st Training Wing, said Keesler is bidding to bring the Navy's Blue Angels to South
Mississippi for the next show. Keesler in April held its first air show since Hurricane
Katrina. Featured were the Thunderbirds, the Air Force precision flying team. Some
140,000 spectators attended the show over two days. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/15/09)
Okaloosa group going to Orlando
CRESTVIEW, Fla. - A delegation from Okaloosa County will attend an aviation business
conference in Orlando next week to try to lure companies to Bob Sikes Airport’s industrial
park. The National Business Aviation Association is holding its annual convention Oct. 20-
23. Some 30,000 people are expected to attend, among them more than a dozen county
and business leaders to promote the Crestview Air Park at Bob Sikes Airport. The airport
has an 8,000-foot runway and is close to highways, the Gulf of Mexico and military bases.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/14/09)
Pensacola airport bags United Airlines
PENSACOLA, Fla. – United Airlines will be coming to Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional
Airport beginning Feb. 11 and offering direct flights to Washington, D.C. and Chicago.
The flights will be on 50-seat Canadair regional jets. The Washington flights will be twice
daily, and one Chicago flight will be added on the weekend during the winter and spring.
United will be serving Pensacola for the first time. The airport is also trying to get
Southwest Airlines. (Sources: WEAR-TV, Pensacola News Journal, Mobile Press-Register,
10/14/09)
UAV market worth billions
Defense industry consultants predict the market for unmanned aerial vehicles will reach
the upper teens in billions of dollars worth of procurement through 2018, with related
research and development possibly doubling that. Forecast International predicts the
market for UAV procurement will be worth $18 billion or more worldwide over the next 10
years. (Source: Aviation Week, 10/14/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast has several
UAV-related activities, including a Northrop Grumman UAV plant in Moss Point, Miss.,
Mehlcorp, which designs payload operation modules at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and
an AeroVironment operation in Navarre, Fla.
First Lady to visit Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - First Lady Michelle Obama will address members of the
military and civil service employees working on Eglin Air Force Base Thursday, said Marie
Vanover, a spokeswoman for the base. A news release from Obama’s press office termed
the visit “part of the first lady’s ongoing outreach to military families.” This year has been
designated the U.S. Air Force's Year of the Air Force Family. The itinerary, according to
the White House news release, calls for her to meet first with base leaders. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 10/14/09)
CEOs urge second 787 line in Washington
Leaders from Washington state’s largest companies are urging Boeing to build a second
787 production line in the state. The company has one 787 production line in the state,
but there’s concern it may opt to use a recently purchased plant in South Carolina – the
former Vought Aircraft plant – for the second 787 line. The letter from members of the
Washington Roundtable points out that work remains to be done to improve Boeing’s
competitive standing in the global economy, but said the state and Boeing have a long
track record of success together. (Source: Business Wire, 10/13/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing is competing against Northrop Grumman and EADS to build aerial tankers for the
Air Force. Boeing wants to build them in Washington, and EADS wants to assemble them
in Mobile, Ala.
Euro Hawk could lead to more sales
Northrop Grumman hopes the Euro Hawk rolled out last week will lead to “a huge”
international market, according to Duke Dufresne, company strike and surveillance
division general manager. Aviation Week reports Dufresne as saying that aside from
sales to Germany and NATO, the Global Hawk also is being eyed by Australia, Spain,
Korea and Japan. The first international version of the UAV, which differs from previous
variants in having six wing-mounted signals intelligence pods, will start taxi tests in
February. The first flight is targeted for March. Current plans call for a direct flight along
the great circle route via Canada airspace to EADS’ Manching site in Germany. Germany
is expected to buy four more Euro Hawks. (Source: Aviation Week, 10/12/09) Gulf Coast
note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
SDB tests wrap up
The Boeing GBU-40 Small Diameter Bomb II team finished a 42-month risk reduction
program last month with a flight test at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. In the test, the guided
test vehicle dropped from an F-15E Strike Eagle was equipped with production-ready
components, including a Harris data link, Lockheed Martin tri-mode seeker, and modified
SDB Increment I (GBU-39) assemblies. The weapon received target updates using a
tactical radio communications system processed by the seeker. The seeker successfully
performed search, detect, track and classify and the weapon fuze detonated upon impact
with the intended target. Boeing is teamed with Lockheed Martin in the SDB II program
competition, and as the prime contractor will provide the air vehicle and system
integration. Lockheed Martin will supply the sensor/seeker. (Source: Boeing, 10/12/09)
Unions back Boeing bid
Leaders of one of the nation's largest labor unions are calling on Defense Secretary
Robert Gates to select Boeing for the U.S. Air Force tanker contract. A group of 10 state
presidents representing the AFL-CIO said in a letter to Gates that Boeing is the right
choice "for investing in American workers, American knowledge, American security and
America's future." Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS team to
build the next generation of tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/10/09)
World View-2 successfully launched
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Boeing successfully launched the WorldView-2
satellite for DigitalGlobe aboard a Delta II rocket Thursday. Liftoff was at 11:51 a.m.
Pacific Time, and the Delta II released WorldView-2 about 62 minutes after liftoff into a
sun-synchronous orbit. The satellite is designed to collect and record commercial, high-
resolution Earth imagery. DigitalGlobe now has three satellites in its constellation.
(Source: Boeing, 10/08/09) Gulf Coast note: DigitalGlobe has an office at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.
Goodrich Foley celebrates 25 years
FOLEY, Ala. - The Goodrich plant has grown from 37 to 800 employees, showing
Alabama can be a leader in the aircraft manufacturing industry, company and state
officials said Thursday. The plant, which makes and repairs aircraft engine housings,
marked its 25th anniversary Thursday with a celebration that included local, state and
federal dignitaries. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/08/09)
Bunker buster deployment nears
The Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday what’s been clear to anyone who tracks DoD
contracts. Deployment of the massive “bunker buster” bomb, capable of penetrating
deeply buried facilities, is on a fast track. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the
first 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator should be ready by the middle of next
year. He notes that the United States has other weapons capable of penetrating
hardened facilities, but says the technology in the MOP takes the capability to a new level
and puts it in a class by itself. The Pentagon said in August it wanted to speed up
production plans. (Source: Multiple, including Voice of America, AFP, 10/08/09) Gulf
Coast note: The weapon is being developed by Boeing and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Euro Hawk unveiled by Northrop
PALMDALE, Calif. - Northrop Grumman and EADS Defence & Security (DS) introduced
the first Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft system in an unveiling ceremony Thursday in
Palmdale. The Euro Hawk marks the first international configuration of the RQ-4 Global
Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance UAV, and solidifies Northrop Grumman's first
transatlantic cooperation with Germany and DS. More than 300 employees from Northrop
and DS and officials from the German Air Force and Ministry of Defence attended. The
aircraft will be equipped with German sensors. (Source: Globe Newswire, 10/08/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss. EADS and Northrop are
also teamed up in the competition to build aerial tankers for the Air Force. If they win, the
planes would be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Fire Scout goes on first deployment
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - The MQ-8B Fire Scout made naval aviation history when the
fleet deployed the rotary wing unmanned aircraft system aboard the USS McInerney this
week. Fleet introduction of the Fire Scout marks the first time a large, automated UAV has
been delivered for ship board operation by sailors. The Fire Scout departed with the 4th
Fleet to assist during a counter-narcotics trafficking deployment. It will provide situational
awareness as the fleet employs its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
capabilities, said Capt. Tim Dunigan, Fire Scout program manager. (Source: Naval Air
Systems Command, 10/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
Panama City airport selects name
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The Bay County airport authority has voted to name the new
international airport now under construction at West Bay the Northwest Florida – Panama
City International Airport. It’s scheduled to open in May 2010. The authority solicited input
from community organizations, including the region’s Tourism Development Councils,
Economic Development Alliances, chambers and citizens. (Source: Business Wire,
10/07/09)
EADS, Army validate Lakota mobility
GULFPORT, Miss. - EADS North America and the U.S. Army successfully loaded four
Army UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters and one company-owned EC145 helicopter
onto a U.S. Air Force C-17, validating the transportability of the LUH. The demonstration
was performed at Gulfport, Miss., in preparation for a future delivery of four U.S. Army UH-
72A Lakotas to the Pacific theater for basing on the Kwajalein Atoll. The loading test
confirmed that five UH-72A helicopters can be accommodated in the C-17’s cargo bay
with minimal disassembly, and that the aircraft can rapidly be made mission-ready upon
arrival with no maintenance test flights required. The Lakotas are build in Columbus, Miss.
(Source: EADS NA, 10/05/09)
“Keel-laying” held for flight academy
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Flight Academy at Naval Air Station Pensacola hosted a
keel-laying ceremony Tuesday to celebrate construction on the 100,000-square-foot
educational facility. When completed in 2011, the academy will be a science camp for
students grades 7-12, and will use a naval-aviation-themed environment. Ground was
broken in June. The $26.5 million construction project includes a 100,000-square-foot
academy and 55,000-square-foot addition to the National Naval Aviation Museum.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 10/06/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $17.5M
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., of Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $17,471,784 contract to
provide 578 propulsion sections to be installed into AIM-120B air vehicles. At this time,
the entire amount has been obligated. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting Activity (Source: DoD, 10/06/09)
Student interest in engineering key to program
MOBILE, Ala. – In a bid to get more students interested in engineering, nine Mobile
County elementary and middle schools will get a $3.6 million grant from the National
Science Foundation for a program designed to do just that. U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner said it’s
a pilot program that will set the pace for educators across the nation. The program is
Engaging Youth in Engineering. Alabama needs at least 1,200 more engineers and about
24,000 technicians, said Bob Foley, assistant dean at the USA's College of Engineering.
The state's engineering colleges are only producing about 400 a year. “You can't bring
Northrop Grumman or EADS into Mobile without training workers,” Bonner said. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 10/06/09)
AirTran plans new non-stop flight
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passengers can take a new non-stop AirTran Airways flight to
Baltimore-Washington International Airport starting Thursday, according to officials. The
flight from Louis Armstrong International Airport will depart daily at 5:04 p.m. every
weekday but Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when it doesn't operate. (Source: New Orleans
Times-Picayune, 10/06/09)
Mobile wants to get Southwest
MOBILE, Ala. - Mobile Regional Airport and business leaders are launching a new push
for the Dallas-based discount carrier Southwest Airlines, which could include efforts to
give public money and free hotel rooms as enticements. The Mobile Area Chamber of
Commerce is sounding out business leaders on potential pledges, using an online survey
set to end Wednesday. The incentives would echo those offered by three Florida airports
also seeking the carrier: Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 10/06/09)
Contract: $51.9M
McDonnell Douglas Corp. of St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $51,900,000 contract to
provide Massive Ordnance Penetrator Integration on B-2 test aircraft. At this time
$32,150,000 has been obligated. 708 ARSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/02/09)
Sessions raises fairness issue in tanker rift
Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., introduced legislation to block funding for the tanker program
until the Pentagon releases pricing data to Northrop Grumman from the first round of
competition. The Pentagon last week opened a rematch between Boeing and the
Northrop/EADS team for the contract. But Northrop says the new competition is unfair
because the Air Force denied its request to see details of Boeing's previous bid, although
Boeing was allowed to see Northrop's pricing data after the initial competition last year.
Northrop/EADS plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile if the team wins the next
competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/02/09)
Fire Scout up for innovation award
The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, built in part in Moss Point, Miss., is in the running
for an innovation award from the C4ISR Journal. The awards honor outstanding
innovations in intelligence gathering and networking. Finalists were selected for five
categories: sensors, innovations, organizations, network systems and platforms. A “top
five award” will be presented to one winner from each category at a banquet later this
month in Arlington, Va. In addition to Fire Scout, the other products in the innovations
category are QinetiQ’s solar-electric powered Zephyr, Sierra Nevada’s sensor pod for
tactical level ISR, the Naval Air Systems Command’s digital close air support system and
Raytheon’s ARTEMIS imaging spectrometer. (Source: PRNewswire, 10/01/09)
Northrop wins KC-10 service award
Northrop Grumman beat rival Boeing for a $3.8 billion contract to maintain and service Air
Force KC-10 refueling tankers. Boeing’s current contract expires in January. It’s been
servicing the planes for more than a decade. Northrop and partner EADS are also
competing against Boeing to build tankers to the Air Force. (Source: Reuters, 10/01/09)
Gulf Coast note: If Northrop/EADS wins the tanker competition, planes would be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Tybrin, $6.2M
Tybrin Corp. of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $6,191,927 contract which will
provide for non-personal advisory and assistance services to fully support aerospace
research, development, test and evaluation activities at the Air Force Flight Test Center.
At this time, no money has been obligated. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 10/01/09)
Tanks installed at new rocket stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Construction of the A-3 test stand at NASA’s John C.
Stennis Space Center is approaching another milestone with delivery and installation of
14 water, isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen tanks. Nine of the tanks already have been
installed, with the remaining five to arrive on-site in upcoming weeks. The A-3 stand will
provide high-altitude testing on the J-2X engine in development for the Constellation
Program, NASA’s bid to return humans to the moon and beyond. (Source: NASA,
10/01/09)
New F-35 wing leader feels privileged
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The new commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing said
training the first generation of F- 35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers is the
“privilege of a lifetime.” Col. David Hlatky said he’s eager and excited by the challenge.
The wing, which for years flew F-15s on air dominance missions, now falls under Air
Education and Training Command’s 19th Air Force. It’s the Department of Defense’s first
joint strike fighter organization. “We are building a magnificent joint strike fighter training
campus that will house Marines, sailors, airmen and at least eight coalition partners,"
Hlatky said. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/01/09)
New EADS facility has grand opening
MOBILE, Ala. – EADS North America held a grand opening Thursday for a new
maintenance, repair and overhaul delivery center at the Mobile Regional Airport. The
30,000 square-foot facility will provide North American operators of the C-212 and CN-235
tactical transports with a certified FAA repair station as well as direct manufacturer
support. The C-212 and CN-235 are used by a variety of military and civil operators,
including the U.S. Coast Guard, which is building a fleet of HC-144A Ocean Sentry
maritime patrol aircraft based on the CN-235. The new facility expands upon an already-
existing EADS CASA North America facility that’s provided training, spares and customer
support since 2005. (Source: EADS NA, 10/01/09)
Teledyne trims schedule
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors workers face more unpaid down time in the
future. The entire 420-worker plant, which makes aircraft engines, will shut down next
week and most of the 160 salaried employees will work only four days a week for the
remainder of the year. Hourly employees will work a normal schedule, officials said.
Holiday schedules are also trimmed back. All this is being caused by a downturn of
business. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/01/09)
SEPTEMBER 2009
Contract: Raytheon, $16M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $16,130,000 contract for 155mm
Excalibur Block 1A-1 projectiles. Six percent of the work will be performed in Niceville, Fla.
Other works sites are in Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico., California, Alabama, Ohio,
Virginia, Missouri, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Sweden and the United Kingdom, with an
estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2011. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Joint
Munitions & Lethality Contracting Center, CCJM-CA, Combat Ammo Center, Picatinny
Arsenal, N.J., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
Contract: Kaman, $6.4M
Kaman Precision Products Inc of Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $6,448,592 contract which
will provide for joint programmable fuze systems. At this time, the entire amount has been
obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/30/09)
Contract: Cubic, $8.6M
Cubic Defense Application Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded an $8,581,782 contract
which will provide for 20 P5 combat training system pods, four display and debrief stations
and two control display units, as well as contractor logistical support to be placed at two
locations in Egypt. 675 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $17M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., of St. Louis, Missouri was awarded a $17,000,000 contract
which will provide for miniature weapon demonstration research and development for a 5-
year ordering period. AFRL/RWK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 09/30/09)
AF welcomes T-1A
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Air Force officials with a new flight training group at Naval Air Station
Pensacola marked the arrival of their first jet at the base Wednesday. The T-1A Jayhawk,
given the ceremonial name “The Spirit of Pensacola,” is the first jet assigned to the Air
Force 479th Flight Training Group, which is officially activating at NAS Pensacola Friday.
Last year construction began on the $45 million training facility for navigators and combat
systems officers at the base. The group will train about 360 students each year. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 09/30/09)
Eglin range tests B-1 tactics
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Members of the 53rd Wing tested the capabilities of B-1s
recently in an effort to better defend the aircraft and prove the strength of new software
systems. "The main purpose of our deployment out here is to conduct defensive threat
reaction test to basically validate our defensive tactics against threats," said Lt. Col. Jeff
Aldridge, 337th Test Evaluation Squadron commander. The squadron, located at Dyess
AFB, Texas, flew two B-1s to Eglin for a week and was able to complete extensive testing.
Aldridge said that normally they fly two missions a week but at Eglin they are flying every
day. The B-1, a long-range bomber, can track, target and engaging moving land vehicles.
The tests revealed more information about the aircraft's software. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 09/28/09)
National Guard to bid farewell to UH-1
GULFPORT, Miss. – A workhorse of the military will be given a ceremonial goodbye during
an event at the Army National Guard’s Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot in
Gulfport Saturday. The 9 a.m. event commemorates the UH-1 Iroquois "Huey," which
retires from the Army inventory this month. The event will also pay tribute to the pilots and
crew chiefs from Mississippi who flew the UH-1 during its tenure with the Army National
Guard. The ceremony, at the South end of the AVCRAD hangar, will include two UH-1s on
static display and a “fly-in” of a Huey. The AVCRAD is at the Trent Lott National Guard
Training Center on the east side of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. It does repair work
on helicopters from a nine-state region, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I. (Source:
Tcp, 09/30/09)
Northrop says rival given unfair advantage
Grounds for a potential protest are already appearing even as the new contest for an
aerial refueling tanker gets underway. Northrop Grumman said it’s unfair that its rival,
Boeing, had access to its pricing information from the previous competition, yet Northrop
has been denied similar access to Boeing’s information. Said Paul Meyer, Northrop’s
president and general manager: “With predominant emphasis placed on price in this
tanker re-competition and Northrop Grumman again proposing its KC-45 refueling tanker,
such competitive pricing information takes on even greater importance. It is fundamentally
unfair, and distorts any new competition, to provide such critical information to only one of
the bidders.” (Source: Northrop Grumman, MarketWatch, Reuters, 09/29/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop and partner EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if the team
wins the competition.
Contract: L-3, $47.4M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$47,447,684 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for total
aircraft maintenance and logistics life cycle support for 54 Navy and 11 Marine Corps C-
12 aircraft. Work will be performed at a variety of naval air stations inside and outside the
United States, including in this region Naval Air Station New Orleans, and is expected to
be completed in June 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: L-3, $17.8M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$17,766,702 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide for additional
logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level
maintenance of 14 T39N and 6 T-39G aircraft located at the Naval Air Station Pensacola,
Fla. This modification provides for aircraft intermediate maintenance services in support
of Chief of Naval Air Training aircraft and transient aircraft at NAS Pensacola and NAS
Corpus Christi, Texas. The work, 99 percent, will be performed in Pensacola and is
expected to be completed in March 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: L-3, $6.9M
L-3 Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $6,960,600 aircraft lease
service contract for four helicopters for pilot training in support of U. S. Special Operations
Command's Air Force Special Operations Command. Work will be performed at Hurlburt
Field, Fla., and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2010. (Source: DoD, 09/28/09)
Contract: Sikorsky, $133.5M
Sikorsky Support Services Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $133,542,526
modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for maintenance and
logistics services in support of 374 T-34, T-44, and T-6 aircraft. Work will be performed at
the NAS Corpus Christi, Texas,; NAS Whiting Field, Fla.,; NAS Pensacola, Fla.,; NAS
Oceana, Va.,; NAS Lemoore, Calif.,; Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif.,; Fort
Rucker, Ala.,; Naval Air Facility, El Centro, Calif.,; Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft
Division, Patuxent River, Md.,; Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, N.C.,; National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.,; NASA Cleveland,
Ohio,; and Fort Eustis, Va., and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: L-3, $112.6M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$112,650,548 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level
maintenance required to support 49 T-45A and 151 T-45C aircraft based at Naval Air
Station Meridian, Miss.; NAS Kingsville, Texas; and NAS Pensacola, Fla. This requirement
also includes the organizational level maintenance for the engine. Work is expected to be
completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: Rolls-Royce, $90.7M
Rolls-Royce Defense Services Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., is being awarded a $90,674,394
modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for intermediate and
depot level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour
engines. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas; NAS Meridian,
Miss.; NAS Pensacola, Fla.; and NAS Patuxent River, Md., and is expected to be
completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $18.1M
Jacobs Technology Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being awarded $18,134,187 under a
previously awarded contract. The scope of this effort is to provide support of the transition
from the NMCI environment to the next generation USMC IT environment. Work will be
performed in Quantico, Va., and work is expected to be completed in September 2010.
The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va. is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/25/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $5.9M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being
awarded a $5,881,774 modification under a previously awarded contract to exercise
option year three for ammunition handling and management services for Navy Munitions
Command, East Asia Division Detachment Pearl Harbor. Work will be performed in Hawaii,
and is expected to be completed by September 2010. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/25/09)
Avalex sets sights on UK
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Avalex Technologies is moving into the United Kingdom’s law
enforcement market. The company is teaming with the United Kingdom’s Police Aviation
Services. Currently, Avalex and PAS, which provides aviation support to various UK police
forces, are working together to provide displays and digital video recorders to the Dorset,
England, police department and other UK law enforcement agencies. (Source: Avalex,
09/22/09)
Contract: InDyne, $14M
InDyne Incorp., of Reston, Va., was awarded a $14,095,664 contract which will provide
Eglin Test and Training Complex range operations and maintenance of test and training
areas and technical facilities to include test and training mission support, engineering
support for range system design/modification/range configuration and range support
services to accomplish authorized range activities. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Contract: Del-Jen, $23.1M
Del-Jen, Inc., Gardena, Calif., is being awarded $23,127,300 modification under a
previously awarded contract to exercise the second option period for base operations
support services at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., and surrounding areas (Saufley
Field, Corry Station, and Bronson Field). The current total contract amount after exercise
of this option will be $69,728,751. Work will be performed in Pensacola and is expected to
be completed Sept. 30, 2010. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast,
Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Contract: L-3, $44.5M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$44,489,426 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
logistics support for 126 TH-57B/TH-57C aircraft. The work, 99 percent, will be performed
at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Fla. and is expected to be completed in
September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/24/09)
Pentagon launches tanker competition
The Pentagon is relaunching a competition for the $35 billion fleet of aerial tankers.
Boeing is vying for the contract against a team made up of Northrop Grumman and Airbus
parent EADS. The contract for 179 plans is the first of three acquisition stages.
Lawmakers will be briefed on the draft request for proposal at 11 a.m. Thursday, and
reporters will be briefed at 4 p.m. It will be made public Friday. (Sources: Reuters via New
York Times, Mobile Press-Register, 09/24/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team
wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker guidelines to be released this week
The Air Force is expected to release its requirements for the aerial refueling tankers this
week. Some news reports are saying it will be Friday, some say Thursday. The team of
Northrop Grumman and EADS, parent of Airbus, won the $40 million contract in February
2008, but a Boeing protest was upheld on grounds the selection process was flawed.
Boeing wants to build the tankers in Washington and Kansas, and Northrop/EADS want to
assemble them in Mobile, Ala. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said last week that he
expects the contract to be awarded in 2010. (Source: Multiple, 09/23/09)
NASA targets date for Ares I-X flight test
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA is targeting Oct. 27 for the flight test of the Ares I-X
rocket. Senior managers made the decision after a meeting Monday at NASA
Headquarters in Washington. There is another launch opportunity on Oct. 28. The date
will be finalized at a Flight Test Readiness Review scheduled for Oct. 23 at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch will provide NASA with an opportunity to
test and prove hardware, facilities and ground operations, while gathering critical data for
the Ares I rocket and future launch vehicles. (Source: NASA, 09/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both
involved in the NASA’s space program.
Airport to seek privatization bids
NEW ORLEANS - Local officials intend to find out whether investors are interested in
making Louis Armstrong International Airport the nation's first privately operated airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration this month accepted the local airport's preliminary
application to participate in a pilot privatization program that the FAA authorized for U.S.
airports in 1997. Airport officials now can begin a bidding process. (Source: New Orleans
Times-Picayune, 09/23/09)
Surgical training accredited for joint training
BILOXI, Miss. – Keesler Air Force Base’s 81st Medical Group has received full
accreditation as a joint training platform. The program was evaluated by the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education in April and can proceed with training four
general surgeons each year for five years of general surgery residency. The surgical
residency was closed after Katrina in 2005, re-established in 2007 and restructured in
2008 to include integration with the Naval Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., 96th Medical Group
at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and the Biloxi Veterans Affairs Medical Center. (Source: Sun
Herald, 09/20/09)
LM satellite operating successfully
A next-generation satellite designed and built by Lockheed Martin is performing as
required following its successful launch from Cape Canaveral earlier this month. The
program, designated PAN, consists of a turnkey commercial-based satellite, ground and
launch system developed to meet the U.S. government's future needs. The satellite is
based on Lockheed Martin's A2100 spacecraft series. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
09/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Some of the work on the satellite was done at Lockheed Martin
Space and Technology Center, Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: Harkin, $7.5M
Harkins Development Corp., Sanford, Fla., was awarded a $7,460,948 contract for the
design/build of a concrete block facility at Hurlburt Field, Fla., with an estimated
completion date of June 3, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile, Regional
Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/17/09)
Contract: Hanco, $8.1M
Hanco Corp., Hattiesburg, Miss., was awarded an $8,174,000 contract for construction of
a barracks, warehouse, and houses. Work is to be performed at Camp Shelby, Miss., with
an estimated completion date of March 2011. U.S. National Guard Bureau, United States
Property & Fiscal Office, Jackson, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/18/09)
Contract: Greenhut, $10.6M
Greenhut Construction Co. Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $10,598,586
contract for the design, repair and modernization of Administrative Building 1500 at Naval
Air Station Pensacola. Work will be performed in Pensacola and is expected to be
completed by April 2011. Funds are provided by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast,
Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/18/09)
New non-stop announced
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A major airline serving Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport has
announced new nonstop service to two cities. American Airlines said it will offer two
nonstop daily flights to Miami on its American Eagle regional jet service by the end of this
year. In August, US Airways announced nonstop service between Pensacola and
Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National early next year. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
09/18/09)
Criteria released for basing JSF
Air Force officials released the criteria to determine where F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will
be based. Airspace, flight training ranges, weather, support facilities, runways, taxi ramps,
environmental concerns and cost are factors. More than 200 sites will be evaluated. Other
factors, including maintenance and logistics and integration with the Air National Guard
and Reserve, will also be considered. The result will be two candidate basing lists, one for
operations and the other for training for the 250 to 300 aircraft scheduled for delivery
through 2017. The lists will be announced in the spring of 2010. (Source: AFNS,
09/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base is the home of the F-35 training center.
Northrop’s Sugar sets retirement
LOS ANGELES – Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman since 2003,
has announced he'll retire in June 2010. Sugar will step down from his chairman and CEO
positions and the company's board of directors at the end of the year. He’ll continue as an
employee officer advising the company until his retirement date. Wesley G. Bush,
president and chief operating officer, will become CEO and president Jan. 1, 2010. Bush
was also elected to the Northrop Grumman board of directors, effective immediately.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 09/16/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a
number of operations in the Gulf Coast region.
AF to take lead in tanker award
The Air Force will be in charge of awarding a $40 billion contract for aerial tankers,
according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The authority had been removed earlier
when two previous attempts to award a contract were botched. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team are competing for the contract. (Source: New York Times,
09/16/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
Contract: Rehabilitation Svc., $19.5M
Rehabilitation Services of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $19,547,353 contract to provide
a full food service contract at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. At this time $11,581,103 has
been obligated. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 09/15/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $39.6M
BAE Systems Technical Services of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $39,553,260
contract to manage, operate, maintain, and logistically support the solid state phased
array radar system at Beale, Air Force Base, Calif., Thule Air Base, Greenland, Clear Air
Force Station, Alaska, and Royal Air Force Flyingdales, United Kingdom. 21
CONS/LGCZG, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
09/15/09)
Survey: A&D workplace woes continue
Expected increases in retirement rates of existing workers and increases in attrition of
younger workers, along with weak demand for future contracts, has aerospace and
defense companies facing the most challenging business environment in recent history,
according to a new workforce survey by Aviation Week and sponsored by Hitachi
Consulting. (Source: Business Wire, 09/15/09)
Eglin’s 308th gets director
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 308th Armament Systems Wing appointed a new
director, Randy Brown, during a ceremony last week. The wing is transitioning to a
directorate as part of the realignment plan. The 308th ARSW is a joint Air Force and Navy
organization responsible for management of air dominance weapon system programs.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 09/15/09)
WTO ruling won’t play role in tanker
WASHINGTON – The Air Force sees no need to add language about the World Trade
Organization ruling over subsidies to the request for proposal in the multibillion-dollar
tanker project. In a case brought by the U.S., the WTO ruled subsidies from European
governments to EADS’ Airbus were illegal, andBoeing supporters want that considered
when awarding the tanker project. Reuters reports that Air Force Secretary Michael
Donley called the WTO ruling preliminary, and noted that another case brought by the
European Union is pending. Boeing and the EADS/Northrop Grumman team are
competing to build tankers. (Source: Reuters, 09/14/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Boeing talks tanker at AF expo
WASHINGTON - Boeing unveiled additional details of the company's potential offering in
the Air Force aerial tanker competition. In a briefing Monday at the Air Force Association's
2009 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Rick Lemaster, Boeing KC-X
director and program manager, said Boeing is prepared to offer either the 767 or larger
777. The company also launched a new Web site for information on the KC-7A7. (Source:
Boeing, 09/14/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team to build the tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Eglin gets plaque as historic site
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A bronze plaque was mounted on a granite pedestal and
placed in front of the Air Armament Museum last week to commemorate Eglin Air Force
Base as a historic aerospace site. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
named Eglin as one of four sites to receive the honor for 2009. The other sites: NASA
Ames Research Center; North American/Rockwell Downey Industrial site; Igor Sikorsky
Airport and Vought-Sikorsky plant; and Honeysuckle Creek/Tidbinbilla/Orroral Valley
Tracking Station in Australia. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 09/14/09)
Alabama gov rides Airbus tanker
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley flew over Spain for an hour Friday in an aerial tanker built by
EADS company Airbus. Riley also toured EADS aircraft-assembly bays in Madrid. Riley,
Neal Wade, director of the Alabama Development Office, and a security officer spent
Wednesday and Thursday in Germany before going to Spain. They’ll return to Alabama
Sunday. EADS plans to build a tanker assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the
competition against Boeing. (Source: Birmingham News, 09/12/09)
Contract: BAE Systems, $7.4M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being
awarded a $7,382,503 modification under previously awarded contract to exercise option
two for operation and maintenance support for facilities operating under Naval Computer
& Telecommunications Area Master Station Hawaii. Work will be performed in Hawaii, and
work is to be completed by September 2011. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/11/09)
Ares first stage motor tested
PROMONTORY, Utah – NASA and ATK conducted the first test of the Ares I first stage
five-segment development solid rocket motor Thursday. The solid rocket booster is
planned for NASA's Ares I and Ares V rockets. The Ares I is a crew launch vehicle in
development for NASA's Constellation Program. ATK is the prime contractor for the Ares I
first stage. (Source: NASA, 09/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility, New
Orleans, and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are key NASA facilities on the Gulf Coast.
2nd AF gets new commander
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog has assumed command
of the 2nd Air Force from Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers. The 2nd Air Force at Keesler Air
Force Base is the Air Education and Training Command organization that oversees
technical and combat training for 250,000 students annually. The change of command
ceremony was Wednesday. (Source: Keesler, 09/09/09)
Contract: Defense Support Services, $86.4M
Defense Support Services LLC of Mount Laurel, N.J., was awarded an $86.4 million
contract for acquisition of aircraft maintenance support services for Tyndall Air Force
Base, Fla. At this time, $16.9 million has been obligated. AETC CONS/LGCK, Randolph
Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 09/09/09)
EADS suggests settling with Boeing
PARIS – EADS chief Louis Gallois says Airbus did nothing wrong in a trade dispute with
the U.S. over subsidies, and called for a negotiated settlement with Boeing. In an interview
published Wednesday in La Tribune, a French business daily, Gallois defended the
system of government launch aid, calling it more transparent than "opaque subsidies" he
said Boeing receives. The World Trade Organization ruled last week that Airbus, owned
by EADS, received illegal subsidies. (Source: The Associated Press, 09/09/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing is competing against the Northrop Grumman/EADS to build Air Force
tankers. EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Jacobs gets $98M Eglin option
PASADENA, Calif. - Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. received the third of four one-year
options on a contract for the U.S. Air Force Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., and other locations. The option year, which begins October 1, has a potential value
of $98.1 million. Jacobs provides technical and engineering acquisition support for
weapons systems development and testing for the AAC. (Source: PRNewswire, 09/08/09)
Panel wants NASA to reset goals
A panel recommends NASA shelve the idea of rapidly returning to the moon and instead
focus on nurturing a robust commercial space industry that can handle short-term
objectives. The Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee was convened by
the Obama administration to assess NASA’s goals. The White House received the findings
Tuesday, which stop short of explicitly rejecting the goal of launching a mission back to
the moon. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 09/09/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center,
Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are key NASA centers on the Gulf
Coast.
F-15s depart from Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 33rd Fighter Wing ended a 30-year history at Eglin
Air Force Base when the wing’s last three F-15s left the base Tuesday for Arizona. The
wing that was once the home of 54 F-15s soon will host the Joint Strike Fighter Training
School. The official transition is Oct. 1. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 09/08/09)
Ares I motor test scheduled
NASA and Alliant Techsystems Inc. have rescheduled the test of the new first-stage solid
rocket motor for the Ares I rocket. The static firing of the five-segment solid motor,
designated development motor -1, is scheduled for Thursday at the ATK test facility in
Promontory, Utah. The first firing attempt on Aug. 27 was scrubbed because of an
anomaly with the ground test controller. (Source: NASA, 09/04/09)
QinetiQ subsidiary honored
FAIRFAX, Va. - A QinetiQ North America subsidiary, Analex Corp., has been honored as
large business prime contractor of 2009 by NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The award
recognizes outstanding engineering and technical management services to NASA on the
Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support (ELVIS) contract to the NASA Launch
Services Program (LSP). (Source: PRNewswire, 09/08/09) Gulf Coast note: QinetiQ has
an operation in Long Beach, Miss.
Sides reviewing WTO ruling
The World Trade Organization today issued a confidential ruling about Airbus subsidies,
and both sides are now reviewing the 1,000-page document. One news organization, the
Wall Street Journal, is reporting that the panel ruled the subsidies by European
governments were illegal. The U.S. filed a complaint in 2004, citing the aid as unfair to U.S.
-based Boeing. A parallel complaint alleging illegal government subsidies have been
given to Boeing is also before the WTO. (Source: Dow Jones, 09/04/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing is competing against Airbus parent, EADS, to build tankers for the U.S. Air Force.
EADS and partner Northrop Grumman want to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
UAV sense-and-avoid system planned
Northrop Grumman is developing a common autonomous airborne sense-and-avoid
system for both the Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk and the Navy RQ-4N Broad Area
Maritime Surveillance derivative. The services were pursuing separate solutions for
operating the aircraft in national airspace, but the Navy announced its intention to award
Northrop Grumman a sole-source contract to develop a common system. (Source:
Aviation Week, 09/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
Orion passes design milestone
HOUSTON - NASA has taken another step toward building the next crew exploration
vehicle by completing the Orion Project's preliminary design review. Orion is being
designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station and other destinations as
part of the Constellation Program. The preliminary design review is one of a series of
checkpoints that occurs in the design life cycle before hardware manufacturing can begin.
(Source: NASA, 09/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Stennis holds industry day
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Industry Day will be held Wednesday at NASA's John
C. Stennis Space Center to inform contractors and small businesses about upcoming
contracting opportunities. The event is hosted by the Office of Procurement. (Source:
NASA, 09/01/09)
Gates gives strong support to F-35
FORT WORTH, Texas – Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited the Lockheed Martin F-
35 factory Monday, saying the importance of the aircraft can’t be overstated. He held up
the Joint Strike Fighter as an example of new, innovative and more cost-effective ways to
meet the country's current and future defense needs. It’s being developed to meet the
needs of three services. The $300 billion program is a partnership of the U.S. and allied
nations. Gates said he’s particularly excited that the F-35 appears to be on schedule to
equip the first training squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., by 2011. (Source: American
Forces Press Service, 09/01/09)
Augustine panel report delayed
The independent Augustine Commission will release its report on the future of U.S.
manned spaceflight in mid-September. It had been expected to release the report
Monday. The 10-member panel plans to send a draft of its executive summary to NASA
and the White House this week. The panel is headed by retired Lockheed Martin CEO
Norm Augustine. (Sources: Huntsville Times, Orlando Sentinel, 09/01/09)
AUGUST 2009
Contract: InDyne, $168.1M
InDyne, Inc., Reston, Va., was awarded a $168,100,565 contract for Eglin Test and
Training Complex Range operation and maintenance. It includes mission and engineering
support of range system design/modification/configuration and range support service. Air
Armament Center (AAC/PKE), Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: DTS, $43.6M
DTS Aviation Services Inc., Forth Worth, Texas, was awarded a $43,556,472 contract for
maintenance of T-38C, T-6, and T-1A aircraft at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. 14
CPTS-CONS/LGC, Columbus AFB, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: Tybrin, $37.4M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $37,382,944 contract for software
engineering support of guided weapons systems evaluations, simulations, and other
services supporting research and development for the principals and customers of the Air
Armament Center. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $7.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was
awarded a $7,250,000 contract to provide for software and hardware updates as required
for the F-16 avionics test station located at the 46TH Test Squadron's Data Links Test
Facility at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Air Armament Center (AAC/PKE), Eglin, is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/31/09)
WTO ruling expected this week
The World Trade Organization is expected release a ruling this week on aircraft subsidies
that could light a political fire under the multibillion dollar Air Force aerial tanker contract.
The U.S. accuses European Union countries of providing illegal subsidies to Airbus, and
the European Union in turn claims Boeing receives subsidies and tax breaks from
Washington state plus non-repayable benefits from military and space contracts. (Source:
The Hill, 08/31/09)
Three cities hope to snag Southwest
Three Panhandle cities, Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, are competing
to land low-cost, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. Panama City hopes to get the service
at a new airport it plans to open in 2010, while Fort Walton Beach would like to have
Southwest to make up for losing AirTran to Pensacola nine years ago. For Pensacola,
landing the carrier would coincide with a $78 million expansion. (Source: Pensacola News
Journal, 08/30/09)
Contract: Atlantic Electric, $14.9M
Atlantic Electric, LLC, N. Charleston, S.C., is being awarded a $14,909,128 firm-fixed-
price contract for construction to repair and replace airfield lighting at Naval Air Station
Joint Reserve Base New Orleans. The work provides for the demolition and replacement
of a range of runway lights, and repaving shoulders of runways and taxiways. Work will be
performed in New Orleans, La., and is expected to be completed by April 2011. The Naval
Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Contract: Anderson Drace, $14.5M
Anderson Drace Joint Venture, Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $14,453,279
construction contract for construction of a dormitory at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
Work will be performed in Biloxi, Miss., and is expected to be completed by June 2011.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Contract: Northrop, $13.4M
Northrop Grumman, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $13,423,877 modified contract for
Global Hawk engineering, manufacturing and development activities to develop
replacement of the current engine turbine with its commercial variant. 303 AESG/SYK,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/28/09)
Web site planned to lure F-35s to Tyndall
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Bay County supporters of Tyndall Air Force Base plan a new Web
site that promotes the base’s capabilities in a bid to get new F-35s and other missions at
the base. At the request of the Bay Defense Alliance, Applied Research Associates is
donating its services to develop the site. Eglin is the initial home of the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center, but other bases are also looking to get F-35s that are not currently
scheduled for Eglin. (Source: Panama City Herald, 08/27/09)
Replacement trainer at Whiting
WHITING FIELD, Fla. – The first two of new T-6B Texan II training aircraft that will replace
the T-34C Turbo Mentor arrived at Naval Air Station Whiting Field Thursday. The T-34s
have been used at Whiting since 1978, but the T-6 is bigger, stronger and has a digital
cockpit – more in keeping with the advanced aircraft used by the nation’s military today.
The T-34 will be phased out as 156 T-6s are brought in to Whiting. Students will begin
using the new planes in April and all aircraft will arrive by 2015. (Sources: Pensacola
News Journal, WEAR-TV, Santa Rosa Press Gazette, 08/27/09)
Ares I test delayed
The test firing of the Ares I solid rocket motor was canceled Thursday just 20 seconds
before the test at contractor ATK’s facility in Utah. A broken valve of an auxiliar power unit
appears to have been at fault. Ares I, part of NASA’s Constellation Program, faces an
uncertain future. A commission named to review the manned space program is supposed
to present its findings on Aug. 31, but has already indicated NASA does not have ample
funding to return astronauts to the moon by 2020. (Sources: Multiple, 08/27/09) Gulf
Coast note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans are both involved in the Constellation Program.
Second tanker has successful “power on”
The second A330 tanker transport aircraft for Australia has completed its mission
equipment outfitting with a successful “power on” and is being readied for pre-delivery
flight testing. The aircraft underwent conversion to military configuration in Australia, and
the power on verifies successful operation of more than 400 installed wiring harnesses
that go into the plane as part of its military modifications. The aircraft is the same basic
configurate as the KC-45 Northrop Grumman and EADS are offering to the United States
for its tanker. (Source: EADS, 08/26/09)
Boeing to seek permit for 787 line
Boeing says it is ready to take the first steps to make it easier to build a second 787 final
assembly line in North Charleston, S.C., should it chose to do so. The former Vought plant
already makes part of the airplane's fuselage. The company said no decision has been
made, and that Boeing simply intends to take the procedural step of filing the necessary
permits. (Source: Aviation Week, 08/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing and Northrop
Grumman are competing to build aerial tankers for the Air Force. Northrop and partner
EADS hope to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., and Boeing plans to build them in
Washington state.
Alternative field for F-35 discussed
NAVARRE, Fla. – Eglin Air Force Base officials hosted a meeting Tuesday to discuss an
alternative that would use Eglin's Choctaw Field in south Santa Rosa County for the Joint
Strike Fighter training mission. The meeting introduced three alternatives being
considered in the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the bed-down of the
F-35 Joint Strike Training Center. The Air Force is looking at alternative runways because
of noise complaints from residents of the city of Valparaiso. (Source: Northwest Florida
Daily News, 08/25/09)
Keesler to dedicate facility
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – The 81st Training Wing and 403rd Wing will
dedicate the Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Facility
Friday. The 140,000 square-foot complex was built in honor of retired Roberts, who flew
with the Tuskegee Airmen and made Biloxi his home until his death in 2004. The two-
story, $22.6 million facility will be used to maintain the new C-130J six bladed composite
propeller, and many other significant aircraft maintenance capabilities. (Source: Keesler
Air Force Base, 08/24/09)
Eglin hospital tower named for doctor
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Eglin hospital’s inpatient tower was named for Col.
Adanto D’Amore in a ceremony Monday. D’Amore served as the 96th Medical Group
commander from the hospital’s inception to its completion. He died April 28 after more
than 70 years of active medical practice. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 08/24/09)
Stennis A-2 goes on “standby” status
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The A-2 test stand at Stennis Space Center is being
deactivated and placed on “standby” status now that the last space shuttle main engine
test has been done. Engine No. 0525 was tested July 29, and the shuttle program is set to
end in 2010. The new A-3 test stand is still being built and will be used for high-altitude
testing of the J-2X engine that will be used in Ares I and Ares V rockets. Activation on the
A-3 stand is scheduled to begin in early 2011. (Source: NASA, 08/20/09)
Aviation park holds certification event
MOSS POINT, Miss. – The Jackson County Aviation Technology Park was designated as
“shovel-ready” during a certification ceremony today. The designation means all the work
to prepare a site for construction has already been done by the time a potential tenant
comes calling. The 300-acre park already has one tenant, the Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center, which builds portions of the Global Hawk and Fire Scout.
(Source: Tcp, 08/20/09)
Stennis engineers part of leadership class
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Two Stennis Space Center engineers were among the
inaugural class of graduates from NASA's Systems Engineering Leadership Development
Program. Dawn Davis of New Orleans and Bryon Maynard of Lacombe, La., were among
15 program participants recognized during a leadership workshop and graduation
ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Both are completing development
assignments related to NASA's Constellation Program, the agency's plan to return
Americans to the moon and possibly beyond. (Source: NASA, 08/17/09)
Add another to split buy backers
Add John Lehman to the list of defense experts who see buying tankers from both Boeing
and Northrop Grumman as a solution to the Air Force's dilemma over replacing refueling
tankers. Lehman, an investment banker and former Navy secretary under President
Ronald Reagan, has long been an advocate of "competitive acquisition" in government
contracting. It's good business, he told the Mobile Press-Register. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 08/19/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $21M
Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $20,975,816 contract for
the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile system improvement program. 696 ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: McDonnell, $12.5M
McDonnell Douglass Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $12,500,000 contract with
performance incentives to provide for three Massive Ordnance Penetrator separation test
vehicles, associated aircraft and handling equipment and technical support for one single
and one dual release separation and de-conflict test on the B-52 aircraft. AAC/708 ARSG
PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: BTS, $13.4M
Business Technology and Solutions, Beavercreek, Ohio, was awarded a $13,377,733.89
contract for the technical and acquisition management support program that provides a
wide range of non-engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in
the acquisition, development, production, and support of various equipment and weapon
systems within the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base,
Florida. AAC/PKES, Eglin, is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Contract: Colsa, $10.8M
Colsa Corp., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $10,838,796.97 contract for the technical
and acquisition management support program that provides for a wide range of non-
engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in the acquisition,
development, production, and support of various equipment and weapon systems within
the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. AAC/PKES,
Eglin, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/18/09)
Lockheed to trim space jobs
Lockheed Martin plans to cut about 800 jobs at its space systems division by the end of
the year due to anticipated flat space program budgets. The company will offer a
voluntary buyout plan this month to space systems employees. The cuts will include
technical, managerial and administrative positions at facilities in Denver and Sunnyvale,
Calif. (Source: Washington Post, 08/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin has a
space and technology operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: McDonnell, $98M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $98,000,000 contract to provide
integration and production of the laser joint direct attack munitions system on various
Foreign Military Sales aircraft platforms throughout the life of the contract. 680
ARSSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/17/09)
F-35 does aerial refueling test
A short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth
fighter has become the first F-35 to complete an aerial refueling test using the Navy- and
Marine Corps-style probe-and-drogue refueling system. It’s the first in a series of tests
that will clear the STOVL F-35B variant for extended-range flights, particularly to its
primary test site at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
08/14/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of the F-35
training center.
New op for Navy enlisted – Fire Scout pilot
When the Navy opens a preliminary training pipeline for the unmanned Fire Scout
helicopter, enlisted sailors will be at the controls. The Navy will begin with a senior chief
aviation electronics technician and an air traffic controller fresh out of “A” school. The
Navy plans to scrutinize their performance and consider whether to open the door for
more sailors to join the field. Starting in October, the sailors will undergo the same Fire
Scout training provided earlier to a cadre of rated helicopter pilots. By early next year,
they will join a detachment from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42 on a
counter-drug deployment to South America on the frigate USS McInerney. (Source: Navy
Times, 08/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Pensacola expects nonstop DC service
PENSACOLA, Fla. – US Airways said Friday it will begin nonstop service to Reagan
National Airport in Washington, D.C. early next year from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional
Airport. The proposed new service is the result of a US Airways deal with Delta to swap
slots at New York's LaGuardia Airport and Reagan National, airport spokeswoman Belinda
Zephir said. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/15/09)
Training command gets new leader
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Rear Adm. Joseph F. Kilkenny has taken over from Rear Adm. Gary
R. Jones as commander of the Naval Education and Training Command. The change of
command was Thursday at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. The training command, headquartered in Pensacola, is the largest in the
Navy. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 08/14/09)
AF gets new surgeon general
The new Air Force surgeon general has ties to the Gulf Coast. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Charles B.
Green became the Air Force's 20th surgeon general during a ceremony at the Pentagon
this week. He replaced Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who retired. Green completed
residency training in family practice in 1981 at Eglin Regional Hospital at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. (Source: AFNS, 08/12/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $98.1M
Jacobs Technology Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., was awarded a $98,143,337 indefinite
delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide technical, engineering and acquisition
support program at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various other tenant organizations.
AAC/PKES, Eglin AFB is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/13/09)
Contract: Utilis, $6.2M
Utilis USA, LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is being awarded $6,213,975 under a previously
awarded contract for general purpose medium shelters. Work will be performed in Fort
Walton Beach; Celina, Ohio; and Destin, Fla. and is expected to be completed in
February 2010. Marine Corps Systems Command (M67854), Quantico, Va., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 08/13/09)
Mobile gets new air service
MOBILE, Ala. – A new charter air service is now available in Mobile. Springdale Travel and
Charter Services launched their “Mobile Direct” with a demonstration flight from Mobile
Regional Airport to Birmingham. They use an eight-seat Cessna Citation jet that will serve
airports within 1,500 miles of Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/12/09)
Seattle wonders as Boeing eyes South
SEATTLE - The possibility of a second Boeing assembly site for the 787 outside
Washington has spread concern in the state's aerospace industry. Boeing is looking at
sites in Washington and South Carolina to house a new final assembly plant for its 787
because the aircraft is two years behind schedule. Industry observers say the company is
also looking at sites in Texas and elsewhere in the South. (Source: Wall Street Journal,
08/11/09)
Fire Scout featured on computer game
SAN DIEGO – Northrop Grumman’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopter is featured in the
latest version of the U.S. Army's America's Army 3 computer game. America's Army 3
includes Fire Scout as part of an introduction to the game's Unmanned Aircraft Systems
integration. America's Army is one of the most popular computer game franchises.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 08/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout completes flight tests
SAN DIEGO - The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter recently completed flight tests aboard
the USS McInerney, part of a series of evaluations leading to operational evaluation this
fall. The tests took place last month off the coast of Mayport, Fla., and the total number of
shipboard landings was pushed to 88 under a variety of conditions. The Fire Scout is
slated to deploy aboard McInerney during its next counter-narcotics trafficking deployment
later this year. (Source: Northrop via Globe Newswire, 08/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire
Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Orion to visit Pensacola, Stennis
A full scale mockup of NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle will be moved from Florida to
Texas to continue its testing. But on the way it will make several stops so the public can
see the Constellation Program vehicle. After a stop in Tallahassee Monday, the mockup
will be at Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., then at
John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It goes
on to Jackson, Miss., Thursday and arrives at Houston Friday. The mockup is used to
study the environment for astronauts and recovery crews after an Orion ocean
splashdown. (Source: NASA, 08/07/09)
Hurricane Hunters in Hawaii
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Five Air Force Reserve WC-130Js from Mississippi arrived at
Hickam Air Force Base Friday to track Hurricane Felicia. The planes are with the 53rd
Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, and are
known as Hurricane Hunters. The planes fly into the eye of a hurricane to make critical
measurements about the storm. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 08/08/09)
Avalex sees growth in ground vehicle biz
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Avalex Technologies, known for aircraft display systems, is getting
more involved in supplying displays and digital recorders for military ground vehicles.
Company officials, who say 92 percent of their work is in aerospace, see continued growth
in the military ground vehicle market. It’s projected to reach 25 percent of Avalex’s gross
sales. The company plans to attend the Aug. 10-12 Military Vehicles Exhibition &
Conference in Detroit. Avalex has products for land, air and sea vehicles. (Source:
Avalex, 08/06/09)
Global Hawk marks milestone
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system recently
reached the milestone of 25,000 combat hours during a sortie in July from a deployed
location. It was first flown in 1998 and has logged 1,229 missions, many of them non-
combat. It can reach more than 60,000 feet in altitude for more than 32 hours. (Source:
Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 08/05/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk central
fuselage work is done in Moss Point, Miss.
Singapore Technologies 2Q report
Singapore Technologies Engineering reported its profit fell 9 percent for the second
quarter of 2009 to $75.91 million from the second quarter 2008. It is the parent company
of ST Mobile Aerospace Engineering, which has about 1,200 workers at Brookley Field
Industrial Complex in Mobile, Ala., and VT Halter Marine, which has 1,500 employees at
shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, Miss. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 08/05/09)
AF focuses on info protection
Cyber attacks on government systems have gotten the attention of the Defense
Department. In a recent directive memorandum, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton
Schwartz wrote that the ability to protect information is essential to the success of the Air
Force mission and warrants special attention. The Information Protection directorate,
established in 2007, hosted a workshop at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in June to exchange
ideas about guarding information. Attending were more than 130 IP team members from
major commands and installations. The workshop's objective was for attendees to return
to their duty locations with the same knowledge base to impart to their colleagues.
(Source: AFNS, 08/03/09)
Pentagon eyes bunker buster speedup
Reuters reports that the Pentagon wants to speed deployment of its 30,000-pound
"bunker-buster" bomb to place on radar-evading Northrop Grumman B-2s soon as July
2010. The non-nuclear Massive Ordnance Penetrator, still being tested, is designed to
destroy deeply buried bunkers beyond the reach of existing bombs. The 20-foot long
bomb built by Boeing is a third heavier than the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Burst
Bomb, which was tested twice at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2003. The MOP program is
handled by Eglin. (Source: Reuters, 08/02/09)
Race for 2nd F-35 training heats up
The Arizona Republic is reporting that the Air Force is re-evaluating secondary bases that
will be used for F-35 training, adding more criteria. All bases are again in the running. The
paper says the Air Force secretary and the Air Force chief of staff have asked that
additional factors, such as housing, medical access and child care, be considered. Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the primary training site, and Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and
Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho were top runners for the secondary location.
(Source: Arizona Republic, 08/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., has
been lobbying to become a site for the F-35s.
Euro Hawk structural assembly complete
SAN DIEGO - Northrop Grumman has finished assembling the first Euro Hawk unmanned
aircraft system for the German Ministry of Defence. The Euro Hawk, a derivative of the
Block 20 Global Hawk, will serve as the German Air Force's high-altitude, long-endurance
signals intelligence system. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/31/09) Gulf Coast note:
Central fuselage work for Global Hawks is done in Moss Point, Miss.
JULY 2009
Ex-officer guilty in scheme
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A retired Air Force officer was convicted of destroying records and
lying to a grand jury in connection with contracts awarded by a research lab at Eglin Air
Force Base. Richard Schaller was accused of helping another retired Air Force officer
who worked at the Air Force Research Laboratory on Eglin steer contracts to Schaller's
company. (Source: AP, 07/31/09)
Aviation museum gets new exhibit
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Naval Aviation Museum this week got a new aircraft for
display – an SH-60B Seahawk that has been in continuous duty with the Navy since 1986.
It flew in Wednesday and was officially unveiled Thursday. The helicopter flew more than
8,700 hours. Missions included training, counter-submarine and counter-narcotics.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/31/09)
Boeing completes SC plant purchase
Boeing completed acquisition of the business and operations of Vought Aircraft Industries’
South Carolina facility, where a structure for the 787 Dreamliner is built. The purchase
was originally announced July 7. The plant in North Charleston will be called Boeing
Charleston, which will be managed by the 787 program, and will continue to perform
fabrication, assembly and systems installation for 787 aft fuselage sections. (Source:
Boeing, 07/30/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing is competing against Northrop
Grumman/EADS to build an aerial tanker for the Air Force. EADS wants to build the plane
assembly plant in Mobile, Ala.
White House resists split tanker buy
The White House budget office complained this week about Congressional pressure to
split the aerial refueling tanker buy between Boeing and Northrop Grumman. A statement
said the administration supports taking advantage of efficiencies associated with an award
to a single contractor. If the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins it will assemble the
planes in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/30/09)
X-47B passes structural test
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – A series of static and dynamic proof load tests were recently
completed to validate the design and structural integrity of the Northrop Grumman X-47B
Unmanned Combat Air System. It was done under the UCAS Carrier Demonstration
program. The X-47B, now designated with Navy Bureau Number 168063, will undergo
engine integration and taxi tests through the fall in preparation for first flight and carrier
trials. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman builds
portions of the Global Hawk and Fire Scout UAVs in Moss Point, Miss.
Stennis conducts last shuttle engine test
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The last Space Shuttle Main Engine test was
conducted this afternoon at this South Mississippi NASA center. The testmarked the end
of 34 years of testing space shuttle main engines at Stennis. The center’s new mission is
helping NASA prepare for the next era of human spaceflight, the Constellation Program.
Last year and the year before Stennis did component tests for the J-2X engine that will be
used in the program. A new test stand is being built at Stennis for future J-2X testing.
(Source: Tcp, 07/29/09)
General Dynamics 2Q report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. –General Dynamics reported second-quarter 2009 earnings from
continuing operations of $621 million compared to 2008 second-quarter earnings from
continuing operations of $641 million. Revenues in the most-recent quarter grew to $8.1
billion, increasing 10.9 percent over second-quarter 2008 revenues of $7.3 billion.
(Source: GD via PRNewswire, 07/29/09) Gulf Coast note: General Dynamics has
operations along the Gulf Coast.
GBU-53/B completes captive flight testing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon Co. completed a series of captive carry flight
tests of its entry in the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II competition. Engineers tested
the weapon's integration and guidance receiver navigator on an Air Force F-15E and also
conducted seeker-performance evaluations on an Army UH-1 helicopter. (Source:
Raytheon via PRNewswire, 07/29/09)
JSF engine marks milestone
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – The engine that will power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
surpassed 12,000 engine test hours as part of the system development and
demonstration phase. Added to hours during the concept demonstration program, the
F135 engine has more than 15,600 test hours. Pratt & Whitney will deliver the first seven
production engines later this year. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, 07/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to host the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center; Pratt &
Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
EADS 2Q report
PARIS - EADS NV, parent company of Airbus, reported second-quarter net profit rose
close to 70 percent. Earnings before interest, taxes and other items rose to $936 million.
That’s up from last year but below analysts’ forecasts. The company also warned it may
take hits on future profits from the delayed A400M military transport program. (Sources:
multiple, including AP via Google, Dow Jones, Bloomberg, 07/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS plans to build a tanker assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if it and partner Northrop
Grumman win an Air Force contract.
UAVs now in academy in curriculum
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – U.S. Air Force Academy officials have integrated
unmanned aircraft systems into the school's curriculum. Lt. Gen. Michael C. Gould, the
academy superintendent, said the service has made UAVs a priority, and their value is
evidenced every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. Training on the two Viking 300 UAS' is
being held Camp Red Devil at Fort Carson, Colo. The program opened July 12. (Source:
AFNS, 07/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman UAVs are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.
EADS sells more tankers
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. said Saudi Arabia will buy three more
of the company's A330 refueling tankers. The company said the Royal Saudi Air Force will
take delivery of the first of six A330 tankers in 2011. EADS is part of a team led by
Northrop Grumman Corp. competing against Boeing for a contract to build tankers for the
Air Force. If Northrop/EADS wins, the planes will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 07/28/09)
Eglin VA clinic popular in first year
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Since the Community Based Outpatient Clinic opened 14
months ago, veterans in the first year have made 15,982 visits, said the facility’s chief
medical officer. The clinic, near Eglin Air Force Base’s west gate, offers primary medical
care, mental health services, lab work, a small pharmacy and nutrition assistance to about
4,500 veterans in Okaloosa County. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/26/09)
AF accepts HEO-2 for operations
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Lockheed Martin-led team developing the Space Based
Infrared System said the second Highly Elliptical Orbit payload and ground system
modifications have been accepted for operations by the U.S. Air Force, paving the way for
U.S. Strategic Command's formal certification of the HEO-2 system next month. SBIRS is
designed to provide early warning of missile launches and support other missions.
(Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 07/24/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS subsystems
are built at the Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space and Technology Center at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Teledyne 2Q report
Teledyne Technologies' Continental Motors unit saw a $700,000 operating profit in the
second quarter after losing $4.3 million in the first quarter of 2009 and $2.8 million in the
fourth quarter of 2008. Sales for Teledyne Continental Motors, based in Mobile, Ala., were
down 38 percent in the second quarter from a year ago. The overall company, based in
Thousand Oaks, Calif., had a profit of $25.2 million in the second quarter, down 23
percent from the second quarter of 2008. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/24/09)
One F-35 suit dismissed
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A federal judge dismissed the city’s Freedom of Information Act
lawsuit against the Air Force. It was prompted by an Air Force agreement to provide the F-
35 noise data to the city. In addition to the FOIA suit, Valparaiso has sued the Air Force
over its decision to bring 59 F-35s to Eglin Air Force Base and use its runway nearest
Valparaiso. Negotiations continue in that case. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/23/09)
Gates backed in corner?
Defense Secretary Robert Gates thought he punted the aerial tanker problem to
someone else, but since he opted to stay on in his post, it’s right back in his hands. Gates
has insisted on a winner-take-all in the competition between Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team, but the House Appropriations Committee says it must review terms
of the competition. The increases the chance of politicking. Analysts say the review could
lead Gates to agree to a splitting the contract. (Source: Politico, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win. Boeing will
build them in Washington if it wins.
Goodrich 2Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. reported second quarter sales of $1,700 million, a
decrease of 8 percent compared to the second quarter 2008 sales of $1,849 million,
including sales reductions of $91 million related to foreign currency exchange rate
impacts and for lowered sales resulting from the formation of the engine controls joint
venture with Rolls-Royce. (Source: Goodrich via PRNewswire, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
Goodrich has an aerospace service center in Foley, Ala.
Raytheon 2Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. reported second quarter 2009 income from continuing
operations of $504 million, up 17 percent compared to $432 million in the second quarter
2008. Net sales for the second quarter 2009 were $6.1 billion, up from $5.9 billion in the
second quarter 2008. (Source: Raytheon via PRNewswire, 07/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
Raytheon has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Northrop Grumman 2Q report
LOS ANGELES - Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that second quarter 2009 earnings
from continuing operations totaled $394 million compared with $483 million in the second
quarter of 2008. Second quarter 2009 earnings included a net $64 million pre-tax gain for
legal matters as well as a $105 million pre-tax charge for cost increases in the estimates
to complete several ships under construction at the company's Gulf Coast shipyards.
(Source: Northrop via PRNewswire, 07/23/09)
Pentagon orders more M777s
The Pentagon has ordered 62 more M777 howitzers from BAE Systems in a deal worth
$117 million. The additional work for the company’s Barrow, UK, and Hattiesburg, Miss.,
facilities pushes manufacturing on current sales well into 2012. The Hattiesburg facility,
which opened in 2003, is responsible for final integration and test of the weapon system.
(Source: BAE Systems, 07/20/09) Gulf Coast note: BAE Systems also has operations in
Gautier, Miss., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Test wing gets new leader
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The 46th Test Wing welcomed a new leader in a
ceremony this week. Col. Michael Brewer accepted the helm of the wing from Maj. Gen.
Charles Davis, program executive officer for weapons and Air Armament Center
commander. Brewer was previously vice commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center,
Det. 3, Edwards AFB, Calif. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 07/21/09)
Boeing 2Q report
CHICAGO - The Boeing Company's second-quarter revenues rose 1 percent to $17.2
billion, while earnings per share rose 22 percent to $1.41. Operating cash flow increased
to $1 billion. The company also reported a backlog of $328 billion, nearly five times
current annual revenues. (Source: Boeing via PRNewswire, 07/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Last shuttle engine test slated
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The last planned Space Shuttle Main Engine test will
be July 29 at 2 p.m. CDT at this South Mississippi NASA center. The 520-second test
ends a 34-year era of space shuttle main engine testing at Stennis. The first shuttle
mission was in 1981 and there have been 126 since then, with all the main engines tested
at Stennis. Seven flights remain before the space shuttle fleet is retired. The center is now
helping NASA prepare for the next era of human spaceflight. Between 2007 and 2008,
Stennis conducted component testing as part of early development of the J-2X engine for
the Constellation Program. The J-2X will be tested at simulated altitudes up to 100,000
feet on the 300-foot A-3 test stand currently under construction at the center. (Source:
Stennis Space Center, 07/21/09)
County, Navy reach agreement on runway
MILTON, Fla. - Santa Rosa County and the Navy reached an agreement to let businesses
in a planned aviation park use a Whiting Field Naval Air Station runway. Whiting Aviation
Park will be built on 267 acres of land adjacent to the base. The land was purchased as
part of Santa Rosa County's ongoing encroachment-prevention efforts. The agreement
allows up to 75 flights a day. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/21/09) Previous story,
June 2009
County in running for service center
MILTON, Fla. - Santa Rosa County officials say the county is in the running for a military-
related service center that could employ 800 people. The executive director of TEAM
Santa Rosa Economic Development Council told the board of directors Monday that she
could find out next week if East Milton has been chosen as one of three sites in Florida to
compete with four other states for the facility. The company has not been named.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/21/09)
Lockheed Martin 2Q report
BETHESDA, Md. - Lockheed Martin Corp. today reported second quarter 2009 net
earnings of $734 million compared to $882 million in 2008. Net sales for the second
quarter of 2009 were $11.2 billion, compared to $11.0 billion in 2008. Cash from
operations for the second quarter of 2009 was $1.1 billion, compared to $1.5 billion in
2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 07/21/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed
Martin has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Feds could anchor proposed complex
MOBILE, Ala. - The government wants to lease 24,000 square feet of office space
downtown or at the Brookley Field Industrial Complex for Department of Homeland
Security agencies. Mobile Airport Authority officials said they've offered the first building in
a proposed office park that the authority would like to build on South Broad Street, south
of Fort Whiting and across the street from the Airbus engineering center. (Source: Mobile
Press Register, 07/21/09) Brookley is also the site chosen by EADS to assemble an aerial
refueling tanker if the company wins an Air Force contract.
Airborne tool would aid in ASW training
Antisubmarine warfare training may get a new airborne tool to detect marine mammals
that sometimes limit training exercises. Advanced Coherent Technologies LLC of San
Diego, Calif., was awarded a $7.7 million contract for a Phase III Small Business
Innovation Research project called “Living Marine Resources Imaging Sensor.” The
contract provides for the continued development of a flight ready prototype sensor. Sixty
percent of the work will be done in Mobile, Ala., and 20 percent in San Diego, and is
expected to be completed in July 2014. The Phase I solicitation requested development of
a radar system and associated algorithms to detect breaching whales in various sea
states. (Source: DoD, 07/20/09)
Second contractor pleads guilty
A former government employee at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., pleaded guilty Monday and
agreed to cooperate with an investigation of appropriations members of Congress steer to
defense contractors. Mark O’Hair pleaded guilty to a false statement and conflict-of-
interest charge. He’s the second defendant now cooperating with federal prosecutors
looking onto allegations of wrongdoing by contractors with ties to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
Last week Richard Ianieri, former chief executive of a defense contractor with ties to
Murtha pleaded guilty to soliciting kickbacks from a subcontractor in Pennsylvania.
(Sources: multiple, including AP, The Hill, Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/20/09)
Lakotas bound for Puerto Rico
The first two EADS North America-built UH-72A Lakota helicopters to be based outside of
the continental United States have been delivered to the Army for operations in Puerto
Rico. The helicopters are made in Columbus, Miss., by American Eurocopter, an EADS
North America company. (Source: EADS North America, 07/20/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS
also hopes to build a tanker assembly facility in Mobile, Ala. Another EADS company,
EADS-CASA, has a maintenance facility in Mobile.
UAVs integrated into AF plans
Air Force leaders last month approved the Air Force Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight
Plan. The plan outlines a coordinated strategy for UAV integration across all Air Force
functions. While the vision does not advocate replacement of manned missions, it does
identify UAS alternatives for some manned missions. The plan highlights capabilities that
will revolutionize UAV operations, including multi-aircraft control. The UAS Flight Plan is a
long-range vision to 2047. (Source: AFNS, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman
builds two unmanned systems, Global Hawk and Fire Scout, in Moss Point, Miss.; UAV-
maker AeroVironment has a training operation in Navarre, Fla.
Contract: McDonnell, $12.1M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $12,100,000 contract to provide
massive ordnance penetrator on B-2 platform. At this time $6,000,000 has been
obligated. AAC/708th, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
07/16/09)
More work done on Stennis stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Work on a pair of transfer docks for the new rocket
test stand at John C. Stennis Space Center has been completed. The docks allow barges
to deliver fuels to the A-3 Test Stand via Stennis’ seven-and-one-half-mile canal system
that connects the site to the Pearl River. From the docks, liquid oxygen and liquid
hydrogen will be loaded into run tanks and used to conduct engine tests. The docks also
are outfitted to allow for direct liquid transfer during a test. The A-3 stand will be used to
test the J-2X engine for the Constellation Program. (Source: Stennis Space Center,
07/17/09)
Keesler chosen for cyber training
BILOXI, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base was chosen as the site for the new Undergraduate
Cyberspace Training Unit, a program that will teach its students how to protect
communications networks. The new unit will mean more students and teachers at Keesler.
The first class begins in the fall of 2010. The training will include how to design, secure,
assess, exploit, attack and defend various communication networks, including telephones,
Internet protocol, satellite, land mobile radio, industrial control systems, integrated air
defense and tactical data link. (Source: The Sun Herald, 07/17/09)
60-year Keesler program ends
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – A course that’s been taught for six decades at
Keesler is ending and being merged with other career fields. The last radio
communications operations class in the 336th Training Squadron graduates next week.
Radio operators deploy radio transmitters, receivers and ancillary equipment for line-of-
sight, air-to-ground and satellite communications in fixed and tactical environments. The
training in the reconfigured career fields will continue to be done at Keesler. (Source:
Keesler Air Force Base, 07/15/09)
City’s FOIA suit accord reached
VALPARAISO, Fla. - City commissioners voted Wednesday to approve a settlement in
their Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed against the Air Force. Most of the meeting
with attorneys was held in executive session. As a part of the settlement, the Air Force
agreed to give Valparaiso all of the noise data within 30 days of the settlement’s signing
by both parties. The suit is connected to the establishment of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center. Valparaiso has been concerned over the noise associated with the
aircraft. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/15/09)
Contract: Pratt & Whitney, $571.1M
Pratt & Whitney of East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $571,114,320 modification to
the previously awarded Joint Strike Fighter F-135 (engine) low rate initial production Lot III
advance acquisition contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. It sets the
final price and fully funds the procurement of seven Air Force conventional take off and
landing propulsion systems, one spare main engine, initial spare modules and spare
parts; one Royal Netherlands Air Force CTOL propulsion system, one spare main engine,
and spare parts; seven Marine Corps short take off and vertical landing propulsion
systems; initial spare modules and spare parts; two United Kingdom Royal Navy STOVL
propulsion systems, one spare main engine, initial spare modules and spare parts. The
contract also provides for associated special tooling, test equipment and more. Work will
be performed in Connecticut, Indiana and the United Kingdom and is expected to be
completed in February 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
is schedule to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Contract: Bell Boeing, $24.5M
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $24,500,000 contract
for the development and delivery of safety corrective actions, reliability and maintainability
improvements, and quick reaction capability improvements in support of V-22 Osprey
missions for the Air Force Special Operations Command and the Marine Corps. Work will
be performed in Pennsylvania and Texas and is expected to be completed in December
2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Ospreys are used by the Air Force Special
Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Contract: Northrop, $26.6M
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a
$26,640,000 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for
additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk Maritime
Demonstration Program. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to
be completed in August 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built
in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout shows off real-time vid
A Northrop Grumman Fire Scout unmanned helicopter testing in the United States
provided real-time video feed of electro-optical/ infrared sensor imagery to participants at
the Paris Air Show last month. The video was of selected areas of Chesapeake Bay and
the shoreline of Southern Maryland. The Navy Fire Scout will complete operational
evaluation this summer. (Source: Globe Newswire, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts
are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
UK A330 ready to tanker conversion
The first Airbus A330 slated for the United Kingdom’s strategic tanker program has
arrived ahead of schedule at the Airbus facility in Madrid, Spain, to begin its conversion
into a multi-role tanker transport. The Royal Air Force tanker uses the same airframe as
Northrop Grumman’s KC-45, which is proposed for the U.S. Air Force’s tanker fleet.
(Source: EADS North America, 07/15/09) Gulf Coast note: If EADS and partner Northrop
Grumman win the Air Force contract, the KC-45 will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. If Boeing
wins it will be assembled in Washington.
L-3 Crestview Aerospace cuts jobs
CRESTVIEW, Fla. - L-3 Crestview Aerospace cut 28 jobs this week. That’s the same
number of positions that were cut in May. The company blamed the cuts on the decrease
in demand in the commercial aviation sector. The company, one of the largest employers
in Okaloosa County, is a subsidiary of L-3 Integrated Systems and does aircraft
modification and aerostructure fabrication. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/15/09)
Stennis projects among 20 picked
Two Stennis Space Center projects are among the 20 selected for NASA's Innovative
Partnerships Program. The NASA Innovation Fund was established to advance work from
NASA innovators on novel technologies and concepts that have the potential to
revolutionize the way NASA performs its missions. More than 230 proposals were
submitted. Each project is funded for a maximum of $50,000, with work to be completed by
the end of September. The two Stennis projects are titled “Harvesting Vibrational Energy
to Power Wireless Instrumentation Systems” and “Coanda Rocket Plume Deflectors for
Large-Scale Test Facilities.” (Source: NASA, 07/10/09)
Waveland incubator study funded
WAVELAND, Miss. - The U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development
Administration is providing a $24,000 grant to Waveland to develop a feasibility study on
establishing a business incubator in the city. Sandra Walters, EDA chief financial officer
and chief administrative officer, said the grant will determine the viability of a business
incubator to nurture technology and engineering-based businesses and help Waveland
capitalize on its proximity to Stennis Space Center. (Source: Times Picayune, 07/13/09)
F-15 to be displayed at airport
VALPARAISO, Fla. – An F-15 from the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base will go
on permanent display at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport. The plane was
transported Monday and will be part of a display, expected to be completed in August,
honoring the military. Another Eglin F-15 was sent to Mobile, Ala., where it will be part of
the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. The F-15s are being phased out at Eglin and
replaced by F-35s. (Source: Multiple, 07/13/09)
Okaloosa airport plans upgrades
VALPARAISO, Fla. - An upcoming project at Northwest Florida Regional Airport will
improve the electrical system, security and parking. Construction is expected to begin in
November on a number of improvements, including a realignment of the road leading to
the airport’s terminal. A pre-bid meeting for construction companies to get more details
about the project is scheduled for Tuesday. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
07/11/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $262.5M
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $262,500,000
contract for the long lead parts and material procurement for the 4th Space Based
Infrared Systems Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Satellite and the 4th Highly Elliptical Orbit
Payload. Space Based Infrared Systems Wing, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin
Mississippi Space and Technology Center, Stennis Space Center, Miss., builds
subsystems for SBIRS.
First JSF leadership now at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The future 33rd Operations Group deputy commander is
now at Eglin Air Force Base preparing for his role at the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center. Navy Capt. Mike Saunders arrived at Eglin a few weeks ago and is working with
the F-35 Joint Site Activation Task Force and shadowing current operations at the 33rd
Fighter Wing. He’s the first senior staff member of the future F-35 wing. Saunders
background includes leading the Navy Fighter Weapons School and Naval Strike and Air
Warfare Center. Air Force Col. James Ravella, future group commander, arrives next
month. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 07/08/09)
Contract: Sauer, $7M
Sauer Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $7,021,100 under a previously awarded
multiple award construction contract for the design and construction to renovate three
facilities at Stennis Space Center, Miss. It includes work on building 3205 and a new buoy
blast & paint facility for the National Data Buoy Center. Work is expected to be completed
by January 2011. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville,
Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/09/09)
Paris: Mississippi, partner make splash
The recent Paris Air Show let aerospace companies show off their products to military and
commercial buyers. But it also let South Mississippi and its partners Alabama and Florida
strut their stuff on a world stage, make contacts and build relationships they hope will pay
off down the road. (Source: Alliance Insight, 07/07/09)
Inouye: Split tanker buy too costly
The chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee now opposes directing the
Pentagon to buy tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Sen. Daniel Inouye
said in an interview today that his view has evolved since last month when he hadn’t ruled
it out and said he needed more data from the Pentagon. Now he said it may be “much
more expensive,” but he provided no figures. (Source: Bloomberg, 07/09/09)
Boom does night test
The EADS advanced aerial refueling boom system, featured on Northrop Grumman’s KC-
45 offering for the U.S. Air Force, demonstrated nighttime operational capabilities during a
multi-contact mission with an F-16 fighter aircraft. The boom’s system features laser
infrared lighting and high-definition digital stereoscopic viewing. The boom was installed
on EADS’ A310 test bed, and involved a Portuguese F-16AM. (Source: EADS, 07/08/09)
Gulf Coast note: EADS and partner Northrop Grumman plan to establish a tanker
assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., if they win the Air Force tanker contest against Boeing.
Boeing buying Vought plant
Boeing has agreed to acquire for some $580 million the business and operations of
Vought Aircraft Industries at its South Carolina facility. The Vought facility in North
Charleston does fabrication and assembly of structures and systems installation of 787 aft
fuselage sections, made primarily of composite materials. Boeing will acquire the assets
and inventory and assume operation of the site. This transaction is anticipated to close in
the third quarter. Once acquired, the North Charleston facility will be managed by the 787
program. Vought will continue its work on many Boeing programs, including other
components of the 787, as well as structures and components on the 737, 747, 767, 777,
C-17 and V-22 through operations located elsewhere. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/07/09)
Jacobs takes over Michoud
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has been certified by NASA ready
to assume operational management of the Michoud Assembly Facility. Jacobs was
awarded the manufacturing support and facility operations contract May 1, and officially
took over from Lockheed Martin July 1. It will employ about 450 workers. Jacobs president
and CEO Craig Martin said Michoud will be central to the success of human missions to
the moon and Mars. Michoud, manufacturer of Space Shuttle external tanks, has been
selected as the site to manufacture several major components for the Constellation
Program. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/07/09)
Opinion: Solving two aero dilemmas
A Bloomberg news columnist in Paris has an interesting way to resolve two problems
faced by the aerospace industry. Airbus should drop its troubled A400 troop transport so
European nations can buy proven transports from the United States. And in return, the
United States should buy the already flying Airbus A330 aerial tanker. It would help
aerospace companies on both continents, who in the future will face challenges from
China’s and India’s aerospace industries. (Source: Bloomberg, New York Times, 07/07/09)
Ares I moves forward
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Though the fate of Ares I is uncertain pending a review by a special
panel, the new crew launch vehicle is moving from the computer-aided design
workstations to various fabrication facilities. To hold down costs, NASA is developing Ares
I in-house before farming out production to industry. Experts in friction stir-welding have
produced their first tank dome using the same robotic tool that Boeing will use in upper
stage production at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Development of the J-
2X, which will power the Ares I upper stage and the earth departure stage, is moving
along. Power-pack trials were done at Stennis Space Center, and the A2 test stand will be
modified for the J-2X after the last space shuttle main engine test in September. (Source:
Aviation Week, 07/05/09)
Restored Electra unveiled
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A restored Lockheed Electra, the type of plane Amelia Earhart was
flying when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean, was unveiled Thursday at the
National Naval Aviation Museum. July 2 was the 72nd anniversary of Earhart's
disappearance during an attempt to circle the globe. The musem's Electra is painted in
Navy colors with dark blue wings, but is otherwise outfitted the same as Earhart's plane.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/03/09)
Justice joins suit against SAIC
The Justice Department has joined a whistleblower lawsuit over a $3.2 billion contract to
provide support services at Stennis Space Center, Miss. The suit claims Science
Applications International Corp. conspired with federal officials to rig the technology
contract awarded in 2004. The suit claims three former or current federal employees
conspired to steer a computer project to SAIC. A company started by one of those former
employees had teamed up with SAIC to bid on the contract. The suit was filed by David
McGee, a former employee at the center. (Source: Washington Post, Reuters, 07/03/09)
Boeing 2nd assembly line the buzz
Boeing may buy supplier Vought Aircraft Industries’ plant in North Charleston, S.C., and
establish a second 787 assembly plant there. The plant makes fuselage sections for the
787, but the purchase would put more of the troubled 787 program directly under Boeing’
s control. Analysts say it would make sense as a way to cope with the backlog of orders
for the program, already two years behind schedule. Washington state wants to keep any
second line in Puget Sound, but South Carolina is a right to work state and was in the
running in 2003 when Boeing was looking to build the 787 outside of Washington.
(Sources: Multiple, including Charlotte Business Journal, Dallas News, Seattle Times,
07/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Mobile, Ala., and Hancock County, Miss., were both among the
finalists for the 787 plant in 2003.
Contract: Lockheed, $441.9M
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $441,938,182 modification to definitize the previously
awarded Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III advance
acquisition contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. This modification
provides for common and unique performance based logistics support and hardware for
the sustainment of seven U.S. Air Force and one Government of the Netherlands
conventional take-off and landing aircraft; seven U.S. Marine Corps and two United
Kingdom short take-off vertical-landing aircraft; material necessary to support activation of
JSF bases; two aircraft systems maintenance trainers; one weapons loader trainer; two
full mission simulators; one USMC and one UK deployable mission rehearsal trainer;
sixteen LM-STAR avionics test stations; hardware and software for the integrated training
center; CVN autonomic logistics information system shipboard certification and
deployment; ALIS depot trade study; and associated technical and financial data. Naval
Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
07/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the JSF Training Center.
City eyes annexing part of Hurlburt
MARY ESTHER, Fla. – A proposal to annex a 3-mile stretch of Hurlburt Field is designed
to make his city larger and increase state revenue-sharing dollars. The annexation would
add 2,000 residents who live in base housing and barracks on the land. The city would
not assume any new services or maintenance duties, but residents of the annexed area
would be able to vote in local elections and run for office. Mary Esther's population is
about 4,500 now. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/01/09)
Hurricane Hunters prep for missions
ST. CROIX, U.S.V.I. - Members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 53rd Weather
Reconnaissance Squadron deployed to their detachment here to fly training missions
over the Caribbean in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season. Unit Airmen are part of
the 403rd Wing located at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and are the only Department of
Defense unit flying into tropical storms and hurricanes collecting critical data. During the
next months until Nov. 30, the Hurricane Hunters will be honing their skills in special WC-
130J Hercules aircraft. (Source: AFNS, 07/02/09)
Gulfport adds Dallas flight
GULFPORT, Miss. – Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is adding a fourth daily flight to
Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. The expanded service starts Aug. 25 on American
Airlines/American Eagle. The additional flights will leave Gulfport at 10:55 a.m. daily and
leave Dallas for the Coast at 11:10 a.m. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/01/09)
Keesler’s wins, losses
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Keesler will see a decrease of 31 military positions
and an increase of 15 civilian positions as a result of the Air Force's proposed force
structure realignment for fiscal 2010. The 81st Training Wing will have an increase of 14
civilian positions, while the 85th Engineering Installation Squadron and the 19th
Operational Group Detachment 6 each will get an additional position. The 81st Aerospace
Medicine Squadron's aeromedical staging flight will see a decrease of 31 military positions
due to mission transfer earlier this year. Other miscellaneous actions resulted in a
decrease of one civilian position. (Source: AFNS, 07/01/09)
Boeing picks ATK for motors
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Boeing chose Alliant Techsystems to make the upper stage ullage
motors for the Ares I launch vehicle. The Ares I is NASA's two-stage rocket that will launch
astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on missions to the International Space Station,
the moon and beyond. The ullage motor is similar to the Space Shuttle booster separation
motor. (Source: ATK, 07/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the Constellation Program;
Boeing has an operation at Michoud and ATK an office in Northwest Florida.
JUNE 2009
Contract: Kaman, $53M
Kaman Precision Products, Inc., Orlando, Fla., is being awarded a $52,970,557 firm-fixed
contract for joint programmable fuze systems, including the FMU-152 fuze and FZU-55
initiator, of five FMS countries for a quantity of 458 and the Air Force for a quantity of
14,601 each. 679th Armament Systems Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/09)
Land-configured Fire Scout tested
SAN DIEGO - A Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout successfully completed first flight
operations at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. Unlike current Navy configured Fire Scouts,
this one, designated P7, was built for land-based operations and is the first MQ-8B to fly
without flight test instrumentation usually installed for developmental flights. The P7's tests
will continue throughout the summer. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 06/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Taxiway nears completion
MOSS POINT, Miss. – A taxiway linking the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems
Center to the Trent Lott International Airport should be operational soon. Right now is just
needs lighting. Northrop Grumman does finishing work on the Fire Scout unmanned
helicopter at the center, and wants to do product flight testing in South Mississippi.
Jackson County Economic Development Director George Freeland said the addition of
the taxiway could create at least 16 more jobs at the center. (Source: Sun Herald,
06/28/09)
GE, USM to study composite engine parts
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A $2.4 million state grant will be used by a GE Aviation and the
University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Polymers and High Performance Materials
for research on composite materials for an GEnx engine to power the Boeing 787 and
747-8 aircraft. The grant is from the Mississippi Development Authority. GE Aviation,
which has a plant in Batesville producing composite-material parts for jet engines, will
spend $2.5 million on the research. About 15 to 20 USM students and faculty will work on
the one-year project. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 06/30/09)
Goodrich opens new China facility
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. opened a new facility in China’s Tianjin Airport
Industrial Park to support nacelle and thrust reverser original equipment as well as
maintenance, repair and overhaul activities. Part of Goodrich's Aerostructures business,
the 50,000 square foot facility will perform work for customers in the region. It also will
support engine buildup and podding work for the new Airbus A320 family aircraft final
assembly line in Tianjin. (Source: Goodrich, 06/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich's
Aerostructures business runs the Alabama Service Center in Foley, Ala., which provides
maintenance, repair and overhaul services on nacelles, doors, fairings, flight controls,
pneumatic ducting and wire harnesses.
Northwest region assesses Paris
EVERETT, Wash. – Companies and organizations are taking inventory of leads
developed at the Paris Air Show. The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, Washington
Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development and Aerospace Futures
Alliance organized a state aerospace pavilion at the show. Eleven Northwest aerospace
companies participated. Organizers estimate there were about 80 meetings. (Source:
Everett Herald, 06/29/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast region also had
representatives at the show. A common tie between the Northwest and Gulf Coast is
competition between Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the Air Force tanker project.
Boeing wants to build the planes in Washington, and Northrop and partner EADS want to
build them in Mobile, Ala.
Rolls-Royce BR725 EASA certified
Rolls-Royce received type certification for the new BR725 engine that will power the first
flight of the Gulfstream G650 business jet later in the year. Type certification was from the
European Aviation Safety Agency. Testing was done at various Rolls-Royce locations in
Europe and the United States, including the outdoor jet engine testing facility at NASA’s
John C Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: Rolls Royce, 06/24/09)
Hurlburt unit transfers to Cannon
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - Officials from the 16th Special Operations Squadron
held a squadron flag-transfer ceremony last week to mark the official transfer of the
squadron from Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 16th SOS flies the AC-130H gunship and conducts
missions such as close-air support, air interdiction and force protection. The AC-130H is
armed with 40 mm and 105 mm cannons. Det. 1 of the 16th SOS stood up at Cannon in
July 2008 to prepare the way for the arrival of eight aircraft and nearly 500 people.
(Source: AFNS, 06/26/09)
Tyndall faces cut of 600 positions
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force plans to cut nearly 600 military
positions and four civilian positions from Tyndall Air Force Base as part of the 2010
restructuring. The base is home to about 3,500 active-duty military and 2,000 civilian jobs.
By contrast, Hurlburt Field will see an increase of 435 military positions and 79 civilian
positions, and Eglin Air Force Base will see an increase of 123 military and 302 civilian
positions. The changes, if approved by Congress, would take effect Oct. 1. (Source:
Panama City News Herald, 06/26/09)
Aviation board consolidating parcels
NEW ORLEANS, La. – To make dozens of scattered acres of vacant airport-buyout land
more attractive to developers, the New Orleans Aviation Board has consolidated it into
eight parcels. Officials from Kenner, where most of the land is located, and Louis
Armstrong International Airport are drafting a request for proposals for potential
developers. The airport bought the land and razed houses beginning in the mid-1990s as
part of a noise-mitigation lawsuit, but it has remained vacant. Now the Federal Aviation
Administration, which paid for the property, has directed the airport to submit a plan by
October for using the land. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/26/09)
Mexico flight will encourage ties
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The AeroMexico nonstop flight between New Orleans and Mexico
City that begins next month will encourage business ties between Louisiana and Mexico,
experts said at a forum sponsored by the World Trade Center. The direct flight lasts two
hours and 20 minutes and begins service from New Orleans on July 7. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/27/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $9.7M
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $9,734,960 modification to a
firm-fixed-price contract providing a follow-on test and evaluation and captive carry
reliability program and will provide support in the performance of Advanced Medium-
Range Air-to-Air Missile Intercept Missile (AIM)-120D program. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 06/26/09)
Munitions gets new chief
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Col. Kenneth Echternacht was installed Thursday as the
new chief of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Munitions Directorate. He’ll be in charge
of more than 500 personnel. The directorate performs research on precision guidance,
missile guidance and control, computational mechanics, smart sub-munitions, warheads
and explosives. Echternacht, who worked at the lab from 1996 to 2000, was most recently
chief of the Air Force Science and Technology Division under the Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force for Acquisition. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/09)
Hubble astronauts visit Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Astronauts from the STS-125 mission to repair the
Hubble Space Telescope shared accounts of their mission during a visit Wednesday to
the StenniSphere, the visitor center at John C. Stennis Space Center. The crewmembers
thanked Stennis employees for their contributions to the mission. The astronauts spent
five days conducting five spacewalks to provide upgrades to the telescope as part of their
14-day mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis. (Source: NASA, 06/24/09)
Latest Global Hawk rolls out
PALMDALE, Calif. - Northrop Grumman and the Air Force unveiled the next-generation
Global Hawk Thursday. The RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk uses the MP-RTIP sensor, the
first time the active electronic scanned array technology has been used on a high-altitude
unmanned aircraft. AESA technology provides all-weather, day-night synthetic aperture
radar mapping and ground moving target indicator capability. Designated AF-18, it’s
scheduled to begin flight testing next month. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 06/25/09) Gulf
Coast note: Fuselage work on AF-18 was done in Moss Point, Miss.
Airport takes on project backlog
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has launched
the first of what will be $350 million in improvements to modernize the facility and create
about 7,000 construction jobs. Construction should be mostly finished before Super Bowl
2013. The most expensive project is a $114 million rental-car facility with 1,800 parking
spaces. The aviation board is using tax-exempt Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds for the
garage. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 06/25/09)
53rd gets new commander
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Col. Michael Gantt on Wednesday assumed command of
the 53rd Wing from Brig. Gen. (select) Steve DePalmer, who became vice commander of
the 14th Air Force in May. Gantt previously served as vice commander of the 31st Fighter
Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The 53rd reports to the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis
Air Force Base, Nev. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/09)
American Eagle adds Mobile flight
MOBILE, Ala. - American Eagle will resume a fourth daily round trip between Mobile and
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport starting Aug. 1. Traffic has picked up in Mobile.
May saw 2 percent more passengers through the airport than in May 2008, the first time
since February 2008 that traffic grew year over year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
06/25/09)
Contract: Northrop, $276.3M
The Air Force awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman for $276,281,235 to provide the
rapid fielding and support of a communications network for military drones – the Battlefield
Airborne Communications Node System. The system will be installed on three Bombardier
BD-700 Global Express and two Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft. 653d ELSG/PK, Hanscom
Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/24/09) Gulf Coast
note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Jacobs, $17.3M
The Air Force is modifying an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Jacobs
Technology, Inc., of Tullahoma, Tenn., for $17,280,405.89. This action will provide
technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various
other tenant organizations. This contract increases the work requirement. AAC/PKES,
Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/24/09)
Panel to visit Michoud
The commission reviewing NASA’s human space flight plans is visiting Huntsville’s
Marshall Space Flight Center and Decatur’s United Launch Alliance rocket plant in
Alabama this week. The commission also plans to visit Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans, which has been chosen to manufacture the Constellation Program’s Ares I upper
stage. (Source: Huntsville Times, 06/19/09)
Murtha: Pentagon weighing split tanker
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon may yet consider buying aerial tankers from both Boeing
and Northrop Grumman, according to Rep. John Murtha. The head of the House Defense
Appropriations Subcommittee said new acquisition chief Ashton Carter said the Pentagon
is examining data on a split buy. "He said, 'We're looking at it. We're going to see what
can be done,'" Murtha told reporters Wednesday. Murtha remains convinced a split is the
only way to avoid protests or delays. (Source: Reuters, 06/24/09) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop Grumman and partner EADS plan to build the tanker in Mobile, Ala., if they win.
Contract: BAE, $9.8M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$9,763,980 modification to a previously awarded contract for the procurement and
installation of a 55 civil global positioning system with electronic flight bag for the C-130T
aircraft. This modification also provides for the procurement of 45 install kits, 23
instrument display systems and 45 engine instrument display systems. Ninety percent of
the work will be performed in Crestview, Fla., and is expected to be completed in
September 2011. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/23/09)
High-powered laser fired in flight
KIRKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - A high-powered laser was successfully fired for the
first time from the Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft during a test conducted by the 413th
Flight Test Squadron of Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Boeing. The ATL is the 46th Test Wing's
modified NC-130H. The laser was fired over White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and hit a
ground target. ATL is equipped with a chemical laser, a beam control system, sensors
and weapon-system consoles. The system is designed to damage, disable or destroy
targets with little to no collateral damage. It’s intended for use on the battlefield and in
urban operations. The ATL program is managed by the 687th Armament Systems
Squadron, part of the 308th Armament Systems Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
(Source: AFNS, 06/19/09)
Contract: Jacobs, $25M
The Air Force is modifying an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to Jacobs
Technology, Inc., of Tullahoma, Tenn., for $25,083,864. This contract will provide
technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and various
other tenant organizations. This modification is to increase work requirement. AAC/PKES,
Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/19/09)
Tanker contest structure decision soon
Reuters reports that the Pentagon will decide in a few days how to structure the multi-
billion-dollar contest to replace the Air Force's tanker fleet. Said Defense Secretary
Robert Gates: “I’m probably within a few days of making a decision on the structure …
and who will be the acquisition authority.” He hopes to get a request for proposal out by
mid-summer. Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team will compete for the contract.
(Source: Reuters, 06/18/09) Gulf Coast note: If it wins, EADS wants to assemble the
tankers, based on the A330, in Mobile, Ala. Boeing, which may offer the 777 or the 767,
will build them in Washington state.
Technology sees tunnels
Three companies are marketing an airborne system designed to detect underground
tunnels and caves. The INSITE VI system resulted from a partnership between AeroTec,
NVision Solutions and EnTech Engineering. The system uses a helicopter fitted with a
sensor able to detect changes in terrain and ground temperature. Experts can see up to
80 feet deep into the earth to find caves, tunnels, pipes, and leaks in levees not visible
from the ground. NVision is based in Bay St. Louis, Miss., AeroTec in Birmingham, Ala.,
and EnTech in St. Louis, Mo. AeroTec also has an office in Picayune, Miss. (Source:
Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions, 06/17/09)
DRS FWB to build pods
PARSIPPANY, N.J. - DRS Technologies announced the receipt of follow-on orders of
$43.9 million for the P5 Combat Training System/Tactical Combat Training System. DRS
will be responsible for the production, testing, and fielding of the pods flown on a variety
of aircraft. Under contracts were awarded by the 689th Armament Systems Squadron at
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The pods will be manufactured at the DRS Technologies facility
in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., and deliveries will begin in mid-2010. (Source: MarketWatch,
06/17/09)
New Global Hawk rollout next week
The newest version of the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk will be unveiled during a
rollout next week in California. The Block 40 RQ-4 version of the unmanned jet has
improved sensors and radar for tracking ground targets. The roll-out of AF-18, the 27th
Global Hawk built, is June 25 at the Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center in Palmdale,
Calif. The Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., did
fuselage work on AF-18. (Source: Tcp, 06/16/09)
F-35, Eglin projects get funding
Rockwell Collins and Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems said their joint venture,
Vision Systems International LLC, received several contracts from Lockheed Martin
totaling more than $54.1 million for 52 helmet-mounted displays for the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter and 30 additional systems. Rockwell Collins also received initial financing for the
pilot facility standup at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., for the displays. The joint venture will
start delivering the items this year, with deliveries running through 2012. (Sources:
Forbes, MarketWatch, Reuters, 06/16/09)
Northrop, EADS affirm commitment
PARIS - Ronald D. Sugar, chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman, and Louis Gallois,
CEO of EADS, issued a joint statement today at the Paris Air Show affirming their
commitment to the Air Force tanker project. They said the KC-45 was previously selected
and they look forward to working the with Department of Defense. (Source: PRNewswire,
06/16/09) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS team plans to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala., if they win the $40 billion contract. Boeing hopes to win and build them in
Washington.
Nelson: Drilling threat to military mission
Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida is opposing a measure now in Congress, fearing it threatens
the military mission in Northwest Florida. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee approved a proposal to change a 2006 law that opened 8.3 million new acres
for drilling lease in exchange for a prohibition of drilling in the eastern gulf’s military testing
range. Nelson says it’s not worth the sacrifice to national security. The military uses the
Gulf of Mexico for pilot and weapons training. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 06/15/09)
Lockheed starts labor loan program
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin Space Systems' New Orleans facility will begin a
loaned labor program to keep workers employed as NASA shuts down its space shuttle
program. Lockheed, which has about 2,000 workers in its eastern New Orleans facility,
has built external fuel tanks for the space shuttle. By loaning out its employees, the
company hopes to hang on to them until they are needed when new space projects ramp
up. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 06/14/09)
Boeing to pitch 777 for tanker
Boeing will offer a 777 as well as a 767 in the competition against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team to provide aerial tankers for the Air Force. Jim Albaugh, Boeing’s
defense chief, made the comment in a briefing at the Paris Air Show. The larger aircraft
would offer maximum fuel capacity and the 767’s selling point is its flexibility, he said.
(Source: Bloomberg, 06/15/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to build the tanker in
Mobile, Ala., if it wins the competition.
Airbus: Win would mean U.S. jobs
PARIS – The U.S. industrial base will be increased if the Airbus A330 beats Boeing's 767
for the U.S. Air Force tanker contract, top executives of Airbus parent company EADS
said in Paris Saturday. EADS chief executive Louis Gallois said Boeing outsources much
of its parts manufacturing overseas, while the tanker proposed by Airbus and Northrop
Grumman would create jobs at a new assembly line in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Seattle Times,
06/14/09)
Davis sure F-35 accord will be found
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – The head of the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., had a wide ranging discussion with the editorial board of the Northwest Florida
Daily News Friday. Among other things, Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis discussed the noise
controversy over establishing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin. He
says he feels confident all 107 F-35s will eventually be placed within the Eglin range.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/13/09)
Flight academy groundbreak set
PENSACOLA, Fla. - There will be a groundbreaking Tuesday for the National Flight
Academy, a $26.5 million construction project at the national Naval Aviation Museum at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The academy will be a weeklong educational camp for
seventh to 12th grad students. The academy will teach science, math and technology,
with a focus on naval aviation. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 06/14/09)
Governors plan Paris airshow visit
Political heavyweights from Mississippi and Alabama will be attending the Paris Air Show
that begins Monday. Gov. Haley Barbour and Sen. Thad Cochran from Mississippi will be
going, as will Gov. Bob Riley, Sen. Richard Shelby and Rep. Joe Bonner of Alabama.
Barbour told the AP he and Riley will meet with officials from EADS, which with Northrop
Grumman is competing against Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. EADS wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala. Representatives from the Gulf Coast aerospace
region, which includes Mobile, also plan to attend the show and meet with prospects they
hope to lure to the Gulf Coast region. (Source: Tcp, 06/12/09)
Group to push for Boeing tanker
The state of Washington has a group designed to attract aerospace jobs to the state and
push for Boeing to win the Air Force tanker contract. The group, Washington Aerospace
Partnership, plans to work with the Council on Aerospace and Aerospace Futures
Alliance. Boeing is competing against Northrop/EADS for the contract. Boeing would build
them in Washington and Northrop/EADS would build them in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Seattle
Post-Intelligencer) Gulf Coast note: Mobile, Ala., has a group called Keep Our Tanker that
promotes the Northrop/EADS effort.
Paris air show set to begin
Organizers of the Paris Air Show expect 300,000 visitors during the multi-day event that
begins Monday. There will be 2,000 big and small exhibitors at Le Bourget, traditional
home for the show. The event takes place on the eve of a restart of the competition pitting
Boeing against Northrop Grumman and European teammate EADS to build tankers for the
U.S. Air Force. EADS hopes to build the planes in Mobile, Ala., at the center of the Gulf
Coast aerospace corridor. Also expected to be a big topic at the show is the emergence
of unmanned aerial vehicles, a hot field still filled with small players. That’s a topic of high
interest to South Mississippi, a build sites for Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned
systems. Representatives from the Gulf Coast aerospace region plan to attend the show
and hold a series of meetings with prospects they hope to lure to the Gulf Coast region.
(Source: Tcp, 06/11/09)
Lockheed moves forward on GEO-2
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Lockheed Martin team developing the Air Force's Space-Based
Infrared System mated the spacecraft bus with the infrared sensor payload for the second
geosynchronous (GEO-2) SBIRS spacecraft. The SBIRS satellite and ground system will
provide early warning of ballistic missile launches and support other operations. (Source:
Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 06/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi
Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss., makes the integrated
propulsion system for the SBIRS.
Eglin buying big Boeing bombs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
said it will buy 20 massive bombs designed to destroy hard targets or targets deep
underground. The 30,000-pound bombs - Massive Ordnance Penetrator – were
developed by the Air Force and Boeing. Five bombs will be used for tests. (Source: Air
Force Times, 06/10/09)
Eglin named historic site
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
named Eglin Air Force Base a historic aerospace site for 2009. It was among four
international locations getting the honor. The selection is to recognize noteworthy cultural
and technological contributions made in both aeronautics and astronautics. A bronze
plaque will be mounted at the Air Force Armament Museum at a ceremony in September.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 06/09/2009)
Whiting gets larger buffer
Nearly 1,400 acres near Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., are now protected from
further development. Florida's Cabinet on Tuesday approved the $5.1 million acquisition
of the land in Santa Rosa County. It's part of a larger Florida Forever project to fill in
protected land between Whiting and the Blackwater River State Forest. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 06/10/09)
Fisherman hooks live missile
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – A commercial fisherman caught an 8-foot-long missile while out
in the Gulf of Mexico near Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base late last month. He
kept it on his boat for the 14-day trip until he returned to Madeira Beach, near Tampa.
That’s when he learned it was a live air-to-air missile. The Gulf Coast region where he
found the missile is used by the military for training. (Source: St. Petersburg Times,
06/09/09) Note: Later reports indicated the bomb was not live and contained no
explosives.
Inouye keeps split tanker buy option
The chairman of the Appropriations Committee hasn’t ruled out directing the Pentagon to
buy tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Sen. Daniel Inouyo, D-Hawaii, said
he’s received industry reports suggesting a split contract would achieve savings of as
much as $42 billion when buying at least 360 aircraft over 30 years. He says he can’t
ignore that. (Source: Bloomberg via Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 06/08/09) Gulf Coast
note: Boeing plans to build the planes in Washington State and Northrop and partner
EADS want to build them in Mobile, Ala.
Commentaries push split buy
Congressman Jeff Miller of Florida and former Navy secretary John Lehmann wrote
separate commentaries in Politico and Defense News, respectively, pointing out that
buying tankers from Northrop Grumman and Boeing may be less expensive. Lehmann
argues that annual competition used to be the norm. He cites examples that show making
companies compete every year tends to drive down prices. Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates strongly opposes a split tanker buy. If Boeing wins it will build the planes in
Washington State, and if Northrop wins the planes will be built in Mobile, Ala. (Source:
Politico, 06/07/09; Defense News, 06/08/09)
Park’s use of runway moves forward
MILTON, Fla. – A proposed aviation park’s hope to get access to a military base’s taxiway
and runway has moved a step closer. The Office of the Assistant Under Secretary of the
Navy gave approval to Naval Air Station Whiting Field to negotiate with Santa Rosa
County for a limited use agreement. It would allow tenants of the proposed Whiting
Aviation Park to use a 6,000 foot runway to bring in aircraft requiring maintenance.
Crestview’s Bob Sikes Industrial Air Park has a similar joint use agreement with the Air
Force. (Source: Santa Rosa County, 06/04/09)
Datalink for GBU-53/B ready to fly
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon completed a series of hardware-in-the-loop lab
tests on the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II's datalink, a crucial step to clearing the
datalink for flight tests later this month. Engineers verified the Rockwell Collins datalink
worked as anticipated. Raytheon is competing for a GBU-53/B engineering and
manufacturing development contract, scheduled to be awarded in late 2009 with delivery
of production rounds beginning in late 2013. (Source: Raytheon, 06/05/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin is home of the Air Armament Center, where the Air Force develops and tests
aerial weaponry.
Northrop: Split tanker buy less costly
A report prepared by Northrop Grumman says buying aerial tankers from Boeing and
Northrop could offer significant long-term savings. That’s different than what Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates says. He says a split buy would add $7 billion to $14 billion to the
price tag. Northrop points out that it’s not advocating a split buy, just providing the
information. (Source: Reuters, 06/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and partner EADS
want to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala. Boeing wants to build its planes in Washington
State.
Resolution possible in F-35 fight
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A break may be looming in the dispute between the city of
Valparaiso and the Air Force over the F-35. WEAR-TV reports the city and Air Force filed
a joint motion to put Valparaiso's suit against the Air Force on hold for 90 days so they
can work towards a settlement. The suit seeks to prevent the Air Force from establishing
the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base. Valparaiso, concerned
about the noise, also has a suit over public records. (Source: WEAR-TV, 06/04/09)
ACCA a game changer for plane makers?
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The Air Force Research Laboratory
and Lockheed Martin had a demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo
Aircraft June 2 at Palmdale, Calif. The ACCA is a modified Dornier 328J with the fuselage
aft of the crew station and the vertical tail removed and replaced with new structural
designs made of advanced composite materials fabricated using out-of-autoclave curing.
The ACCA program manager said the program has the potential of changing aircraft
manufacturing. (Source: AFNS, 06/03/09) Gulf Coast note: South Mississippi has a
national known advanced materials research program; the National Center for Advanced
Manufacturing is located in New Orleans; unmanned aerial systems are built in Moss
Point, Miss.; EADS hopes to assemble tankers and cargo planes in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker tests underwing pods
The aircraft Northrop Grumman and partner EADS hope to use as an Air Force tanker,
the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport, conducted successful in-flight contacts using its
new generation hose and drogue refueling pod. The tests of the underwing pods were
performed with a Royal Australian Air Force A330 and F/A-18A fighter. The tanker also
has a fuselage hose and drogue. (Source: EADS, 06/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing and
Northrop Grumman are competing for the Air Force contract. Northrop and partner EADS
will assemble the planes, called a KC-45, in Mobile, Ala., if they win.
Lockheed awarded $1.5B for SBIRS
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.5 billion contract for
the third highly elliptical orbit (HEO-3) payload, the third geosynchronous orbit (GEO-3)
satellite and associated ground modifications for the Space-Based Infrared System
(SBIRS) constellation. A contract to include a fourth HEO payload and possible fourth
GEO satellite is expected to be awarded later this year. The SBIRS program is designed
to provide early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other missions
including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace awareness. (Source:
PRNewswire, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS work locations include the SBIRS Wing at
Los Angeles Air Force Base, Sunnyvale, and Azusa, Calif.; Boulder, Denver, and
Colorado Springs, Colo.; Gaithersburg, Md.; Valley Forge, Pa.; and Lockheed Martin
Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Airbus not expecting big sales at show
Tom Enders, the chief executive of Airbus, says he doesn’t expect big orders at this month’
s Paris Air Show. Enders said Airbus must keep expanding abroad to stay competitive and
leave national sentiment behind. “Airbus will only remain competitive in the long term if it
develops resources and markets globally and becomes a genuinely international
company, with development and production also in the U.S., China, India and elsewhere.”
Airbus has already set up an aircraft assembly line in China, and India has pressed Airbus
for a production line there as well. But Airbus has been busy in domestic restructuring,
aircraft production delays and union opposition to offshoring. (Source: Liverpool Daily
Post, 06/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent EADS hopes to win an Air Force contract
for tankers and assemble them in Mobile, Ala. It also plans to build cargo aircraft in Mobile
if it wins.
Contracts: Lockeed Martin, $2.1B
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $2,106,525,040 modification of a previously awarded
Joint Strike Fighter air system low rate initial production Lot III advance acquisition
contract to a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract. This modification provides for the
procurement of seven Air Force conventional take off and landing and one for the
Netherlands; seven Marine Corps short take-off and vertical landing and two for the
United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire,
Maryland and the United Kingdom and is expected to be completed in December 2011.
This contract combines purchases for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and the governments
of the Netherlands and United Kingdom. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Space review panel named
An independent 10-member panel that will review the nation’s human space flight program
will hold its first meeting June 17 in Washington. Recommendations will be made by the
end of August. The administration last month announced formation of the panel and
named former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine to head the panel. The remaining
nine members were announced Monday. (Source: New York Times, 06/02/09) Gulf Coast
note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
are involved in the space program.
Gulfport gets another new flight
BILOXI, Miss. - Grand Casino Biloxi and IP Casino Resort teamed with Southern Skyways
to offer nonstop flights between Atlanta and Gulfport three days a week at Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport. Flights on a 117-seat Boeing 717 operated by AirTran Airways will
begin July 8. This is the third announcement of new service to Gulfport in the past three
months. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/01/09)
Bonner, Davis weigh in on tanker fight
The Washington Times published a commentary by Reps. Jo Bonner and Artur Davis of
Alabama, urging the Pentagon to build on the original Request for Proposal rather than
go back to square one in the tanker competition. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team are competing for the $40 billion contract to replace the fleet of KC-
135s. Northrop won the contract but it was overturned following a Boeing protest. The
competition is scheduled to get underway again this summer. (Source: Washington Times,
06/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing wants to build the tankers in Washington State and
Northrop wants to build them in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: AeroVironment, $7M
Aerovironment Inc. of Monrovia, Calif., is being awarded a $7,000,000 modification to an
existing contract increasing the contract maximum to $10,000,000 for updated DDL
compliant Raven B Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle spares and retrofit kits in support of
the U.S. Special Operations Command Program Executive Office - Fixed Wing. The work
will be performed in Simi Valley, Calif., and is expected to be completed by August 2011.
(Source: DoD, 06/01/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an operation in Navarre,
Fla.
Rockwell buys DataPath
Iowa-based Rockwell Collins has completed the acquisition of satellite-based
communication network developer DataPath Inc. Rockwell Collins acquired all outstanding
shares of DataPath in a cash transaction worth some $130 million. (Source: Business
Wire, 06/01/09) Gulf Coast note: Rockwell Collins has an operation at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.
MAY 2009
NASA awards LN2, LOX contracts
NASA picked three companies to provide liquid nitrogen (LN2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) to
six NASA facilities. Linde LLC of Murray Hill, N.J., will supply 256,500 tons of LN2 and
173,000 tons of LOX to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The three-year base period
has two one-year options with a maximum value of $28.8 million. The contract begins July
1. LN2 is used for pneumatic actuation, purging, cooling and pressurization of equipment
and LOX is an oxidizer in cryogenic rocket engines. Companies chosen to supply other
NASA facilities are Air Products and Chemicals of Allentown, Pa., and Air Liquide Industrial
of Houston. (Source: NASA, 05/29/09)
Push on for Tyndall fighters
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – The news that the Air Force will speed up the drawdown of F-15s at
Tyndall Air Force Base is firing up efforts to find a replacement. Rep. Jimmy Patronis
wrote to the Secretary of the Air Force asking that F-35s be considered for Tyndall. He
pointed out that the community is supportive of the Air Force mission. (Source: Panama
City News Herald, 05/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will become home
of the F-35 training center, but all branches of the military are considering additional
bases for the joint-service fighter.
Test stand rises over Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Structural work has been finished on the A-3 test
stand that will be used to test engines for the Constellation Program. Work has now
begun on general construction. When completed, the A-3 stand will test J-2X engines that
will propel the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. The A-3
can simulate altitudes up to 100,000 feet and can withstand a million pounds of thrust.
The stand has a completion date for May 2011. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/28/09)
Early Fire Scout test for Army planned
Northrop Grumman plans to test-fly for the Army its own Fire Scout unmanned helicopter
next month in Yuma, Ariz. The Fire Scout, called an XM157 Class IV UAV by the Army, is
part of the embattled Future Combat Systems program. The test is coming far earlier than
the one the Army plans in 2011. The Fire Scout is already being test-flown by the Navy.
(Source: Aviation Week, 05/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
AMRAAM completes test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Raytheon’s newest variant of the Advanced Medium-
Range Air-to-Air Missile completed its seventh test flight March 19 when an AIM-120D
AMRAAM was fired from an F-15D fighter. Initial analysis shows the missile achieved all
primary test objectives. The Navy and Air Force have tested AIM-120D on the F/A-18 E/F
and F-15C/D fighters. (Source: Raytheon, 05/29/09)
Blue Angels trim practice sessions
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Because of budget constraints, the Navy is cutting one day of
practice for the Blue Angels flight demonstration team. The F/A-18 Hornets will no longer
practice on Tuesday, but will continue Wednesday sessions. None of the remaining air
show appearances are being canceled. The team is based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. (Sources: Pensacola News Journal, AP via Miami Herald, 05/27/09) Note: Two
Tuesday practices were cut before the team returned to a full schedule, according to later
reports.
Contract: Far East Const., $13.8M
Far East Construction Corp., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $13,750,756 contract for
construction of parking lots and infrastructure. Buildings to be constructed include the
group support battalion logistics, tactical equipment maintenance facility, organization
equipment storage facility and more. Work is to be performed in Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., with an estimated completion date of May 22, 2010. Corps of Engineers Mobile
Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/27/09)
Contract: Broadmoor, $5.9M
Broadmoor LLC, Metairie, La., is being awarded $5,950,000 contract under a previously
awarded contract for design and construction of a jet engine maintenance shop addition
and an aircraft test cell foundation at Naval Air Station - Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans.
Work will be performed in Belle Chase, La., and is expected to be completed by June
2010. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/27/09)
Tanker now in active wing
Boeing says three KC-767J aerial tankers have achieved initial operational capability and
are now in an active air wing in the Japanese air force. The tankers were designated
operational after a yearlong technical evaluation. A fourth plane will be delivered in the
first quarter of 2010. (Source: Boeing, 05/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The KC-767 is
expected to compete against the Northrop Grumman/EADS KC-45 for a $40 billion Air
Force aerial tanker contract. Northrop hopes to build its planes in Mobile, Ala.
Airports get FAA funds
Mississippi airports will share $4.7 million in grants from the Federal Aviation
Administration, according to Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker. Among them,
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport will get $2.2 million for a covered walkway from the
parking area to terminal building. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 05/27/09)
Eglin fuzed weapon test successful
WILMINGTON, Mass. - Textron Defense Systems said its Sensor Fuzed Weapon smart
munition system completed three successful flight tests at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The
tests used SFW units assembled at the new McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in
Oklahoma. The Textron SFW, a cluster munition, has a redundant system - three modes -
that cause warheads to self-destruct if they fail to find a target or are rendered inactive
through the depletion of electrical firing energy after hitting the ground. (Source: Business
Wire, 05/26/09)
Bolden nominated as NASA chief
Veteran space shuttle commander Charles F. Bolden Jr. has been nominated by
President Obama to serve as NASA’s administrator. It's been four months since the
departure of former administrator Mike Griffin, a rocket scientist appointed by the Bush
administration to oversee the shuttle’s 2010 retirement and development of the
Constellation Program, designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. (Source:
Multiple, 05/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud
Assembly Facility and the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, both in New
Orleans, are involved in NASA programs.
Eglin impact study draft ready
The first draft of a study on the compatibility between Eglin Air Force Base and the
surrounding communities has been released and a series of public meetings has been
scheduled. The study reviews the impact Eglin's mission and the base's projected growth
stemming from the Base Realignment and Closure act. Comments from the meetings will
be incorporated in the final version expected to be completed by July. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 05/22/09. The study can be accessed at the Daily News web site.)
StenniSphere sports new exhibit
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The visitor center at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space
Center, StenniSphere, has unveiled its latest permanent exhibit: Science on a Sphere, a
68-inch global presentation of planetary data of the past, present and future.
StenniSphere is the third NASA visitor center to offer Science on a Sphere, a computer
system that uses four projectors to show dynamic, revolving, animated views of Earth’s
and other planets’ atmosphere, geography and more. Science on a Sphere was
developed by NOAA about five years ago. Stennis is the 36th site to house the exhibit.
(Source: NASA, 05/23/09)
Jet noise topic of meeting
NICEVILLE, Fla. – Sixty residents attended Eglin Air Force Base’s second town hall
meeting to discuss the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center. About a third of Maj. Gen. C.
R. Davis' presentation addressed plans to bed down the F-35s at Eglin and the options
for noise mitigation. Davis assured the audience that the Air Force was doing all it could
to consider ways to decrease noise. He said locating the center at other areas “begging
for the airplane” is not an option. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/21/09)
Low-flying jet tests radar system
MOBILE, Ala. - A Coast Guard jet made six low passes – 300 to 500 feet – over the Mobile
River near Austal USA Thursday, allowing radar tests aboard the littoral combat ship
Independence. Austal is part of a General Dynamics Corp.-led team competing to build
dozens of the warships. The Independence and a second LCS on order have aluminum
trimaran hulls. A team led by Lockheed Martin Corp. delivered the first of its steel-hulled
ships to the Navy in the fall and is working on a second vessel. (Source: Mobile Press
Register, 05/22/09)
Airport dumps taxi deal
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Just before a federal court was to finish hearing a claim that the
New Orleans Aviation Board rigged a competition for curbside taxicab management,
airport officials killed the deal and promised to revise their procurement process. (Source:
New Orleans Times-Picayune, 05/21/09)
AF likely to keep tanker oversight
A Pentagon official said the Air Force is expected to resume control over the aerial tanker
competition between Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, according to
Reuters. The Pentagon chief weapons buyer was given control over the program last
summer after auditors faulted the Air Force's handling of the competition. Early this week,
Aviation Week reported that the Pentagon had decided if the Air Force or Pentagon’s
acquisition chief would manage the upcoming competition. (Source: Reuters, 05/21/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they win
the contract.
TSA gets more Rapiscan scanners
The Transportation Security Administration has awarded Rapiscan Systems a follow-on
order of about $3 million for its Rapiscan 620DV Advanced Technology X-Ray scanning
systems. The award for the baggage and parcel screening system for airports is one of
the first made by TSA that uses economic stimulus funds. Rapiscan, of Torrance, Calif., is
a global supplier of security inspection systems. (Source: Business Wire, 05/20/09) Gulf
Coast note: Rapiscan has a manufacturing operation – Ferson Technologies/Rapiscan –
in Ocean Springs, Miss.
Ares I parachutes tested
The first test of the Ares I rocket’s three main parachutes was completed Wednesday at
the Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, Ariz. The largest rocket parachutes ever
manufactured – 150 feet in diameter and weighing 2,000 pounds each – they slow the
descent of the rocket's spent first-stage motor, permitting recovery for use on future
flights. Ares I, the first rocket in NASA's Constellation Program, is designed to launch
explorers aboard the Orion crew capsule on journeys to the International Space Station,
the moon and beyond. (Source: NASA, 05/20/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center
in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are involved in the
Constellation program.
AF retiring 250 fighters
The Air Force announced plans to eliminate some 250 fighter jets – including some from
Eglin and Tyndall air force bases in Florida - from its inventory to free up money for next-
generation aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, according to a news release. The move
would save $355 million in fiscal 2010 and $3.5 billion over the next five years. The
service would retire 112 F-15s, 134 F-16s and three A-10s. Five additional fighter aircraft
already had been designated to go out of service in the next fiscal year. Under the
proposal, Tyndall Air Force Base would lose 48 F-15s but retain 28 F-22s. Eglin Air Force
Base, which is scheduled to become the home of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center, would lose two F-15s and retain five. (Source: Stars & Stripes, European edition,
05/20/09. AF press release)
EADS edges out Boeing
Europe’s multi-country EADS edged out U.S.-based Boeing as the biggest aerospace and
defense company in the world in 2008, based on revenues. A study from Deloitte
released Tuesday said Boeing had led EADS in 2007, but a strike of machinists in
Boeing's commercial division last fall allowed EADS to move ahead. Deloitte's study of 67
aerospace and defense companies or divisions of companies found that European
companies grew faster at 9.56 percent in revenue than U.S. firms, which grew at 6.3
percent. (Source: PRNewswire, Inside Defense, 05/19/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS and
Boeing are competing to build the next generation of aerial tanker. Boeing wants to build
them in Washington State and EADS wants to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Combat controller gets Bronze Stars
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - A combat controller was presented with two Bronze Stars with
valor during a recent ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Master Sgt. Ken
Huhman, a special tactics recruiter in San Antonio, received the medals for his actions
during a 2007 deployment to Afghanistan while assigned to the 23rd Special Tactics
Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source: AFNS, 05/19/09)
F-35 engine completes test
The Pratt & Whitney F135 short takeoff/vertical landing propulsion system exceeded
thrust performance expectations in recently completed tests, providing more vertical
power than required by the F-35 Lightning II STOVL aircraft. The testing was conducted
at a hover pit at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. There are three variants of the F-
35 Joint Strike Fighter, including the vertical takeoff and landing version. (Source: Pratt &
Whitney, 05/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is to be the home of the
Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Niceville unit achieves rating
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems’ Niceville Operations in Florida has
achieved CMMI Maturity Level 3 for systems engineering. The Niceville Operation
specializes in the design, development and production of warheads for tactical missiles,
rockets, ammunition and bombs. The designation means the operation incorporates CMMI
best practices into its system engineering processes throughout product life cycles. GD
Ordnance and Tactical Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics of Falls Church,
Va. (Source: General Dynamics, 05/19/09)
AF could lose tanker oversight
Pentagon officials have not decided whether an upcoming tanker competition between
Boeing and a Northrop Grumman/EADS North America will be managed by the Air Force
or the Defense Department’s acquisition chief, according to David Van Buren, acting
assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/18/09)
Gulf Coast note: If Boeing wins the planes would be built in Washington State; if
Northrop/EADS wins planes would be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
China Airbus completes flight
The first A320 aircraft assembled outside Europe completed a four-hour, 14-minute flight
Monday. It was assembled at the Final Assembly Line China, a joint venture between
Airbus, a 51 percent stakeholder, and a Chinese consortium that includes Tianjin Free
Trade Zone and China Aviation Industry Corp. The aircraft, which will be operated by
Sichuan Airlines, took off from Tianjin International Airport. An Airbus official said the
plane has the same quality as those assembled in Hamburg and Toulouse. (Source:
Airbus, 05/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent EADS plans to build an assembly facility
in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or a part of an Air Force contest to build tankers.
Tanker fleet shows age
WICHITA, Kan. - McConnell Air Force Base is the largest tanker base in the world, and
personnel know the problems keeping airborne a fleet built in the late 1950s and early
1960s. Metal fatigue, corrosion, and replacing parts never intended to be replaced are
common. As the debate continues in Washington over the Boeing vs Northrop Grumman
contract to replace the fleet, those in the field struggle to keep aloft aircraft so critical for
the nation’s defense. (Source: Wichita Eagle, 05/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and
partner EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win all or part of the
contract.
Hunter UAV hits milestone
HERNDON, Va. - Northrop Grumman’s Hunter unmanned aircraft, used by the Army since
1996, has surpassed 75,000 flight hours in service - 50,000 flown in combat. The MQ-5B
Hunter is used for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, weapons delivery and
communications relay. The model designated RQ-5A was the Army’s first fielded UAV.
(Source: Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 05/15/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., has done
refurbishing work on the Hunter.
Panel to get split buy data
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will provide data to Congress on
the cost of buying tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye planned to insert language
requiring the data in the fiscal 2009 war spending bill, but dropped the plan after talking to
Gates. Pentagon officials oppose splitting the contract, saying it would be too costly.
Some in Congress say a split buy would prevent a losing side from filing a protest and
delaying the important procurement. (Source: Reuters via Forbes, 05/14/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS will assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win all or part of the
contract.
Contract: Raytheon, $53.9M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Raytheon Missile Systems Co. of
Tucson, Ariz., for $53,919,693. This action will provide miniature air launched decoy Low
Rate Production for 25 month production effort to include all 162 up rounds, 81
containers, warranty rotable spares and a 12-month Interim Contractor Support. 692
ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/14/09)
Eglin to get AFOTEC personnel
KIRKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation
Center will begin realigning manpower to improve mission effectiveness pending
completion of an environmental impact assessment. The realignment will shift 33 percent
of the personnel from AFOTEC’s Kirtland Air Force Base headquarters to four AFOTEC
detachments at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Edwards AFB, Calif., Nellis AFB, Nev., and
Peterson AFB, Colo. The change affects 20 civilian and 71 military billets. (Source: AFNS,
05/12/09)
General wants to improve synergy
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The new commander of the Air Armament Center plans to
improve the synergy between weapons and aircraft. Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis, who
previously was program executive officer of the Joint Strike Fighter, has managed other
aircraft programs as well and wants to incorporate that knowledge into Eglin’s weapons
programs. "We at the AAC can do a better job trying to help build a strategic plan on how
we produce more synergy between the weapons and the airframe," Davis said. The
"levels of technology and capability between the two have always been out-of-sync and
mismatched,” and he wants to “rebalance the equation.” Eglin is scheduled to become
home to the Joint Striker Fighter Training Center and the 7th Special Forces Group.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 05/12/09)
Tanker boom tested
An Airbus A330 tanker transport completed a test of the in-flight handling characteristics
of its refueling boom system. The flutter testing of the first A330 built for Australia was
done under a variety of conditions. In a different test last month, the A330 was refueled by
a French C-135. Northrop Grumman plans to use the A330 platform for its KC-45, which is
competing against the Boeing KC-767 for a $40 billion Air Force contract. (Source: EADS,
05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop/EADS plans to build the KC-45 in Mobile, Ala., if it
wins the contract.
Boeing moves MDS to Huntsville
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Boeing Co. will relocate headquarters for its Missile Defense
Systems division from Arlington, Va., to Huntsville, starting immediately. Boeing initially will
shift division management and support functions to Huntsville, and will evaluate moving
other MDS employees. Between 40 and 50 positions may be transferred by the end of this
year. Boeing says customers have been locating more operations to Huntsville and it
wants to remain close to them. Boeing Huntsville operations include the defense work and
work with the space program. (Source: Boeing, 05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing also
has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
Loud jet noise played at meeting
VALPARAISO, Fla. – A Valparaiso resident recorded the sounds of an F-35, F-15 and F-
16 last month and played them Monday at a Valparaiso City Council meeting to show the
differences. Bob Webb, an audio professional, played the 45-second clip during an hour-
long presentation attended by about 50 people. According to his estimates, the average
person would find the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter two to three times louder than the F-16.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/11/09) Gulf Coast note: The Air Force plans to
locate the JSF training center at Eglin Air Force Base.
Coast Guard pondering UAVs
The U.S. Coast Guard is still in the market for an unmanned aerial system to extend the
surveillance reach of the new National Security Cutter fleet, the head of acquisition for the
service said May 11. The Coast Guard ended its planned vertical takeoff UAV program,
and has been monitoring other UAV programs, said Rear Adm. Gary Blore, assistant
commandant for acquisition. He said the Navy’s Fire Scout appears to be the farthest
along but "we’re still waiting for [maritime] radar to be integrated on Fire Scout." (Source:
Aviation Week, 05/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss., and the first National Security Cutter was built in Pascagoula, Miss.
EADS: Plans still on track
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. on Monday refuted a published report
that indicated the slumping economy may force it to scrap plans to build cargo aircraft in
Mobile, Ala. Aerospace Daily quoted Airbus executive Domingo Urena as saying the
company was re-evaluating the plan to assemble a cargo version of the A330 in Mobile
because of slack demand for the planes. EADS and teammate Northrop Grumman are
competing for the Air Force contract to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala. The company
had previously said it would build the cargo planes in Mobile as well if it wins all or part of
the tanker contract. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/12/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $521.2M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed price contract to Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for
$521,236,837 for 105 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air, Missile Air Intercept Missile All-
Up-Round missiles, 11 AIM-120 D air vehicles instrumented, two AIM-120D Integrated test
vehicles, 72 AIM-120D captive air training missiles, 495 AIM-120C7 FMS and more.
695ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/11/09)
Former LM chief named to panel
The long-term plan for human spaceflight will have to wait until the end of the summer at
the earliest while a panel headed by former Lockheed Martin CEO Norman Augustine
reviews it at the request of the White House. The panel will include NASA insiders and
outside experts to review the Bush-era “Vision for Space Exploration.” Among topics to be
covered will be narrowing the post-shuttle gap in delivering crews to the International
Space Station on U.S. vehicles; pushing human exploration beyond low Earth orbit to the
moon and beyond, and boosting commercial human spaceflight, according to John
Holdren, Obama's science adviser. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/08/09) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are
both involved in the space program.
Drone washes ashore
OKALOOSA ISLAND, Fla. – A target drone that had been shot down Feb. 25 over the
Gulf of Mexico was found washed ashore over the weekend. The BQM-167 subscale
drone had been shot down as part of a weapons evaluation test by the 83rd Fighter
Weapons Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. It washed up on Air Force property a
quarter mile west of El Matador Condominiums. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
05/11/09)
BAE Systems marks milestone
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – BAE Systems employees gathered at Lake Terrace Convention
Center Friday to celebrate the 500th M777 howitzer made in Hattiesburg. The plant is the
only supplier of the M777 howitzer, producing 14 of the lightweight howitzers each month.
The company is under contract for 737 howitzers by January 2011. The Hattiesburg
facility opened in 2003. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 05/09/09) Gulf Coast note: BAE
Systems also has operations in Gautier, Miss., and Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Board OKs flight academy construction
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The National Naval Aviation Museum Foundation's board of directors
voted this week to begin construction on the National Flight Academy at Pensacola Naval
Air Station. The foundation approved plans for the $26.5 million construction project,
which includes a 100,000-square-foot academy facility, and a 55,000-square-foot addition
to the National Naval Aviation Museum. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/09/09)
Program aims to inspire students
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - High school students in communities near Stennis
Space Center can participate in NASA's Interdisciplinary National Science Program
Incorporating Research Experience, or Inspire. Selectees will participate in an online
learning community in which students and parents have the opportunity to interact with
peers and NASA engineers and scientists. Inspire is designed to encourage students to
pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. For information, visit www.
nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE. (Source: NASA, 05/08/09)
NASA budget, planned study unveiled
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Along with the unveiling of NASA’s fiscal year 2010 budget on
Thursday, the White House announced the launch of an independent review of NASA's
human spaceflight activities. The review will examine NASA programs and possible
alternatives. As for the budget, NASA is requesting an $18.69 billion budget to advance
Earth science, complete the International Space Station, explore the solar system and
conduct aeronautics research. All totaled, an additional $2 billion has been added to
NASA's 2009 and 2010 budgets under the Obama administration and funds a program of
space exploration involving humans and robots with the goal of returning Americans to the
moon and exploring other destinations. (Source: NASA, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both
involved in NASA programs.
Pentagon big on UAVs
The fiscal 2010 Pentagon budget released Thursday held no surprises since Defense
Secretary Robert Gates in early April previewed what it would include. As expected, the
budget provides a good deal of money for unmanned aerial systems. It includes $1.45
billion for five Air Force Global Hawks high-altitude UAVs, as well as funding for five Fire
Scout unmanned helicopters for the Navy. The Pentagon also plans on buy Ravens for
the Army and Shadows for the Marines. The Predator will be giving way to the more
advanced Reaper. The budget also includes $400 million to restart the competition
between Boeing and Northrop Grumman/EADS for the aerial tanker project. (Source:
Multiple, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks and Fire Scouts are made in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.; Northrop/EADS plan to build the tanker
in Mobile, Ala., if they win the competition.
Pentagon: Kill alternative F-35 engine
The Pentagon is killing the alternate engine program for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in
the fiscal 2010 defense budget request. The move ends funding for the F136 General
Electric/Rolls-Royce engine, leaving funding only for Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine. But
lawmakers have restored funding every time the Pentagon has sought to cut it in the past.
(Source: Aviation Week, 05/07/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will
become home to the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Runway work begins
MOSS POINT, Miss. – Work has begun on a new taxiway linking Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center to Trent Lott International Airport's runway. The 419-foot-long
project should be finished within two weeks, said Carol Snapp, the airport's executive
director. With Taxiway C3 in place, Northrop can begin product flight tests of Fire Scout
unmanned helicopters, said site manager Bryan Mahoney. (Source: Mississippi Press,
05/07/07)
Northrop awards suppliers
A Pensacola company was among 130 suppliers nationwide honored by Northrop
Grumman this week. The suppliers provide Northrop’s Aerospace Systems sector with
products ranging from aircraft parts to electronics for spacecraft, as well as everyday
services. Johnson Supply Co., which supplies coatings and sealants, was among 62
platinum award winners for 2008. The company also recognized 11 top suppliers and 56
gold award winner. (Source: Globe Newswire, 05/06/09)
EADS appoints tanker program chief
EADS North America appointed Michael Cosentino as vice president and program
manager, tanker programs. He’ll work closely with Northrop Grumman on the KC-45
tanker and oversee the company’s tanker program and engineering efforts in the United
States. EADS North America and Northrop Grumman are competing against Boeing to
replace the aging Air Force tanker fleet. The KC-45 will be built in Mobile, Ala., if the
Northrop/EADS team wins. (Source: EADS North America, 05/05/09)
Constellation review expected
The Obama administration this week may order a review of the spacecraft program NASA
hoped would replace the space shuttle, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The review
would examine whether the Ares I rocket and Orion capsule are the best options to send
astronauts into orbit by 2015. The review of the Constellation program could be finished
by fall. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 05/06/09) Gulf Coast note: Any changes in NASA
programs are crucial for Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans.
Court won’t block airport
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A court has nixed a bid to block a new airport from being built. The
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denied a pending petition for review of the
Federal Aviation Administration's Record of Decision approving relocation of the Panama
City - Bay County International Airport to a new site. The National Resources Defense
Council, Defenders of Wildlife and Friends of PFN argued against the FAA and airport on
Jan. 23, 2008. The new airport is under construction with an expected opening of May
2010. It’s being built on 4,000 acres donated by The St. Joe Company. (Source: Business
Wire, 05/05/09)
Moss Point UAV plant takes added role
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A Navy contract will establish the Unmanned Systems Center in
Moss Point as a service center for Fire Scout unmanned helicopters. The Navy awarded
Northrop Grumman a contractor logistics support contract valued at $5 million the first
year, with options for three more years that will total $19 million. It’s the first step to a long
term MQ-8B Fire Scout maintenance program. The center, which also builds portions of
the Fire Scout and Global Hawk, will provide maintenance and periodic upgrades for the
MQ-8B. The contract also includes operational and maintenance training. (Source: Globe
Newswire, 05/05/09)
Shuttle tank heads to Florida
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The space shuttle's latest external fuel tank built by Lockheed
Martin at the Michoud Assembly Facility is heading for Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.
The tank, constructed by using friction stir welding, will be used in the August launch of
Discovery. The 15-story tall tank left New Orleans by barge on Friday. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 05/05/09)
Osprey facing reliability issues
The Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation told Aerospace Daily that the MV-22
Osprey is facing reliability issues due to inaccurate predictive modeling. Lt. Gen. George
Trautman said reliability and maintainability are “not meeting my full expectations yet.” He
said it has become evident that early predictions of mean time between failures on certain
parts were inaccurate. But he praised Bell Boeing for being engaged in working on the
issues. (Source: Aviation Week, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Air Force Special Operations
at Hurlburt Field, Fla., uses the CV-22 variant.
Austal, Baldwin honored
Site Selection, a magazine that tracks economic development projects, recognized Austal
USA and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance in its May issue. Shipbuilder
Austal received an honorable mention in the top North American deals category, and the
Baldwin alliance received an honorable mention among Top Economic Development
Groups of 2008. Recent accomplishments include Segers Aero Corp., a $7 million project
that created 100 new jobs. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/05/09)
Fire Scout completes key test
An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopter successfully completed fully autonomous flight
operations onboard the USS McInerney. This follows at-sea operations aboard the USS
Nashville, which included the first autonomous ship landings by a Navy unmanned aerial
vehicle. The Fire Scout, which eventually will be deployed on littoral combat ships, is
scheduled to deploy on the McInerney for its next counter-narcotics trafficking deployment
later this year. The ship is based at Mayport Naval Station, Fla. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part at the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.; Austal USA builds a version of
the LCS in Mobile, Ala.
Small-boat threat system tested
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – NetFires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon and
Lockheed Martin, conducted the second captive flight test of the Non Line-of-Sight-
Launch System Precision Attack Missile. The system is also one of the key Littoral
Combat Ship mission modules to combat small-boat threats. The LCS Mission Module can
fire as many as 45 PAM missiles from three container launch units. With a range greater
than 25 miles, the PAM missile gives the LCS an increased surface warfare weapon
capability. (Source: Raytheon, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note: The Austal USA shipyard in
Mobile, Ala., is building LCS ships for the Navy.
EADS, Lockheed team on new helo
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - EADS North America said today that American Eurocopter is teaming
with Lockheed Martin to offer a new armed scout helicopter to the U.S. Army, the Armed
Scout 645. The announcement was made at the Army Aviation Association of America’s
2009 Annual Convention. The Armed Scout 645 is based on the Eurocopter EC145
commercial airframe, the platform for the UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter. The Armed Scout
645 will be produced at EADS’ American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Miss., facility, which also
builds the UH-72A Lakota. (Source: EADS North America, 05/04/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS operates an engineering center and maintenance center in Mobile, Ala., where it
also hopes to assemble aerial tankers for the Air Force.
F-15 team marks final demo
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The ACC’s Eglin-based “West Coast” F-15 demo team
performed its last demonstration here Friday at the 33rd Fighter Wing Nomad reunion.
Vintage P-51 Mustangs also performed. The 33rd has been one of the ACC's
demonstration teams since the 1990s. The demonstration team originated from Holloman
Air Force Base, N.M., and moved to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., before settling at Eglin.
"West Coast" was retained for heritage purposes. In addition to ending its demonstration
team work, the Nomads are ending 30 years at Eglin in September to make way for the F-
35 Joint Strike fighter training complex. ACC now has six demonstration teams left to
showcase America's air power. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 05/02/09)
NASA begins layoffs
NASA is laying off 160 people in New Orleans and Utah, the first of 900 jobs that will be
eliminated over the next months at NASA centers. NASA is preparing to retire its space
shuttle fleet in 2010. The first notices went out Friday, primarily to contractors producing
the space shuttle fuel tanks outside New Orleans and the shuttle solid rocket boosters in
Utah. (Source: Multiple, 05/02/09)
AAC gets new commander
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis assumed command of the Air
Armament Center from Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune in a ceremony Friday. Davis most
recently was executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II Program Office, in charge of
developing and acquiring the F-35. The initial F-35 training school will be based at Eglin.
Eidsaune will become director of operations of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/01/09)
Contract for Michoud awarded
NEW ORLEANS, La. - NASA selected Jacobs Technology of Tullahoma, Tenn., to receive
the manufacturing support and facilities operations contract at the Michoud Assembly
Facility. The contract value is $120.49 million for the base period, $40.11 million for option
year one and $42.16 million for option year two. Jacobs Technology will manage the
Michoud facility and provide support to its multiple NASA projects and other tenants.
Michoud, a NASA-owned facility, is one of the world's largest manufacturing plants.
(Source: PRNewswire, 05/01/09)
Murtha won’t propose split just now
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that language to force the Pentagon to buy
tankers from both Boeing and Northrop Grumman won’t be included in this year's
supplemental war spending bill. The newspaper says Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said he
was abandoning his push to add language, but that he intends to make another push for
the dual buy later this year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 05/01/09) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop Grumman and its partner, EADS, plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if
they win the contract.
Raytheon buys right to KillerBee
TUCSON, Ariz. - Raytheon has purchased rights to the technology and name of the
KillerBee unmanned aircraft system from Northrop Grumman. Under the agreement,
Raytheon will submit the KillerBee for the Navy and Marine Corps' Small Tactical UAS and
Tier II competition. The KillerBee UAS features a blended-wing aircraft body design. It also
has common systems for land or sea launch, recovery and ground control. The design of
KillerBee enables growth for future payloads and additional mission capabilities. (Source:
Raytheon, 05/01/09)
APRIL 2009
First production F-35 fuselage delivered
Northrop Grumman has delivered to Lockheed Martin the center fuselage for the first
production F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, designated AF-6, a conventional takeoff and landing
variant for the Air Force. Northrop, a partner of Lockheed Martin on the F-35 program,
designs and produces the center fuselages for all three F-35 variants – conventional,
short-takeoff and carrier-compatible. (Source: Globe Newswire, 04/30/09) Gulf Coast
note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the JSF training center.
Lifeline thrown to shuttle
House and Senate leaders authorized $2.5 billion to keep the space shuttle flying through
2011, if it’s necessary to complete planned missions to the international space station.
Funding to maintain shuttle operations past the current deadline of December 2010 is
part of the nonbinding $3.4 trillion budget blueprint passed by the House and Senate
Wednesday. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both involved in the
shuttle program.
Outlook bright for Coast
BILOXI, Miss. - Representatives from six airlines and about 150 South Mississippi
executives expressed optimism for the Coast at Wednesday’s Airline and Tourism
Development Summit at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino. Bruce Frallic, executive
director of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, said airlines are making money serving
Gulfport and are considering adding flights. Jeremiah Gerald, director of air service and
business development for the airport, said Gulfport is outpacing U.S. growth, with
passenger volume up 230 percent since 1998. (Source: The Sun Herald, 04/29/09)
General Dynamics 1Q report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - General Dynamics first-quarter earnings rose 3 percent as sales
of warships and other military equipment made up for lower profits from business jets. The
Falls Church, Va.-based defense contractor reported first-quarter net income of $590
million, up from profit of $572 million in the same quarter last year. (Source: GD, 04/29/09)
Northrop adds to UAV lineup
Northrop Grumman, a major unmanned aerial vehicle maker with its Global Hawk and Fire
Scout, has acquired Swift Engineering of San Clemente, Calif. The purchase gives
Northrop the KillerBee line of unmanned aircraft, renamed the Bat. The blended wing-
body UAV will be offered in sizes with wingspans ranging from 6.5 feet to 33.2 feet.
(Source: Aviation Week, 04/28/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned
Systems Center is in Moss Point, Miss., where the company builds portions of the Fire
Scout and Global Hawk.
Control system for multi-UAVs gets nod
FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Raytheon Co. received a $16.5 million Navy contract to migrate
the current Tactical Control System to a Linux-based operating system and add upgrades
to the system software. The Navy’s vision is to develop a common unmanned aircraft
ground system for multiple platforms, allowing operators to run on one system
simultaneously multiple unmanned aircraft and payloads. Among other things, the
contract provides for integration and testing leading to operational evaluation on the Fire
Scout. The Navy plans to conduct operational evaluations of the Fire Scout this summer.
(Source: Raytheon, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Sides forming in tanker deal
Despite a movement towards buying aerial tankers from both Boeing and Northrop
Grumman/EADS, there’s still plenty of opposition and fence-sitting. The Mobile Press-
Register reports that Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., blasted the split buy in an interview
Monday. Meanwhile, Aviation Week reports that several key senators are not persuaded
about the split. It says Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich.,
as well as Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and E. Benjamin Nelson, D-Neb., are not taking
a position yet. (Sources: Mobile Press Register, Aviation Week, 04/29/09) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop/EADS plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they win the contract.
Contract: Multiple, $48M
The Air Force is awarding an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to multiple
contractors, including Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., for a maximum
$48,000,000. Other contractors are Mark G. Miller Inc. of Layton, Utah, SoBran Inc. of
Dayton, Ohio,, White Dot Solutions Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Gauss Management
Research and Engineering of Ogden, Utah. This action will provide engineering and
related services in the development and sustainment of software engineering support for
the 309th Software Maintenance Group. OO-ALC/PKES, Hill Air Force Base, Utah is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/28/09)
Tanker marks refueling milestone
The Airbus A330 tanker transport marked a new development milestone when it was
refueled by a French Air Force C-135, according to EADS. In two sorties, the C-135 made
20 contacts with a Royal Australian Air Force A330. The A330 is the platform that
Northrop Grumman plans to use for the KC-45, which is competing against the Boeing KC-
767 to provide tankers for the U.S. Air Force. (Source: EADS, 04/28/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS North America and Northrop Grumman plan to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.,
if they win the contract.
GBU-53/B completes CTV test
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon launched its first GBU-53/B Small Diameter
Bomb II as a control test vehicle flight from an F-15E. After safely separating from the
aircraft, the weapon deployed its wings, performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers
and flew to a predesignated position. The mission met all primary test objectives. It’s
designed to take out moving targets in adverse weather conditions. (Source: Raytheon,
04/28/09)
33rd provided summit cover
EGLIN AIR FORCE, Fla. - Ten F-15s and 125 personnel from the 33rd Fighter Wing
returned last week from a 15-day deployment providing aerial security support for Summit
of the Americas conference. Wing members operated from Port Salines International
Airport, Grenada, where a Joint Task Force set up a bare base. The airport had no
taxiways or equipment to support fighter operations before the team arrived with four tons
of equipment needed to establish 24-hour security protection. (Source: Eglin Air Force
Base, 04/24/09)
Fire Scout payload gets nod
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Northrop Grumman received Milestone "C" approval from the
Defense Department for its Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA)
system, designed to support Marine Corps amphibious assault operations. The system
now moves toward low-rate initial production. COBRA is designed to detect and localize
minefields patterns and other obstacles in the littoral zone prior to amphibious assaults. It
will be carried aboard MQ-8B Fire Scout UAVs. (Source: Global Newswire, 04/27/09) Gulf
Coast note: Fire Scouts are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.; two COBRA team members
are Arete Associates of Niceville, Fla., and QinetiQ North America, which owns PSI of
Long Beach, Miss.
F-35 in UK for testing
The first structural test airframe for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter arrived in the United
Kingdom to undergo tests in the Structural and Dynamic Test facility at BAE Systems’ site
in Brough, East Yorkshire, England. The F-35A, designated AG-1, is the conventional
takeoff and landing variant. BAE Systems is a principal subcontractor to Lockheed Martin.
AG-1 left Fort Worth, Texas, March 27. It took three weeks to make the ocean voyage.
(Source: BAE Systems, 04/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to become the home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Museum to restore ditched plane
A vintage dive bomber pulled from Lake Michigan will be restored at the National Museum
of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla., and go on display at the National World War II
Museum in New Orleans. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was on a training mission in 1944
when it was ditched and found in the mid-1990s 20 miles from shore. It was brought to
shore Friday. (Source: AP, 04/25/09)
Hurlburt top AF installation
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - For the second time in six years, Hurlburt Field received the
Commander In Chief's 2009 Installation Excellence Award. The first time was in 2003. The
award includes a $1 million prize to be used to improve quality of life on the base. The
award was established in 1984. Hurlburt is home of the Air Force Special Operations
Command. (Source: Florida Freedom Newspapers, 04/24/09)
2008 big for bird strikes in N.O.
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Bird strikes at Louis Armstrong International Airport showed a six-
fold increase between 2007 and 2008, but the number of serious strikes remained steady
over the past 18 years, according to Federal Aviation Administration data released
Friday. Officials said the jump indicates the airport is doing a better job reporting strikes..
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 04/24/09)
Gulf Breeze vies for aviation company
GULF BREEZE, Fla. - Gulf Breeze is competing with Georgia to bring in a new avionics
manufacturer that may mean 37 or more jobs. The Santa Rosa County Commission voted
Thursday to designate “Project Broken Arrow” as a “Qualified Target Industry” to receive
state tax discounts. The project would be a headquarters and manufacturing facility. The
company manufactures and designs aviation-related components, said Shannon
Ogletree, industry recruiter for TEAM Santa Rosa. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
04/24/09)
Teledyne Continental to cut hours
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors will cut the hours of its employees as the
maker of piston airplane engines struggles with low demand. The company, which
employs 400 people at Brookley Field Industrial Complex, will put employees on four-day
weeks, and could close entirely for five weeks during the rest of the year. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 04/24/09)
Senators lift hold on Carter
After meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby
and Jeff Sessions said they will lift their hold on Ashton Carter, the nominee for Under
Secretary of Defense and Acquisition. The two senators met with Gates to discuss the
controversial Air Force tanker contract, which pits Boeing against the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team. Shelby, who said he wants to contract to go to the best value
rather than based on price alone, said Gates echoed the desire to deliver the best
airplane to troops. (Source: WKRG-TV, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS will assemble
the plane in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the contract.
Contract: Lockheed, $5.6M
Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $5,553,093 contract for engineering and technical
support in the integration of Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures (OAMCM) Systems
into a MH-60S helicopter. The systems to be incorporated in the MH-60S are the
Advanced Sonar System; Airborne Mine Neutralization System; Airborne Laser Mine
Detection System; Rapid Airborne Mine Clearance System; and Organic Airborne and
Surface Influence Sweep. Half the work will be done in Panama City, Fla., and half in
Oswego, N.Y. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 04/23/09)
Contract: Northrop, $8.7M
Northrop Grumman is being awarded an $8,743,239 modification to a previously awarded
contract to provide additional operations and maintenance support for the Global Hawk
Maritime Demonstration. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. and San Diego,
Calif., and is expected to be completed in November 2009. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/23/09). Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Goodrich 1Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich Corp. reported an increase in first-quarter net income to
$170 million, up from earnings of $158 million a year ago. Sales fell 2.8 percent to nearly
$1.7 billion in the latest quarter. Goodrich attributes the lower revenue to economic
conditions and the residual impact of the 2008 Boeing machinists’ strike on the company’s
major market channels. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich
operates a maintenance center in Foley, Ala.
Raytheon 1Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. reported first quarter 2009 income from continuing
operations of $457 million compared to $401 million in the first quarter 2008. Net sales for
the first quarter 2009 were $5.9 billion, up 10 percent from $5.4 billion in the first quarter
2008, with growth across all of the company's businesses. (Source: PRNewswire,
04/23/09). Gulf Coast note: Raytheon has operations along the Gulf Coast.
Boeing OK with tanker split
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Boeing's top defense executive said Wednesday the company will
support splitting the aerial tanker deal with the Northrop Grumman/EADS team if the
Pentagon chooses that approach. Boeing had been mum up to now, though both
Northrop and EADS had OKd a split. Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposes buying
two different tankers, but a movement has grown in Congress to split the deal because it
may be the best way to move the process forward. The Air Force considers replacing the
tanker fleet a high priority. (Source: AP via Seattle Times, 04/23/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or part of the contract.
Events overtake NASA study
Delays in establishing a clear space policy may have rendered NASA plans to narrow the
post-shuttle "gap" in U.S. human access to space out of date before implementation. A
Constellation Program Acceleration Study released April 20 finds the U.S. space agency
$1.9 billion short of the funds it needs to meet an internal initial operational capability
target date of September 2014. (Source: Aviation Week, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Michoud Assembly Facility and National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, both in New
Orleans, and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are all involved in the Constellation Program.
Long-time airport chief leaving
PENSACOLA, Fla. – After 22 years as director of Pensacola Regional Airport, Frank Miller
is leaving to become San Antonio’s aviation director. Miller, whose new position becomes
effective May 18, will oversee the day-to-day operations at the San Antonio International
Airport and its $500 million expansion project. (Source: San Antonio Business Journal,
04/22/09)
F-35 lands at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – After a one-day delay, a Joint Strike Fighter designated
AA-1 landed at Eglin for the first time Wednesday afternoon. It will remain until Friday,
giving local mayors, county commissioners and school board members an opportunity to
see the plane that has been the focal point of several lawsuits. The city of Valparaiso
wants to stop the Air Force from establishing a JSF training center at the base, but the
county is suing the city to get it to drop its suit. (Source: Tcp, 04/22/09)
F-35 critical data not taken
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin suggested that cyber-attacks had not caused any
serious security breaches in the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Defense
and corporate officials said attacks on the Pentagon as well as the F-35 program are
constant. The comments came in response to a Wall Street Journal story Monday
reporting that cyber-attackers copied and siphoned off data related to design and
electronics systems. (Source: Washington Post, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
Inouye to consider split tanker buy
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, D-
Hawaii, signaled he’s giving serious consideration to a proposal that would split the
contract to build the next fleet of aerial refueling tankers between Boeing and the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Defense Secretary Robert Gates opposes a split buy, but
some congressional leaders think it may be the only way to get the purchase moving
forward. (Source: Government Executive.com, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins all or part of the contract.
Northrop Grumman 1Q report
LOS ANGELES - Northrop Grumman Corp. reported that first quarter 2009 earnings from
continuing operations increased 48 percent to $389 million compared with $263 million in
the first quarter of 2008. First quarter 2008 earnings were reduced by a pre-tax charge of
$326 million in the company's Shipbuilding sector. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 04/22/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has multiple operations along the Gulf Coast.
Teledyne Technologies 1Q report
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Teledyne Technologies Inc. reported first quarter 2009 sales
of $440.3 million, compared with sales of $451.8 million for the same period of 2008. Net
income for the first quarter of 2009 was $20.8 million compared with net income of $27.9
million in the first quarter of 2008. (Source: Business Wire, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Teledyne Continental in Mobile, Ala., is part of Teledyne Technologies.
Boeing 1Q report
CHICAGO - Boeing Co. reported first quarter net income of $0.6 billion with earnings per
share of $0.86 which includes the previously announced $0.38 per share reduction from
revised twin-aisle commercial airplane production rates and lower price escalation
forecasts. Revenue rose 3 percent to $16.5 billion on higher commercial airplane
deliveries and higher volume in defense. (Source: Boeing, 04/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
Contract: Northrop, $21.6M
The Air Force is awarding a fixed price incentive firm contract to Northrop Grumman
Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for $21,600,000. This contract will provide advance
procurement of LRIP Lot nine selected long lead items required to meet the production
schedule of two Global Hawk Block 30 and three Global Hawk Block 40 Air Vehicles as
well as the selected long lead items for the ASIP sensors. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
F-35 visit delayed
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The F-35 that was supposed to arrive here today has
been delayed until Wednesday. A Lockheed official said the aircraft experienced an
anomaly with a system during engine startup. The plane is making its inaugural visit to
Eglin, which is scheduled to be the home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/21/09)
Lockheed Martin 1Q report
Lockheed Martin Corp. reported first quarter 2009 net earnings of $666 million compared
to $730 million in 2008. Net sales for the first quarter of 2009 were $10.4 billion,
compared to $10.0 billion in 2008. Cash from operations for the first quarter of 2009 was
$1.2 billion, compared to $880 million in 2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 04/21/09) Gulf
Coast note: Lockheed Martin has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region
Northwest fades in Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. - Northwest Airlines will begin fading from view next month at Mobile
Regional Airport as Pinnacle Airlines Corp. stops providing ground services for its three
daily round trips to Memphis. Beginning May 12 passengers on Northwest will check in at
the Delta Air Lines ticketing desk and board at one of Delta's two gates at the airport.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/21/09)
Friction stir weld underway on Orion
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin has begun its first friction stir weld process on an
Orion crew module ground test article at the Michoud Assembly Facility. This ground test
article will help validate the process, which will be used for all crew module welds. The
weld system is part of the National Center for Advanced Manufacturing, managed by the
University of New Orleans Foundation in partnership with NASA and Louisiana. Weld
operations on the test article will continue for three months. The structure will then
undergo mechanical assembly, integration and testing in New Orleans and Denver.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the Orion crew exploration vehicle, slated to
make its first crewed flight in 2015. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/20/09)
City can proceed with F-35 suits
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The city of Valparaiso will be able to proceed with two suits against
the Air Force over the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base. In
Pensacola federal court, a judge rejected a motion by the Air Force to dismiss the city’s
Freedom of Information suit. Earlier in Valparaiso, a circuit judge denied a temporary
injunction requested by Okaloosa County which would have halted two Valparaiso suits.
Valparaiso fears the noise of the F-35 will drive down property values. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/17/09)
City violated records law in F-35 fight
VALPARAISO, Fla. - An Okaloosa County circuit judge ruled Valparaiso officials violated
state public records law in their fight over the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center at Eglin
Air Force Base. Valparaiso has 10 days to turn over documents. Okaloosa County’s
request for a temporary injunction to halt Valparaiso’s federal suit against the Air Force
was denied until the state suit between the county and city is resolved. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/17/09)
EADS chief OK with split tanker buy
The chief executive of EADS, Louis Gallois, said his company and partner Northrop
Grumman would probably bid on a $35 billion tankers project even if the Pentagon
decided to buy from both Northrop/EADS and Boeing. His condition is his company would
have to be able to build at least 12 planes a year. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
opposes a split buy, but there’s a move underway in Congress to buy from both
aerospace giants. (Source: New York Times, 04/16/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS NA plans
to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex. Northrop Grumman
also plans to build a site next to EADS’ plant should the team win the contract. EADS has
also expressed interest in building cargo planes at the site.
Land buy helps protect Whiting
MILTON, Fla. - The Navy has partnered with Santa Rosa County to buy nearly 600 acres
near Naval Air Station Whiting Field to help prevent encroachment at the base in Milton. In
the last eight years the county has been using state money to buy up land to keep
development away. The Navy contributed $2.8 million, 75 percent of the cost. (Source:
WEAR-TV, 04/16/09)
Center to provide new service
FOLEY, Ala. - Goodrich Corp.'s Alabama Service Center received approval from Boeing
to provide overheat service bulletin inspections and modifications for Boeing Next-
Generation 737 aircraft. The bulletin outlines instructions for inspection of the aircraft's
CFM-56-7 engine thrust reverser inner walls as well as insulation blankets. In 2007, the
Alabama Service Center became the third facility in Goodrich's worldwide maintenance,
repair and overhaul network authorized to participate in Boeing's Network Service Center
program to repair and overhaul Next-Generation 737 and 777 thrust reversers. (Source:
Goodrich, 04/16/09)
Gulfport hosts airline summit
GULFPORT, Miss. – The Mississippi Gulf Coast Airline and Tourism Development Summit
will be held at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino with a dinner April 28, followed by a
day of presentations and tour of the Coast. The first Airline Summit was held soon after
Hurricane Katrina and the fourth summit this year will give airline executives a look at the
progress on the Coast and plans for more development. (Source: The Sun Herald,
04/16/09)
Lakota program chief wins award
The Huntsville, Ala.-based program manager for EADS North America’s Light Utility
Helicopter, John Burke, will receive the 2009 Leadership Excellence Award from the
National Defense Industrial Association’s Tennessee Valley Chapter. Through March
2009, the company has delivered 62 of the Columbus, Miss.-built UH-72As to active Army
and National Guard units nationwide. The Army plans to buy 345 Lakotas through 2016,
and the Navy wants five. (Source: EADS North America, 04/15/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS
also has an engineering center and maintenance operation in Mobile, Ala.
NASA picks 16 STTR projects
Mississippi State University and a company in Winona, Miss., think they’ve come up with a
way to ensure the purity of hydrogen fuel that’s important for engine testing at Stennis
Space Center, Miss. The proposed is among 16 selected by NASA for negotiation of
Phase 2 contract awards in the Small Business Technology Transfer program. Mississippi
Ethanol LLC and MSU want to develop a technique and sensor to measure
simultaneously concentrations of several contaminants in hydrogen gas storage tanks
and supply lines. The purity of hydrogen fuel is important in NASA engine testing. The
proposed sensor may also be used for quality control in pharmaceutical, chemical and
food processing industries. (Source: NASA, 04/15/09)
Director steps down
GULF BREEZE, Fla. – Brice Harris, director of the Andrews Institute's space-tourism
program, resigned Tuesday in the wake of accusations he used his state job to get the
position. Gov. Charlie Crist is seeking an Ethics Commission inquiry into Harris' role in
developing the institute's contract for Project Odyssey, designed to get tourists ready to
launch into orbit. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/15/09)
Goodrich Alabama center wins award
FOLEY, Ala. - Goodrich Corp's Alabama Service Center in Foley and Customer Services
campus in Monroe, N.C. received Corporate Diamond Certificate of Excellence awards
from the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Maintenance Technician program. The
Corporate Diamond award is the highest award presented in the AMT program. The
awards have now been presented eight times to the Alabama center. (Source: Goodrich,
04/15/09)
F-35 to visit Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will make its inaugural
landing at Eglin April 21 and will remain at the base for four days. Base officials invited
local mayors, county commissioners and school board members to visit the base and see
the plane that has been the focal point of several lawsuits. The city of Valparaiso wants to
stop the Air Force from establishing a JSF training center at the base, but the county is
suing the city to get it to drop its suit. No pubic events are scheduled. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 04/15/09)
More money for pro-tanker Web site
MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile County Commission approved paying a Pensacola, Fla.,
company $63,500 to train county workers to run a Web site that encourages the Air Force
to select Mobile as the site for construction of new refueling tankers. Birdwell Photography
& Multimedia Inc. has previously been paid nearly $450,000 by the county to build and
maintain the Web site. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/14/09)
Stennis center wins award
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The NASA Shared Services Center won the Best New
Captive Services Delivery award from the Shared Services Outsourcing Network. The
award recognizes the most successful shared services organization launched within the
last three years. About 30 public and private sector organizations applied for the award.
The center is a public-private partnership between NASA, CSC, Mississippi and Louisiana.
CSC provides administrative, financial, human resources and procurement support
services to about 20,000 NASA employees, applicants, contractors and university
partners. The center combined the services that were once done at NASA headquarters
and 10 NASA centers. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/13/09)
Navy won’t expand Wolf OLF
MOBILE, Ala. – Wolf Field in Lillian was removed from consideration for expansion to meet
the needs of a new Navy training aircraft. The Navy is replacing the T-34C trainer with the
T-6B, which requires longer runways. Three other fields in Baldwin County are still being
considered. The planes will be operating out of Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton,
Fla. Outlying fields, or OLFs, are used to practice takeoffs and landings. (Source: Mobile
Press Register, 04/13/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $41.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded a $41,200,000 modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition
contract for long lead materials and effort associated with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Air
System Low Rate Initial Production Lot IV procurement of three additional Navy Carrier
Variant Air Systems and one United Kingdom Short Take Off Vertical Landing Air System.
Work is expected to be completed in January 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/09/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter
Training Center.
Civic leaders briefed on security issues
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Civic leaders from 20 states got an in-depth view of Eglin
and Hurlburt Field's national security programs during the National Security Forum Alumni
Tour March 31 to April 3. More than 50 community leaders looked at the McKinley Climatic
Lab, the Air Force Research Lab's Taconi Room and Air Force Special Operations
Command's Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt. The program is hosted by the
Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 04/08/09)
GE chief backs split tanker buy
The head of General Electric is supporting a move to split the Air Force tanker contract
between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. Jeff Immelt, GE's chairman and chief
executive officer, said the compromise proposed by Rep. John Murtha may be the best
way to get the troubled program back on track. "I think Murtha has created a path to
break the deadlock," Immelt told The Enquirer newspaper in Cincinnati in an interview
published Wednesday. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/09/09) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop Grumman/EADS North America team wants to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
County sues city over F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – Okaloosa County filed suit Wednesday in circuit court against the
city of Valparaiso, seeking to torpedo the city’s suit against the Air Force over the Joint
Strike Fighter Training Center. Valparaiso sued the Air Force because of concerns over
the noise of the F-35, claiming the Air Force did not consider alternate sites at Eglin Air
Force Base that would mitigate the noise. But some are concerned Valparaiso’s suit is
jeopardizing the center, which will have a $350 million impact through construction alone.
(Sources: Northwest Florida Daily News, WEAR-TV, 04/08/09)
International flights to resume
NEW ORLEANS, La. - International air service will return to Louis Armstrong International
Airport in July. AeroMexico will begin offering nonstop flights to Mexico City from New
Orleans July 6. The flights will operate six times a week. AeroMexico will be the first foreign
line to operate out of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina. (Source: New Orleans Times
Picayune, 04/07/09)
Contract: BAE, $22.4M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$22,427,138 modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for
maintenance, logistics, and life cycle services in support of communication-electronic
equipment/systems and subsystems for various Navy, Army, Air Force, Special
Operations Forces and other federal agencies. Two percent of the work will be done in
Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, St. Inigoes, Md., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/07/09)
FWB company honored by Boeing
A Fort Walton Beach, Fla., company is among nine named by Boeing as 2008 Suppliers
of the Year. Fort Walton Machining Inc. was chosen in the diversity/veteran owned small
business category. The winners are from among the company's 10,800 active suppliers
worldwide. Winners were judged on quality, delivery performance, cost, environmental
initiatives, customer service and technical expertise. (Source: Boeing, 04/06/09)
Louisiana aviation market stable
NEW ORLEANS, La. - New Orleans and Louisiana in general have stable aviation
business, aviation consultant Mike Boyd said during the Louisiana Airport Managers &
Associates conference. Part of the reason is a higher demand in Louisiana for air service.
Nationwide, about 41 million fewer passengers flew in 2008 than 2007, a 7 percent
decline. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 04/07/09)
Fire Scout preps for final exam
Fire Scout unmanned helicopters will be ready for their first deployment later this year,
paving the way to full-rate production, possibly before 2010. A story in the April issue of
Seapower said two Fire Scouts will be aboard the guided missile frigate USS McInerney
when it deploys with the Fourth Fleet to the Southern Command’s area of operations. The
Fire Scout was designed for use on Littoral Combat Ships, but delays in that program
prompted the Navy to test the system on a frigate. The Fire Scout, MQ-8B, provides
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance using electro-optical sensors, UHF radios
and a data link to relay videos to a receiver station on a ship. The Navy plans to buy 168
of the aircraft, built in part in Moss Point, Miss. (Source: Seapower, April 2009)
Tanker rebid in summer; more F-35 funds
The Pentagon plans to reopen the competition this summer to replace the Air Force’s
fleet of aerial tankers, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates still wants to go with one
supplier – either Boeing or the Northrop Grumman/EADS North America team. Gates, who
announced his proposed fiscal 2010 budget today, also wants to put more money into the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project. Both projects are important to the Gulf Coast region. The
tankers would be assembled in Mobile, Ala., if the Northrop/EADS team wins. Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the designated home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center.
(Source: Multiple, 04/06/09)
Flight academy aims for equipment funds
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A foundation that wants to build a flight academy at the National
Museum of Naval Aviation has raised $17.5 million for the four-story building. Now it’s
trying to raise the $8.8 million for equipment. The National Flight Academy is designed as
a five-day camp that teaches middle and high school students science and technology in
a Navy-themed setting. Some of the most expensive equipment for the carrier-themed
facility will be flight simulators. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/05/09) Gulf Coast
note: A group in South Mississippi is also raising funds to build a science center, called
Infinity, near Stennis Space Center.
Airport eyes new taxi system
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The New Orleans Aviation Board has recruited Dulles Airport Taxi
of Virginia to overhaul the taxicab system at Louis Armstrong International Airport. The
board has not yet signed a contract. The airport's disorganized network of taxicabs has
long been a sore point for the bureau, which often hears complaints from meeting
planners and tourists that many of the vehicles are dirty and inconvenient for travel.
(Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 04/04/09)
Murtha, Gates meet to discuss tanker
Rep. John Murtha, chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, met with
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday in an effort to secure Pentagon backing for
dividing the $35 billion aerial tanker contract between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman
Corp. (Source: New York Times, 04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop teammate EADS
North America plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins the contract.
Contractors fret over budget
Defense contractors have converged on Capitol Hill in recent weeks to shore up
congressional support for projects, according to Politico. They’re concerned by the
pledge by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to reduce military spending. While details of
the $534 billion defense budget remain unknown, the ax could fall on some as early as
next week. (Source: Politico, 04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Numerous defense programs
impact on the Gulf Coast, which has multiple military bases and defense contractor
operations.
Constellation Program cost rises
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The cost of the Constellation Program has gone up, and is
likely to keep rising, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The cost and delays may force
some rethinking in Washington of America's lunar ambitions and could doom the project
as the nation faces an economic crisis and record deficits. (Source: Orlando Sentinel,
04/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space
Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation program.
Airport decision expected in May
BATON ROUGE, La. - State leaders will decide by May 1 whether to continue efforts to
build a $4.4 billion airport near Donaldsonville. Critics claim the state has spent too much
on a 17-year project that has failed to attract private investors. Backers envision an
airport with links to water, rail and highways built on a 25,000-acre site. Supporters
contend the airport, called the Louisiana Transportation Center, would be the biggest
economic development project in state history. Donaldsonville is between Baton Rouge
and New Orleans along Interstate 10. (Source: Baton Rouge Advocate, 04/02/09)
EADS launches ad campaign
EADS North America launched an advertising campaign to underscore the company’s role
in America’s economy as the largest international commercial customer for U.S.
aerospace products. The campaign highlights the $11 billion spent in the U.S. by EADS
and its business units in 2008, supporting more than 200,000 American jobs. The initial
ad features members of the Mississippi-based American Eurocopter team that produces
UH-72A Lakotas. A total of 345 UH-72As are expected to be acquired by the Army through
2016, with nearly 60 of these rotary-wing aircraft already delivered. (Source: EADS North
America, 03/31/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and an
EADS CASA maintenance center in Mobile, Ala.
Delta adds flights in Mobile
MOBILE, Ala. - Delta Air Lines will add two more flights to Mobile Regional Airport
beginning June 5, bringing its total to nine on weekdays and returning mainline jet service
to Mobile for the first time since November. The carrier's total number of seats will
increase by just 1.7 percent because Delta will substitute 50-seat regional jets for some of
the 70-seat regional jets it is flying. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/01/09)
MARCH 2009
County moves against city over F-35
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Officials in the county where the Air Force plans to locate
the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center are taking legal steps to force a city opposed to
the center to drop its fight with the Air Force. Okaloosa County commissioners voted
Tuesday to initiate the dispute resolution process, the first step for one government
agency to sue another in Florida. At issue is Valparaiso’s suit filed Monday against the Air
Force seeking to stop the center from being built at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/31/09)
City files suit to block F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The Valparaiso City Commission filed suit in U.S. District Court
Monday seeking an injunction blocking the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Training Center from
coming to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.. It asks the courts to halt all ground breakings,
movement of aircraft and personnel, and claims the Air Force violated federal rules by not
considering other locations on Eglin that would have less noise impact on Valparaiso. In
two related matters, a lawyer told WEAR-TV that a suit will be filed in state court against
Valparaiso, claiming a violation of sunshine laws. And Florida Freedom Newspapers
reports that the Bay County commission has sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Michael
Donley offering Tyndall Air Force Base near Panama City, Fla., as a good location for the
training center. That base is losing two F-15s squadrons by the end of 2010. (Sources:
Florida Freedom Newspapers, WEAR-TV, WJHG-TV, 03/30/09)
Air show expects 70,000
BILOXI, Miss. – Officials expect as many as 70,000 spectators Saturday and Sunday for
the first air show at Keesler Air Force Base since Hurricane Katrina. Thunder on the Bay
will include the Thunderbirds, the Air Force flight demonstration team, returning to the
Coast for the first time in 15 years. Other military aircraft and stunt flyers will perform
during the two-day show. (Source: The Sun Herald, 03/30/09)
Contract: L-3, $11M
L-3 Communications Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded an $11,069,296 time
and material contract for aircraft production support. Work is to be performed at Corpus
Christie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of January 8, 2010. Corpus Christie
Army Depot, Corpus Christie, Texas, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Contract: EDO, $49.5M
EDO Corp., Panama City Operations, Panama City, Fla., is being awarded a $49,545,446
contract to provide services and materials for repair, modification, and overhaul of the
Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures System. This procurement is in support of depot
level repair, overhaul, and modification of the MK-105 Magnetic Minesweeping Gear,
Precision Navigation System, Organic Airborne and Surface Influence Sweep System, and
the MH-53 Airborne Mine Neutralization System components. Work will be performed in
Panama City and is expected to be completed by March 2014. The Naval Surface Warfare
Center Panama City is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Contract: Bates, $20M
Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga., was awarded a $20,048,601 contract
for the design and build of a Joint Communications Support Element Squadron Facility at
MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Work is to be performed at MacDill with an estimated
completion date of June 10, 2012. Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/27/09)
Lockheed, UF to develop mini satellites
Lockheed Martin has partnered with the University of Florida to develop and launch five
miniature satellites to test innovative space concepts. Lockheed will fund $450,000 of
research and development projects at the university this year. The satellites will be used
to investigate, among other things, miniaturized, space-hardened GPS electronics and
state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The satellites,
called CubeSats, are cube-shaped, measuring less than four inches per side and
operating on a power output similar to a cell phone. The work will complement work of the
UF-led Advanced Space Technologies Research & Engineering Center, ASTREC.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/26/09) Gulf Coast note: UF has several engineering-related
research programs in Shalimar, near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; The Institute for Human
and Machine Cognition in Pensacola, Fla., is a participating member of ASTREC.
Special Forces groundbreaking held
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – An indoors groundbreaking was held at Eglin Air Force
Base Thursday for the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group. It was the second
groundbreaking in a week following last week’s event for the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center. The 600,000-square-foot campus near Duke Field will include a gymnasium,
dining facility and two group headquarters on 500 acres. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 03/26/09)
Murtha develops own defense budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Absent a 2010 defense budget from the Pentagon, the chairman of
the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense has fashioned his own military
spending plan. Key elements of Rep. John Murtha’s plan: A new refueling tanker is the top
Air Force priority, and splitting the buy between Boeing and Northrop Grumman is his
priority. Murtha also wants a second engine option for the Joint Strike Fighter, even if the
Air Force doesn’t. (Source: Defense News, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: If Northrop
Grumman and partner EADS win some of the tanker competition, planes will be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.; The Joint Strike Fighter training center is being built at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla.
Guard finds support to replace planes
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate appropriators offered sympathy and support for the Air
National Guard in its effort to gain new tactical aircraft. Committee Chairman Daniel
Inouye told the director of the Air National Guard that appropriators would do their best to
make sure replacement fighters are in the budget. The Guard uses F-16s and F-15s. The
Government Accountability Office reported in January that if the planes aren’t replaced by
2020, 11 of 18 domestic air sovereignty alert sites could be without aircraft. (Source:
Aviation Week, 03/25/09)
Orion crew module recovery tested
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A full-scale mockup of NASA's Orion crew module is being tested in
water under simulated and real landing weather conditions as part of the Constellation
Program designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. A Navy-built, 18,000-
pound Orion mockup is being tested in a pool at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's
Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md. Ocean testing will begin April 6 off the coast of
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Source: NASA, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program.
Bill seeks to protect bases
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The state Senate is taking action to protect the Florida’s 20 military
bases and $55 billion economic impact. Legislation introduced by Sens. Don Gaetz and
Durell Peaden makes base closure and mission realignment a state issue. The bill
establishes the Florida Council on Military Base and Mission Support and work groups to
focus on intrastate activities, liaison with the Defense Department, competitive strategies,
and public awareness. (Source: WMBB, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Northwest Florida is
home to a half-dozen military bases.
Contract: Lockheed, $320M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded $320,000,000 not to exceed modification to a previously awarded advance
acquisition contract. This modification provides for long lead materials and efforts
associated with the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Air System Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP)
Lot III procurement of the required Special Tooling, Special Test Equipment and Technical
Assistance. Work is expected to be completed in November 2011. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to the JSF training
center
Contract: L-3 Vertex, $15.6M
The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed contract to L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace,
Madison, Miss., for $15,563,895. This action will provide fleet maintenance and training
support on twelve Cessna 173 aircraft and five Cessna 208B trainer aircraft owned by the
Iraqi Government. 727 ACSG/PKB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09)
Lakotas pass milestone
The Army’s fleet of UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters passed the 10,000 flight-hour
milestone. Fifty-eight UH-72As have been delivered by EADS North America to the Army
and Army National Guard for missions including homeland security, medical evacuation,
logistics and VIP flights. The helicopters are built in Columbus, Miss. (Source: EADS North
America, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and
EADS CASA operation in Mobile, Ala.
Contract awarded for Stennis A-3 stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Roy Anderson Corp. of Gulfport, Miss., was awarded a
five-year contract to build the A-3 test stand for the Constellation Program. The 300-foot
tall stand will be used to test the J-2X engine, built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, that
will power the upper stage of Ares I and Earth departure stage of Ares V. The contract
value is not to exceed $45 million. Contract work includes installation of the general
mechanical and electrical support for the A-3 test stand. The first test at the stand is
slated for 2012. (Source: NASA, 03/24/09)
V-22s temporarily grounded
Naval Air Systems Command temporarily grounded 84 Navy and Air Force V-22 Ospreys
after an inspection of a V-22s in Iraq revealed loose bolts damaging components in the
rotor assembly. More than 50 aircraft have now cleared inspections, though four of the 12
V-22s in Iraq required repair. Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Hurlburt
Field, Fla., expected all 11 of its CV-22s to be cleared. (Source: InsideDefense, 03/24/09)
Contract: Tybrin, $16.8M
Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded by the Air Force a cost plus award
fee contract for $16, 799,185. This action provides non-personal advisory and assistance
services to fully support Aerospace Research, Development, Test and Evaluation
Advisory and Assistance Services program. It focuses on robust systems engineering and
technical assistance services. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/24/09)
Split tanker buy gaining steam
Democratic lawmakers appear determined to push a bill splitting a $35 billion contract for
aerial tankers between Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Rep. John
Murtha, D-Pa., and other defense appropriators think it will get the program moving again.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates sees the move as an expensive compromise, but
defense analyst Loren Thompson says the split contract could save money by more
quickly retiring the existing fleet of KC-135 tankers. (Source: Seattle Times, 03/23/09)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS plan to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Homeowners offered compensation
MOBILE, Ala. - Homeowners in the loudest places around Mobile Regional Airport are
being offered compensation. A Federal Aviation Administration grant of a little more than
$1.6 million will be used for a one-time payment that could equal 10 percent of the home’s
fair market value for noise abatement. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/22/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $49.9M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems and Sensors, Integrated Defense
Technologies, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a fixed price contract not-to-exceed
$49,877,689 for FY08 MK 41 Vertical Launching System production and delivery
requirements. The MK41 VLS program is integral to the navies of nine allied and friendly
foreign nations. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the governments
of Turkey and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Fourteen percent of
the work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 64 percent in Baltimore, Md., 19
percent in Minneapolis, Minn., 2 percent in Eagan, Minn., and 1 percent in Virginia Beach,
Va. Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. The Naval Sea Systems
Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/20/09)
UK announces F-35 purchase
FORT WORTH, Texas – The United Kingdom will buy three Lockheed Martin F-35B
Lightning II operational test aircraft, a sign of the U.K.’s commitment to the Operational
Test and Evaluation phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program. British Defense Secretary
John Hutton made the announcement during a visit to Washington, D.C. The F-35B
combines stealth with short takeoff/ vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. It will
be flown from the two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The U.K. plans to bring
138 F-35s to the fleet. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center
ATK delivers Ares I-X hardware
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Four Alliant Techsystems' Ares I-X motor segments
have arrived at Kennedy Space Center, bringing together all of the final hardware
required for the upcoming test flight this summer, part of NASA’s Constellation Program.
The segments were originally produced for the space shuttle and later transferred to the
Ares I-X mission. (Source: ATK, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the
Constellation program
Marine flies F-35 for first time
FORT WORTH, Texas – An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter took off Thursday for the first time
with a Marine at the controls. Maj. Joseph Bachmann, a test pilot, flew an F-35A for an
hour and 20 minutes at a Lockheed Martin facility. According to Bachman, the flight “was
badass.” The F-35 he flew is not the vertical landing version the Marines will use.
Bachmann will be a government test pilot with the Harrier-type version. (Source: Wired,
03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike
Fighter Training Center
Airport sports new parking garage
GULFPORT, Miss. – Officials gathered Wednesday for a dedication and ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the new $15 million parking structure at the Gulfport-Biloxi International
Airport. Bruce Frallic, executive director of the airport, said the three-story, 800-car
parking garage was no small undertaking. It was 10 years in the making. (Source: The
Sun Herald, 03/18/09)
F-35 center groundbreaking set
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Groundbreaking for the Joint Strike Fighter Training
Center is slated for Friday. The Washington-based assistant secretary of the Air Force for
installations, environment and logistics is scheduled to preside. Also attending will be the
director of plans and programs from the Air Education and Training Command in Texas
and the commander of the Air Armament Center at Eglin. (Source: Pensacola News
Journal, 03/18/09) All branches of the military will use the Eglin Air Force Base center for
training in the three variants of the F-35 Lightning II
United Space gets ATK contract
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Alliant Techsystems awarded United Space Alliance a $257 million
contract to perform subcontractor support to ATK for the NASA’s Ares I and Ares 1-X
programs through the design, development, test and engineering phase. The contract,
part of the Constellation Program to return astronauts to the moon and beyond, includes
engineering, deceleration system development and technical operations support for
Stage I activities. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are involved in the Constellation
Program
Blue Angels back home
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team has returned home
to Naval Air Station Pensacola. The team had been at the Navy Flight Demonstration
Squadron’s winter training grounds at El Centro, Calif. The team opened its show season
Saturday in El Centro. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/17/09)
Airport authority OKs spending
MOBILE, Ala. – The Mobile Airport Authority approved $26.1 million in spending for the
year that began Oct. 1. That includes $8.69 million in federal funds that will go for
improvements at the agency's two airports. Projects include taxiway work and terminal
work at the Mobile Regional Airport, as well as road and drainage work at Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/17/09)
Contract: Northrop, $59.6M
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with Northrop Grumman
Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for $59,608,897. This action will provide engineering,
manufacturing and development infrastructure activities in support of the Global Hawk
program. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 03/13/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
Tyndall’s F-15 drawdown set
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Air Force plans to draw down Tyndall’s two F-15
Eagle squadrons by the end of 2010. The drawdown, long rumored, was confirmed in an
e-mail from the 325th Fighter Wing commander. Tyndall also has an F-22 Raptor
squadron. Bay Defense Alliance president Tom Neubauer said that event without the F-15
training mission he’s confident about the base’s future. He says military officials have said
that something “will fill that tarmac.” (Source: Florida Freedom Newspapers, 03/13/09)
Push on for new gunships
FT. WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Special Operations officials want to begin developing a new
gunship to replace the AC-130H/U in the fiscal 2010 budget. But in a tight budget
environment it may be hard. Replacement candidates include the L-3
Communications/Alenia North America C-27J and Lockheed Martin’s C-130J. The topic
was discussed at the Precision Strike Association’s annual review conference here March
10. (Source: Aviation Week, 03/12/09)
Murtha presses forward on tankers
The chairman of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee plans to use the
upcoming war emergency supplemental bill to jumpstart the aerial tanker program. Rep.
John Murtha, D-Pa., advocates splitting the purchase between Boeing, which would build
them in Washington State, and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which would build
them in Mobile, Ala. Murtha has been working on a proposal that would fund two tankers
to be built a month, instead of just one, as initially projected. (Source: The Hill, 03/12/09)
Lakotas delivered to D.C. Guard
Three Mississippi-built UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters were delivered by EADS
North America to the District of Columbia National Guard. The helicopters are the first of
16 Lakotas to be operated in the region. The D.C. National Guard will get eight, as will the
Military District of Washington. All 16 will be based at Fort Belvoir, Va. The UH-72A is built
at the American Eurocopter plant in Columbus, Miss. (Source: EADS North America,
03/12/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has a maintenance center and engineering facility
in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Imedia.it, $8.4M
Imedia.it, Houston, Texas, is being awarded an $8,370,187 contract for education/training
products and support services managed by the Naval Education and Training
Professional Development and Technology Center, Pensacola, Fla. Contract includes a
base year and four option periods, which if exercised, would bring the value to
$43,850,230. Five percent of the work will be done in Pensacola, the rest in Houston.
Work is expected to be completed by September 2009. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Norfolk Detachment Philadelphia is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 03/12/09)
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $11M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded an $11,066,515
modification to a previously awarded contract for Increment II of the CV-22 aircraft Block
20 upgrade program. Efforts provided include concept definition, non-recurring
engineering, drawings, non-recurring prototype manufacturing, installation, and logistic
support to integrate and test the V-22 Multi-Mission Advanced Tactical Terminal
Replacement Receiver, and improved crew interface of broadcast data. Nine percent of
the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Other sites are Philadelphia, Pa., (81
percent) and Fort Worth, Texas, (10 percent). Work is expected to be completed in
September 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/12/09)
BAMS team wins award
HERNDON, Va. - The Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration team was recognized with the
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Commander's Award in a ceremony at Naval Air
Station Patuxent River, Md. The award is the result of the team's achievements during
2008, which include providing support during Hurricane Ike and the California wildfires.
(Source: Globe Newswire, 03/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
White House denies seeking tanker delay
The Mobile Press-Register is reporting that the White House is not seeking to delay plans
to buy new aerial refueling tankers. That’s according to Ken Baer, a spokesman for the
administration. Baer said reports that the Office of Management and Budget requested a
five-year delay were “simply inaccurate.” Defense analyst Loren Thompson said the White
House budget office listed tankers among a group of items that could be cut or delayed to
save money. But Thompson said the administration gave no indication that it wanted to
delay the program. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/12/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $11.4M
The Air Force is extending a firm fixed price contract with Raytheon of Tucson, Ariz., for
$11,397,736. This action will extend the period of performance to provide contractor
logistics support for CY09. 695 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/11/09)
Contract: Lockheed, $265M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $265 million for long
lead materials and effort associated with the Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate
Initial Production (LRIP) Lot IV procurement of 12 Air Force Conventional Take Off and
Landing air systems, 14 Marine Corps Short Take-off and Vertical Landing air systems,
one Navy Carrier Variant air system, and one Netherlands CTOL air system. In addition,
this contract provides for associated ancillary mission equipment, sustainment support,
special tooling/special test equipment and technical/financial data. Work will be performed
in Fort Worth, Texas, El Segundo, Calif., Warton, United Kingdom, Orlando, Fla., Nashua,
N.H., and Baltimore, Md., and is expected to be completed in January 2010. The Naval Air
Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
03/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to
the JSF training center.
Reaper to get more muscle
The armed MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft system will be getting an additional weapon
system: the Joint Direct Attack Munition. Results of tests in California are still being
evaluated, but it appears the 500-pound GBU-38 JDAM could be certified in July. The
Reaper can carry the GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb and the AGM-114 Hellfire
missile. The JDAM adds a weapon with global positioning system guidance along with
adverse weather capability. Eglin Air Force Base’s 678th Armament Systems Squadron
and 679th Armament Systems Squadron participated in the tests. (Source: Air Force,
03/10/2009)
Ares I igniter tested
NASA completed a successful test firing of the igniter that will be used to start the Ares I
rocket first stage motor. The March 10 test paves the way for the initial ground test of the
Ares I first stage later this year. Ares I is the first launch vehicle in NASA’s Constellation
Program, which will return astronauts to the moon and beyond. The test, conducted at
ATK Launch Systems test facilities near Promontory, Utah, generated a flame almost 200
feet long. (Source: NASA, 03/10/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are involved in Constellation
Delay tanker five years?
CQPolitics reports that the White House wants to delay buying aerial refueling tankers by
five years. The recommendation is part of negotiations between the Office of
Management and Budget and the Defense Department. If the guidance survives the
internal budget process, Capitol Hill is likely to protest. According to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-
Ala., whose state would assemble the planes if the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins:
“For a group who has been in the OMB for just a matter of weeks to come in and suggest
the cancellation of the No. 1 Air Force priority for procurement is stunning, and I don’t
think Congress will accept that.” Boeing is also competing to build the tankers. (Source:
CQPolitics, 03/09/09)
F-35 suit topic of meeting
VALPARAISO, Fla. - Valparaiso residents packed into Monday’s city commission meeting
to discuss the city’s plan to sue the Air Force. Signatures of close to 500 residents and
more than 1,000 from those outside the city who oppose the suit were presented to the
commission. The commission took no action. The city is suing because of concerns about
the noise that will come when the Joint Strike Fighter training center is established.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/10/09)
Supporters rally for F-35
VALPARAISO, Fla. – Supporters of the plan to bring the Joint Strike Fighter training
center to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., gathered a petition Friday. The group opposes
Valparaiso’s plans to sue the Air Force, and wants to present the petition to the city
commission Monday. Rally organizer Rick Woelfl said F-35 supporters had collected more
than a 1,000 signatures online and on paper. Valparaiso officials are concerned over the
noise the F-35 will bring, and claim it will lower property values. (Source: Northwest Florida
Daily News, 03/06/09)
Contract: Northrop, $107.6M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. of San
Diego, Calif., not to exceed $107,575,999. This action will provide for long lead items
associated with Lot 8 Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/05/09)
Turkish company delivers F-35 parts
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. has delivered its first composite
parts for the F-35. The structural composite panels are used to form the outer surface of
the fighter. Northrop Grumman will integrate the parts into the center fuselages of the first
two production F-35s. Northrop Grumman is a founding member of the Lockheed Martin-
led F-35 Lightning II team, and is responsible for the design and production of center
fuselages for all three variants of F-35 aircraft. The F-35 has multiple international
suppliers. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/05/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be home to the F-35 joint training center
Parachute test successful
NASA successfully completed the second drop test of a drogue parachute for the Ares I
rocket. The test was Feb. 28 at the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Ares I, part
of the Constellation Program, will send explorers to the International Space Station, the
moon and beyond in coming decades. The drogue parachute is designed to slow the
descent of the spent first-stage motor that will be jettisoned by the Ares I during its climb
to space. The first-stage solid rocket motor powers Ares I for the first two minutes of
launch. (Source: NASA, 03/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation
Program
Teledyne cuts jobs
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors laid off about 20 workers late last month,
officials said. The airplane piston engine maker has been hit by the economic downturn. It
has 400 workers at Brookley Industrial Complex location. The company is a subsidiary of
Teledyne Technologies of Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
03/03/09)
EDC launches J-35 support effort
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - The Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County
has launched a campaign in support of the Joint Strike Fighter mission at Eglin Air Force
Bas. EDC is asking residents to take an online poll on U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller's Web site. The
City of Valparaiso, right outside Eglin, voted last month to sue the Air Force over plans to
bring the F-35 training center to Eglin. The polls is designed to show how much support
the basing has, despite Valparaiso’s suit. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
03/01/09)
Gilbrech returning to Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA has appointed Richard Gilbrech associate
director of Stennis Space Center. He’s the former director of Stennis who served between
January 2006 and August 2007, when he was appointed associate administrator for NASA’
s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. Last November Gilbrech announced his
retirement from that headquarters post. With the new appointment, Gilbrech will return to
Stennis in early May. (Source: NASA, 03/02/09)
FEBRUARY 2009
Extra flight to Charlotte will resume
GULFPORT, Miss. - Early-morning flights between Gulfport and Charlotte, N.C., on US
Airways will resume Tuesday. Fuel prices and a slow economy led the airline to suspend
the third daily flight in October. But over the past few weeks the flights are operating at
near capacity so the extra flight is returning. (Source: The Sun Herald, 02/28/09)
Northrop, EADS asked to hire Haas
MOBILE, Ala. – Northrop Grumman and EADS North America have been asked by Mobile
officials to hire Bay Haas, the retired airport authority executive director, to coordinate
local support for the effort to win the contract to assemble aerial refueling tankers in
Mobile. According to the Mobile Press-Register, the request was made in a Feb. 18 letter.
A spokesman said Northrop Grumman is giving the suggestions “active consideration.”
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/28/09)
NASA picks spacesuit developer
WASHINGTON, D.C. - NASA has awarded an interim letter contract to Oceaneering
International Inc. of Houston to begin work on the design, development and production of
a new spacesuit system for the Constellation Program. The system will protect astronauts
during voyages to the International Space Station and exploration of the moon's surface.
(Source: PRNewswire, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast has space-related
operations at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Contract: Northrop, $5.8M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated
Systems Air Combat Systems, San Diego, Calif., for $5,857,128. This action will provide
engineering, manufacturing and development infrastructure activates in support of the
Global Hawk Program. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk fuselage work is done in
part in Moss Point, Miss.
Boeing submits Altair proposal
HOUSTON, Texas - Boeing through its Space Exploration division submitted a proposal to
NASA for Altair lunar lander design support. NASA is expected to award multiple contracts
this spring. The lunar lander, part of NASA's Constellation Program, will launch aboard the
Ares V heavy-lift rocket and provide astronauts with life support and a base for
exploration missions. Altair will also return the crew to the Orion spacecraft that will
transport the astronauts back to Earth. (Source: Boeing, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program
Extra Ares I flight tests eyed
NASA managers are pulling together options for spending some $400 million in extra
funds that have become available for human exploration under the economic stimulus
package, and have not ruled out an extra flight-test to hasten development of the Ares I
crew launch vehicle. Also on the table is advancing development work on Ares I and the
Orion crew exploration vehicle. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/27/09) Gulf Coast note:
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are
both involved in the Constellation Program
Tanker still top priority
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aerial tankers remain the Air Force's top priority and the competition
could be completed within a year, according to Air Force Secretary Michael Donley. The
tankers are needed to replace KC-135s. Donley, speaking at a military conference
sponsored by the Air Force Association, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates expects to
issue a new request for bids this spring. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/27/09) Gen.
Duncan McNabb, commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, told a joint hearing of
the seapower and air and land forces subcommittees of the House Armed Services
Committee that the tanker is his No. 1 modernization priority, according to the Los
Angeles Business Journal. Boeing is competing against a Northrop Grumman/EADS,
which wants to construct an assembly plant in Mobile, Ala., to build the planes.
County to buy more industrial acreage
MILTON, Fla. - The Santa Rosa County Commission voted to use $3.1 million in electric
franchise fees to buy 90 acres in not far from Interstate 10 to use for industrial
development. Pullum Park will join the nearby Santa Rosa County Industrial Park and the
planned Whiting Aviation Park as county-owned property available for industrial
development. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/27/09)
Contract: Textron, $9.5M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Textron Systems Corp., of Wilmington, Mass.,
for $9,527,490. This action will provide 30 additional Sensor Fuzed Weapons, Full Rate
Production Lot 12. 683rd ARSS/SYKA, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 02/26/09)
$533.7B defense budget proposed
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Defense Department would get a baseline budget of $533.7
billion in fiscal year 2010, up from $513.3 billion appropriated by Congress in 2009, under
President Barack Obama’s proposed budget. It’s part of the $3.55 trillion budget the
White House released Thursday. (Sources: Wall Street Journal, Aviation Week,
Washington Post, 02/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The DoD budget is important to this region,
which is home to military bases as well as large and small defense contractors
Scolese: NASA funding responsible
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Acting NASA Administrator Christopher J. Scolese said the $18.7
billion for NASA in the 2010 fiscal year budget is “fiscally responsible and reflects the
administration's desire for a robust and innovative agency.” Scolese said the budget
ensures NASA maintains global leadership in Earth and space research and “funds a
robust program of human and robotic space exploration.” When combined with the $1
billion provided for NASA in the Recovery Act, the funding is more than $2.4 billion above
the 2008 level. (Source: NASA, 02/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The region is heavily involved
in the space program through Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis
Space Center in Mississippi.
Second F-35B marks first flight
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin’s second short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B
Lightning II accomplished its first flight on Wednesday. The aircraft, known as BF-2, joins
a conventional takeoff and landing F-35A and another F-35B that already have logged a
combined total of 84 flights. (Source: PRNewswire, 02/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., will become home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center
Teledyne to buy back shares
Teledyne Technologies, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., said it will repurchase up to 1.5 million
shares of stock, or 4.2 percent of the shares that were outstanding as of Dec. 28. The
company said it would use cash on hand and money borrowed through an existing credit
agreement. Teledyne operates Continental Motors division at Brookley Field Industrial
Complex in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/26/09)
Keesler command change slated
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Brig. Gen. Greg Touhill turns over command of the
81st Training Wing to Col. Ian Dickinson in a ceremony April 6. Dickinson, who reports to
Keesler by March 31, is Joint Staff deputy chief information officer at the Pentagon. Touhill’
s new assignment is Chief, Office of Military Cooperation, U.S. Central Command, Kuwait.
(Source: Keesler Air Force Base, 02/25/09)
Airbus placing bet on freighters
Airbus is preparing to birth a new generation of freighter aircraft just as the industry is
seeing declines in demand. But Airbus is looking beyond the immediate crisis and making
a long-term bet on creating freighters that could compete with rival Boeing, which has long
dominated the freighter market. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/22/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS, parent of Airbus, said last year that it would produce a cargo version of its A330
airliner in Mobile if it won the Air Force tanker contract. A new competition will begin this
year.
Shuttle fuel tank in Florida
NEW ORLEANS, La. – An external fuel tank made for NASA by Lockheed Martin at the
Michoud Assembly Facility is expected to arrive at Kennedy Space Center Saturday. The
tank, which is 15 stories tall and almost 28 feet in diameter, traveled by covered barge.
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/20/09)
Contract awarded for engine testing
WASHINGTON - NASA signed a five-year, $45 million contract Thursday with American
Tank and Vessel Inc. of Mobile, Ala., for installation of a test cell diffuser and associated
systems in the A-3 test stand at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The test stand will
test the J-2X engine that will power the upper stage of the Ares I crew exploration vehicle
and the Earth departure stage of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. Construction began on
the A-3 stand in summer 2007, with the first test scheduled for 2012. The structure is the
first large test stand to be built since the south Mississippi site was established in the
1960s. (Source: NASA, 02/19/09)
Boeing bids for Ares V
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Boeing’ Space Exploration division submitted proposals for the Ares
V Phase 1 Design Support Contracts. The proposals are for design support of the Ares V
cargo launch vehicle’s payload shroud; the Earth-departure stage; the liquid-fueled
central booster element core state; and avionics and software. The two-stage, vertically
stacked Ares V will be NASA's primary rocket for delivery of large-scale hardware to
space. The Ares V Phase 1 contracts will be managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville. (Source: Boeing, 02/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Boeing has an
operation in New Orleans at Michoud Assembly Facility
City votes to sue over F-35s
VALPARAISO, Fla. – The City of Valparaiso voted to sue the Air Force over the F-35
Record of Decision. Two of the commissioners, both of whom had opposed a previous
Freedom of Information Act suit against the Air Force, were absent. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 02/18/09) The Air Force earlier this month signed a record of decision
that allows construction to begin for the Joint Strike Fighter training center. To address
noise concerns, the Air Force is limiting use of one runway.
Keesler chief gets new assignment
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Brig. Gen. Greg Touhill, 81st Training Wing
commander, has been selected for a new assignment as Chief, Office of Military
Cooperation, U.S. Central Command, Kuwait. Touhill came to Keesler in October 2007.
Announcement of his replacement is expected soon. (Source: Keesler Air Force Base,
02/17/09)
LCROSS heads to Florida
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. - NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known
as LCROSS, is enroute from Northrop Grumman's facility in Redondo Beach, Calif., to
Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in preparation for a spring launch. The satellite's mission
is to search for water ice on the moon in a permanently shadowed crater near one of the
lunar poles. LCROSS is a companion mission to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter,
or LRO. At Kennedy the two spacecraft will be integrated with an Atlas V launch vehicle
and tested for final flight worthiness. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's
plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020.
(Source: NASA, 02/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation Program, the return
of astronauts to the moon and beyond
Contract: Raytheon, $21.7M
The Air Force is modifying a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentive contract with
Raytheon Co., of Tucson, Ariz., for $21,695,993. This contract is for the Advanced
Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Processor Replacement Program, Phase II. 695 ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 02/17/09)
Study expects UAV market to double
WASHINGTON - Unmanned aerial vehicles remain the most dynamic growth sector of the
aerospace industry. That’s according to Teal analysts in their latest analysis. Teal Group’
s 2009 market study estimates UAV spending will almost double over the next decade.
Current worldwide UAV expenditures is $4.4 billion annually. That’s expected to go to $8.7
billion within a decade totaling over $62 billion in the next 10 years. (Source: PRNewswire,
02/17/09) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scout and Global Hawk UAVs are built in part at the
Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Two towers readied
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A new radar approach control facility at Pensacola Gulf Coast
Regional Airport is nearing completion. The $21 million Terminal Radar Approach Control
facility is replacing the current 31-year-old building. At Whiting Field Naval Air Station in
Milton, construction wrapped up on a new $4 million control tower replacing one built in
1972. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/17/09)
Murtha visits Boeing plants
SEATTLE, Wash. - U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., toured the 767 final assembly at the
Boeing factory in Everett as part of a fact-finding mission for replacing the Air Force’s fleet
of KC-135 tankers. Murtha, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Defense, was invited by Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. Murtha also toured the 737 and P-8A
Poseidon aircraft facilities in Renton. (Source: Boeing, 02/16/09) Gulf Coast note: Last
month Murtha visited Mobile to see the site where the Northrop Grumman/EADS team
hopes to build the plane. Both teams are competing to build the tanker. At that time,
Murtha said he favored splitting the contract between the two teams.
Northrop gets piece of drone refuel program
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. - Northrop Grumman's relative navigation system has been
selected by the Air Force for the Automated Aerial Refueling program follow-on contract.
Relative navigation, the ability to measure the relative motions of two vehicles, is key to
the aerial refueling of unmanned vehicles. The Air Force Research Laboratory
demonstrated the ability of the AAR system during flight tests in November 2007. It is
designed to work with the existing tanker fleet. (Source: Globe Newswire, 02/16/09) Gulf
Coast note: Unmanned aerial systems are built in part in Moss Point Miss.; Northrop
Grumman and partner EADS hope to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala.
AF plans realignment for centers
The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center will move about 70 personnel in
the next 18 months to support its cyber operations. Personnel from Kirtland Air Force
Base, N.M., will be moved to Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center
Detachments at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla. (Source: Federal Computer World, 02/12/09)
Speaker predicts EADS plant
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Would the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. build an
aircraft plant in the region even if it loses the tanker competition? Yes, according to
Donald Epley, director of the Mitchell College of Business Center for Real Estate Studies
at the University of South Alabama. He said EADS, parent of Airbus, is being killed by the
exchange rate, and he predicts it will bring about 1,000 jobs to the region. He made the
comment Thursday at the annual Real Estate Trends Report and Forecast Conference in
Pensacola at New World Landing. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/13/09)
Northrop/EADS won the competition last year with Boeing to build the next generation of
Air Force tankers and planned to build them in Mobile, Ala. But the decision was
overturned after a Boeing protest. A new competition is expected this year.
Little progress in airport buyout idea
NEW ORLEANS, La. – A board created by the Legislature to evaluate a possible state
takeover of city-owned Louis Armstrong International Airport is unlikely to be ready to
offer a recommendation by this year’s legislative session, in part because the state has
given it few resources. The Southeast Regional Airport Authority wants to hire a
consultant but until a few days ago it had no idea where the money might come from.
(Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/12/09)
Teledyne recalls pistons
MOBILE, Ala. - Teledyne Continental Motors will recall 9,600 cylinders from piston aircraft
engines because the company found a metal-casting problem that can cause the cylinder
heads to crack. The company expects the recall to cost as much $18 million as cylinders
are replaced over the next year. The company will also destroy some unused cylinders.
Teledyne Continental employs more than 300 in Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
02/13/09)
BAMS Global Hawk operational
SOUTHWEST ASIA – The first operational Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Global Hawk
is now in Southwest Asia with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. In a concept of operations
called remote-split operations, the Navy Global Hawks’ arrival marks the culmination of
more than five months of joint effort to stand up a maritime surveillance presence in the
region. Prior to arrival here, the Navy Global Hawk has been in service for non-wartime
missions during its test and development phase, including spying on Hurricane Ike.
(Source: AFNS, 02/12/09) Gulf Coast note: Fuselage work on the Global Hawk is done at
the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
N.O. airport traffic count up
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Passenger traffic at Louis Armstrong International Airport grew
moderately in 2008 but still has not reached levels seen before Hurricane Katrina.
Airport officials reported Wednesday that 7.9 million people passed through the Kenner
airport in 2008, up 5.5 percent from 2007. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune,
02/12/09)
Hurlburt hosts exercise
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Air Force Special Operations Command is hosting a field
exercise through Feb. 13 designed to train forces in combat scenarios. Emerald Warrior is
taking place at Hurlburt Field and nearby Eglin Air Force Base, and focuses on training
Air Force, Army and allied units in missions resulting from lessons learned in operations
Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Training includes troop insertions using a CV-22
Osprey, air-ground support operations using A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and AC-130 gunships,
and convoy active-defense scenarios. (Source: Air Force Link, 02/11/09)
Stennis unit gets new complex
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – A team that works closely with Navy SEALs will be
moving into a new, $9.7 million complex at Stennis Space Center Friday. Special Boat
Team 22, which specializes in riverine missions, has grown in the last four years. There
are 400 sailors assigned to SBT 22 and a training school for foreign sailors. (Source:
Navy Times, 02/10/09)
Lunar spacecraft bound for Florida
GREENBELT, Md. - NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter was loaded on a truck
Wednesday for a two-day trip to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. Launch is targeted for
April 24. The spacecraft recently completed a series of tests and was subjected to
temperatures it will experience as it orbits the moon. LRO will spend at least one year in a
low polar orbit on its primary exploration mission, with the possibility of three more years to
collect additional detailed scientific information about the moon and its environment.
(Source: NASA, 02/11/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation Program, the return
of astronauts to the moon and beyond
Eglin pilot chosen F-35 instructor
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A pilot from Eglin Air Force Base is among those chosen
for the initial cadre of F-35 instructors. Maj. Lee Kloos, who has nearly 2,000 flying hours,
said he’s excited he’ll be able to stay at Eglin, where he’s worked with the Joint Strike
Fighter Site Activation Task Force program. Three more cadre members are scheduled to
join the major this summer. Eglin will be the location of the Joint Strike Fighter training
center. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 02/10/09)
F-35C restored funds pass Congress
Four defense oversight committees in Congress approved the Navy’s reprogramming
request in fiscal 2009 for funds to secure purchases of the first Joint Strike Fighter for
carrier operations, according to defense officials and congressional staff. The
reprogramming for $40 million will pay for long lead parts for three Lockheed Martin F-
35Cs, according to the F-35 program manager. (Source: Aviation Week, 02/11/09) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the joint training site for the F-35 program
Eglin to search for old munitions
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin officials and contractors are preparing to conduct
visual surface surveys on private property in Santa Rosa County to ensure former
weapon test ranges are clear of old munitions. Eglin sent right of entry requests to 13
private property owners in an area that was formerly part of now defunct Range 30, where
aerial gunnery testing was conducted in the 1940s-50s. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base,
02/09/09)
Three indicted in contract cases
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Three Okaloosa County men were indicted on federal charges for
violations committed while working at or contracting with the Air Force Research
Laboratory on Eglin Air Force Base. The indictment claims one of the three, while
employed as a senior engineer at the federal lab, steered programs to Schaller
Engineering, or SEI, in which he had a financial interest. The three are accused of trying
to cover up the financial interests. (Source: WEAR-TV, Northwest Florida Daily News,
02/07/09)
NOAA satellite successfully launched
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket
successfully boosted a NOAA satellite into orbit Friday. The satellite will be used to track
fast-breaking storms and monitor climate changes. A Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-27A
engine powered the rocket, and three Alliant Techsystems GEM-40 solid propulsion strap-
on boosters ignited with the first-stage main engine. (Source: Pratt & Whitney, ATK,
02/06/09) Gulf Coast note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has a facility at Stennis Space
Center, Miss.; ATK has an operation in Shalimar, Fla.
F-35 Eglin bed down a done deal
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The Air Force, which in November delayed the record of
decision establishing the Joint Strike Fighter school at Eglin because of noise concerns,
finally sealed the deal. The Air Force on Friday said steps will be taken to mitigate noise,
in part through limiting the use of one runway. The F-35 is twice as loud as an F-15,
prompting residents of nearby Valparaiso to express concern about the school. The Air
Force used the delay to explore its options to mitigate noise. The record of decision
means construction can now get under way in preparation for 59 F-35s that will arrive
beginning March 2010. Nine construction projects worth $170 million are in the bidding
process and construction is expected to begin before October. All branches of the military
will use the Eglin training center. A decision on additional planes for the base will be made
in 2010. (Source: Tcp, 02/06/09)
Army orders five more Lakotas
COLUMBUS, Miss. - The Army awarded EADS North America a contract for five additional
UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters, bringing the total on contract to 128. The Army
expects to acquire a total of 345 Lakotas, built at the American Eurocopter facility in
Columbus, Miss., through 2016. More than 50 UH-72As have been delivered by EADS
North America, and some 8,000 flight hours have been logged to date. Lakotas are in
operation at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa.; Fort Eustis, Va.; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Irwin, Calif.;
Jacksonville, Fla.; Morrisville, N.C.; Pineville, La.; Tupelo, Miss.; and the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, N.Y. (Source: EADS North America, 02/05/09) Gulf Coast note:
EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and EADS CASA operation in Mobile, Ala.
NFOs to get more realistic radar
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Boeing received a $28.3 million contract for two Virtual Mission Training
System retrofit kits that will integrate realistic radar training into the Navy T-45 Training
System. The VMTS is designed for the training of flight officers who operate weapons and
electronic warfare systems. The work involves T-45C aircraft and ground-station systems
assigned to Training Air Wing 6, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Boeing is currently
under contract for 221 T-45 Goshawk trainer aircraft. The two-seater forms the heart of
the fully integrated T-45 training system, used at NAS Kingsville, Texas, NAS Meridian,
Miss., and NAS Pensacola. (Source: Boeing, 02/05/09)
Contract: AeroVironment, $39M
AeroVironment, Simi Valley, Calif., was awarded a $39,003,452 contract for contractor
logistics support for the Raven RQ-11B Unmanned Aircraft System. Work is to be
performed in Simi Valley, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2010. U.S.
Army Contracting Command, Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: AeroVironment has an
operation in Navarre, Fla.
Goodrich 4Q report
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich announced a 31 percent increase in net income per
diluted share and a two percent increase in sales in the fourth quarter of 2008. Full year
2008 sales were $7.1 billion, an increase of 10 percent over full year 2007. Full year 2008
income per diluted share from continuing operations was $5.33 and net income per
diluted share of $5.39, an increase of 37 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared
to 2007. (Source: Goodrich, 02/04/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich has a service center in
Foley, Ala.
NSF, Navy data added to Google Earth
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command
and the National Science Foundation have entered agreements with Google to provide
data for the popular program. According to NSF, a feature called “Oceans in Google
Earth” enables users to dive beneath the surface of the sea and explore oceans. It
includes videos, photos, diagrams and texts that illustrate glacial, geological and ocean
processes influencing the behavior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in Antarctica. The
Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command entered a cooperative research
agreement to share with Google Earth unclassified information about oceans. The
CRADA allows Google to use unclassified bathymetric data sets and sea surface
temperatures from the Naval Oceanographic Office as well as meteorological data from
Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, both subordinate commands of
NMOC. (Sources: NSF, NNS, 02/02/09)
Engine cleared for STOVL testing
Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine has been cleared for flight testing in the F-35B Joint Strike
Fighter. Approval follows a review of design changes made to eliminate vibration that
caused turbine blade failures in ground tests. The first redesigned engine was delivered
to Lockheed Martin last week for installation in aircraft BF-1, the first short takeoff and
vertical landing F-35B. Testing is expected to begin at Fort Worth, Texas, this month. The
first vertical landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., is expected in June or July.
(Source: Aviation Week, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the
F-35 pilot training center
Northrop 4Q report
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman, hurt by a $3.06 billion charge connected to
past acquisitions says it posted a fourth-quarter loss of $2.54 billion, or $7.76 per share,
in the latest quarter. It earned $457 million, or $1.32 per share, in the same period last
year. Excluding the charge, Northrop says it earned $524 million, or $1.57 per share.
(Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/03/09)
ATK to expand in Mississippi
IUKA, Miss. – Alliant Techsystems will expand its northeast Mississippi plant to make
composite structures for commercial aircraft, Gov. Haley Barbour said Monday. The
Minneapolis-based company will keep the 176 jobs it already has in Iuka. Barbour said the
plant will have 800 jobs by 2017 with an average salary of about $53,000. (Source:
Jackson Clarion-Ledger, 02/03/09) Gulf Coast note: ATK also has a weapons-
development operation in Shalimar, Fla.
Contract: DRS, $13.9M
DRS C3 Systems Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $13,915,132 contract for
new work modification for 1,520 Driver’s Vision Enhancer TWV A-Kits for the Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected Program and 224 DVE CV A-Kits and 756 cable assemblies.
Work is being performed at Fort Walton Beach, Fla., with an estimated completion date of
Sept. 30, 2009. CECOM Acquisition Center, Fort Monmouth, N.J., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/02/09)
Contract: Concurrent, $11.5M
Concurrent Technology Corp., Johnstown, Pa., is being awarded an $11,468,212 contract
to provide technical and engineering services for continued Carriage, Stream, Tow, and
Recovery System (CSTRS) development, test, and analysis. This procurement supports
development of the CSTRS to incorporate Airborne Mine Countermeasures capabilities
and will be utilized on the MH-60S helicopter. Work will be performed in Johnstown, Pa.,
(88 percent) and Panama City, Fla., (12 percent), and is expected to completed by Feb.
2012. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 02/02/09)
Boeing receives F2AST contract
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Boeing has won its first contract award under the Air Force
Future Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment Tool (F2AST) program. The award is a $19.1
million Air Force Special Operations Command contract for AC-130U Gunship operational
flight and simulation software maintenance; field service support; configuration, data and
obsolescence management; and intermediate-level repairs. The government is expected
to negotiate three annual options during the first quarter of this year. An option may be
exercised every 12 months. (Source: Boeing, 02/02/09) Gulf Coast note: Work will be
performed by Boeing SOF at Hurlburt Field, Fla., home of the Air Force Special
Operations Command.
JANUARY 2009
Contract: L3 Communications, $6.1M
The Air Force is awarding a contract to L3 Communications Corp., Integrated Systems
Joint Operations of Lexington, Ky., for $6,156,863. This contract is to exercise the
remaining option for the production and installation of dual rails to the MC-130P. The work
will be performed in Crestview and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. WR-ALC/580th
ACSSG/Contracting, Robins AFB, Ga., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/30/09)
Satellite completes key test
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The first Space-Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbit
satellite, built by Lockheed Martin for the Air Force, has completed a key test using new
flight software. The SBIRS program is designed to provide early warning of missile
launches and support other missions, including technical intelligence and battlespace
awareness. The spacecraft will be delivered to the Air Force in fiscal year 2010 and
launched aboard an Atlas V. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/29/09) Gulf Coast note: SBIRS
work locations include the SBIRS Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Sunnyvale, and
Azusa, Calif.; Boulder, Denver, and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Gaithersburg, Md.; Valley
Forge, Pa.; and Lockheed Martin Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center,
Miss.
Navy holds meeting about new trainer
SUMMERDALE, Ala. – The Navy held a public meeting in Summerdale Thursday to
discuss how the Navy’s new training aircraft may impact residents who live near outlying
fields used for touch-and-go training. About 200 people showed up at the Summerdale
Community Center. The Navy is upgrading its trainer to a more powerful T-6B, and that
will require more runway space at outlying fields. Whiting Field in Milton, Fla., which trains
naval pilots, operates 13 outlying landing fields in the region. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/30/09)
Cargo plane possibility impresses Murtha
MOBILE, Ala. - A Congressman who will play a key role in the battle between Boeing and
the Northrop Grumman/EADS over the Air Force tanker project said he was impressed to
learn cargo planes would also be built in Mobile if Northrop/EADS wins the contract. Rep.
John Murtha from Pennsylvania said after the visit to Mobile that the Pentagon is moving
forward and expects to have a request for proposals in the spring. But he added that
during the appropriations process his committee is looking at alternatives, though he did
not provide specifics. But the Mobile Press-Register reported Friday that during a
luncheon, Murtha said the Air Force should buy aircraft from both Boeing and
Northrop/EADS in order to break the stalemate. "I'm trying to work this problem out.
Because I don't think it's going to work the way the Defense Department is trying to work it
out," Murtha said. "I'm not going to say publicly a lot more because, obviously, I have to
convince a lot of other people. But I have convinced myself." The Northrop/EADS team
won the contract last February to build the tankers in Mobile, but a Boeing protest was
upheld. The Pentagon later decided to let the new administration take on the issue.
(Source: Tcp, 01/29/09)
Hurricane Hunters pull winter duty
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Keesler Air Force Base airmen and two WC-130J
Hurricane Hunter aircraft deployed to Anchorage, Alaska, earlier this month for a month-
long mission in support of the 2009 Winter Storm Reconnaissance Program. The 403rd
Wing team includes Reserve aircrews, operations, maintenance, aerial porters, and
others to improve winter storm forecast models. Operations are directed by the National
Centers for Environmental Prediction, part of the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration. (Source: AFNS, 01/28/09)
Split tanker buy gaining traction?
As the Pentagon attempts to craft a way forward to replace the KC-135 aerial refueling
fleet, the option of a split buy between Boeing and EADS/Northrop is gaining attention on
Capitol Hill. The idea is sure to be a topic of discussion as Rep. John Murtha of
Pennsylvania visits Mobile, Ala., where Northrop Grumman and EADS want to assemble
the planes. Murtha is expected to visit Boeing’s Washington state facility in the coming
weeks. The Pentagon has opposed duel-sourcing, but some are beginning to think a split
buy is the only politically palatable way to move forward. (Source: Aviation Week,
01/29/09)
Raytheon 4Q report
WALTHAM, Mass. - Raytheon Co. announced fourth quarter 2008 adjusted income from
continuing operations of $466 million or $1.13 per diluted share, compared to $420 million
or $0.96 per diluted share in the fourth quarter 2007. Reported fourth quarter
2008 income from continuing operations was $421 million or $1.02 per diluted
share compared to $634 million or $1.45 per diluted share in the fourth quarter 2007.
(Source: PRNewswire, 01/29/09) Gulf Coast note: Raytheon has operations in Northwest
Florida
Airbus won’t bid on Air Force One
EADS, which still hopes to build aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala., said it will decline an
invitation to bid on a contract to replace Air Force One. The European Aeronautic
Defence and Space Co. wants to remain focused on military contracts. EADS North
America spokesman Tim Paynter said building the presidential jet won’t help the company
meet its business objective in the United States. EADS also builds helicopters for the U.S.
Army in Columbus, Miss. The decision likely makes Boeing the sole contender to build Air
Force One. (Sources: multiple, including AFP, Mobile Press-Register, 01/29/09)
Northrop gets new RQ-4 contract
SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a contract valued at $276
million for operations and maintenance support of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned
reconnaissance aircraft. The contract calls for training and peacetime operations support
for fiscal years 2009 and 2010. It will also provide operational assistance for new forward
operating locations in Guam and Italy. Northrop Grumman's contract teammates are L-3
Communications, Raytheon and Rolls-Royce. (Source: Globe Newswire, 01/28/09) Gulf
Coast note: Global Hawks are made in part in Moss Point, Miss.
ATK to make fan cases for XWB engine
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Alliant Techsystems has agreed to a contract valued in excess of
$200 million with Rolls-Royce to produce composite aft fan cases for the new Trent XWB
engine. The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB will power the Airbus A350 XWB family of aircraft.
Rolls-Royce has received orders for over 1,000 Trent XWB engines. ATK will also
integrate additional components into the cases. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/28/09) Gulf
Coast note: The Trent XWB engines will be tested at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi
by 2010 or 2011; ATK has an operation in Northwest Florida; Goodrich was selected by
Airbus to supply wheels and carbon brakes for the A350 XWB. It has a service center in
Foley, Ala.
Tanker match reheating soon?
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday in Washington that he’s committed to
launching a new competition for the Air Force’s tanker contract as quickly as possible.
Gates told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that he plans to meet with
top Air Force officials in the next few weeks to begin planning for a rematch between
Boeing and a team led by Northrop Grumman and EADS North America. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 01/28/09) Gulf Coast note: All three companies have operations in the
Gulf Coast. If the Northrop Grumman/EADS team wins, it plans to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala.
Boeing 4Q report
CHICAGO – Boeing’s fourth-quarter net income declined to a loss of $56 million, or $0.08
per share, reflecting the now-settled machinists' strike, a charge related to the 747 and a
litigation-related reserve. Revenues for the quarter declined 27 percent to $12.7 billion,
due primarily to the effects of the strike which reduced commercial airplane deliveries by
about 70 units and revenues by an estimated $4.3 billion. For the full year of 2008, net
income fell 34 percent to $2.7 billion, EPS was $3.71 per share and revenue fell 8 percent
to $60.9 billion. Full-year results were impacted by the strike, the 747 charge, the
litigation-related reserve, and higher costs for AEW&C announced in the second quarter,
which reduced full-year EPS by an estimated $2.56 per share. (Source: Boeing, 01/28/09)
Gulf Coast note: Boeing has operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida.
General Dynamics Q4 report
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – General Dynamics reported that earnings from continuing
operations in the fourth quarter of 2008 were $630 million, or $1.62 per share on a fully
diluted basis, compared to 2007 fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations of
$578 million, or $1.42 per share fully diluted. Revenue increased to $7.9 billion in the
quarter, compared to fourth-quarter 2007 revenue of $7.5 billion. Earnings from
continuing operations for the full year of 2008 were $2.48 billion, or $6.22 per share on a
fully diluted basis, an increase of 19.1 percent over 2007 full-year earnings from
continuing operations of $2.1 billion, or $5.10 per share fully diluted. Revenue for the full
year of 2008 was $29.3 billion, compared with $27.2 billion for 2007, an increase of 7.6
percent. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/28/09)
Contract: Hensel Phelps, $121.1M
Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $121,144,000 firm fixed
price contract for construction of the FY09 Special Forces Complex at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. Work includes clearing, grubbing, earthwork and erosion control of some 350
acre containment site and 130 acre access road, construction of road system and
electrical and communications distribution, water wells and elevated water storage tanks,
water distribution, wastewater collection and storm drain systems. Buildings include group
headquarters, 4-battalion headquarters/company operations facility, combat readiness
training facility, group support battalion headquarters/company operations facility, dining
facility and audio visual equipment purchase and installation. Estimated completion date is
Aug. 1, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/27/09)
F-16 pilots picked as F-35 instructors
Two pilots from F-16 Fighting Falcon squadrons at Luke Air Force Base, Texas, are
among the pilots tapped to form the initial cadre for the F-35 Lightning II. Both are
instructor pilots for Air Education and Training Command. They’ll be part of the initial
group of 10 instructors in the F-35 training program at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and will
be responsible for training subsequent instructors. (Source: Air Force Times, 01/26/09)
The Marine Corps earlier this month selected six pilots for their version of the F-35 and
will arrive at Eglin later this year or early next.
Lunar lander engine tested
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s Common Extensible Cryogenic
Engine successfully demonstrated capabilities required for NASA’s Altair lunar lander. The
engine performed with stable operation at the widest throttle range of any known high
performance cryogenic engine during its third series of ground tests at the company’s
West Palm Beach, Fla., test facility. The CECE is a variant of the RL10 upper-stage
engine that has helped place military, government and commercial satellites into orbit and
powered space probe missions to planets in the solar system. (Source: Pratt & Whitney,
01/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Link between funding, job probed
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Charlie Crist asked for an inspector general’s inquiry to see if
the director of a new space-tourism medical program at the Andrews Institute in Gulf
Breeze, Fla., got his job after setting up the $500,000 in state grants to create it. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 01/27/09)
Airbus picks Goodrich for support
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Airbus selected Goodrich Corp.to deliver broad maintenance, repair
and overhaul as well as asset management services as part of an Airbus Total Support
Package for Singapore Airlines' fleet of 19 leased Airbus A330 aircraft. The support
agreement, which includes Goodrich evacuation, lighting, actuation, sensors, de-icing and
power products, covers the aircraft for an initial period of five years. The maintenance
work will be conducted at various Goodrich MRO facilities in Asia, Europe and North
America. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/27/09) Gulf Coast note: Goodrich has its Alabama
Service Center in Foley, Ala.
Orion integration building readied
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The High Bay Facility of the Operations & Checkout Building at
Kennedy Space Center is ready to begin preparations to build the new Orion crew
exploration vehicle. Built in 1964, the O&C facility has been the final integration and
checkout building for manned spacecraft beginning with the Apollo program. The State of
Florida, Lockheed Martin and NASA invested $55 million renovate the facility for the
Constellation Program. Flight hardware is being fabricated at locations nationwide for final
integration at the O&C facility, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia. (Source:
PRNewswire, 01/26/09) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed will build large structures and
composite parts for Orion at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
Union defends ‘Buy America’ provision
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers Monday called on Congressional leaders to reject a campaign by the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce to strip “Buy America” provisions from the pending $825 billion
economic stimulus package. In a recent letter to House and Senate leaders, the chamber,
business roundtable and 13 lobbying organizations warned Congressional leaders
against any use or expansion of "Buy American" provisions. (Source: PRNewswire,
01/26/09)
Base has billion-dollar impact
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Naval Air Station Pensacola had a $1.15 billion economic impact on
local communities, according to an impact report. The base employed more than 21,000
military, civilian and contract employees in 2008. The military's economic impact was
almost $39 million higher than in 2007. The report combined salaries for military, civilian
and contract personnel along with local contract spending to reach the total. (Source:
Pensacola News Journal, 01/26/09) Other bases in the region include NAS Whiting Field
in Milton, Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, near Fort Walton Beach, FL, and
Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. The Navy is also the largest tenant at Stennis
Space Center, Miss.
Military secretaries to stay put
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Each U.S. military service secretary has agreed to Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates' request to stay in office for at least several weeks to ensure
the Defense Department’s smooth transition under the President Barack Obama
administration. (Source: AFNS, 01/23/09)
Mobile airport holding its own
MOBILE, Ala. – Higher fares may not seem like such a great thing, but it apparently is the
reason Mobile Regional Airport is holding on to many of its flights - down just 4 percent in
capacity. Data compiled for the airport authority shows the average fare to fly out of
Mobile was seventh-highest among the nation’s 150 largest airports in the 12 months that
ended June 2008, and that’s likely causing airlines to stick around. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/25/09)
NASA closing in on flight test of Ares I-X
HAMPTON, Va. - NASA is a step closer to the first flight test of the rocket that will send
humans towards the moon as part of the agency’s Constellation Program. Rocket
hardware was completed this week at Langley Research Center in Hampton. In late
January the rocket elements will be shipped to Kennedy Space Center in Florida and
integrated into the Ares I-X, an unpiloted test vehicle. Test lift off is scheduled for the
summer of 2009. (Source: NASA, 01/22/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are involved in the Constellation
Program.
F-35 readies for avionics test
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin has completed the first F-35 Lightning II
equipped with mission systems, and avionics testing is set to begin. The short
takeoff/vertical landing F-35 variant is scheduled for delivery to the flight line by the end
of January with the first flight expected this summer. Aircraft BF-4 will carry the Northrop
Grumman radar and integrated communications, navigation and identification suite and
the BAE Systems electronic warfare system. Five F-35s are already undergoing testing.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be the location for the F-35 training center. All three companies have
operations in the Gulf Coast.
Eglin partners with local business
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Engineers at Eglin’s 693rd Armament Systems Squadron
partnered with Joint Technology Engineering Inc. of Valparaiso, Fla., to improve mission
planning test and training software for the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon. (Source: Eglin Air
Force Base, 01/22/09)
Contract: Northrop, $39.9M
Northrop Grumman, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $39,987,905 modification to a
previously awarded contract for procurement of three low rate initial production Fire Scout
vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle units. The contract also
provides for three ground control stations, three light Harpoon grids, three UCARS
systems and six portable electronic display devices. Work is expected to be completed in
March 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/23/09) Final work on the Fire Scout is done at the Northrop
Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss.
Northrop to write off $3B
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman Corp. will record a fourth quarter loss of $3
billion to $3.4 billion, due to a drop in the book value of its shipbuilding and space
technology activities. The company determined that the book value exceeded the fair
value. As a result of this charge, the company will report a net loss for the fourth quarter
and 2008 when it issues its report Feb. 3. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 01/22/09) Gulf
Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a large presence in the Gulf Coast, including
shipyards and an unmanned aerial systems plant.
Eglin eyes beachfront resort
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Eglin Air Force Base wants to use some of a 17-acre
beachfront test site as a military resort. The proposed Emerald Breeze Resort could
provide a revenue stream. Test Site A-5 is a mostly bare parcel next that has a small
storage building with antennae only occasionally used to support test missions. The
military pictures a 250-room resort. The Air Force will accept public comments until March
12. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/22/09)
Teledyne 4Q report
Teledyne Technologies profits rose 24 percent for 2008 to $122.2 million, with fourth
quarter profit up 16 percent to $30.8 million. The company's Mobile subsidiary, Teledyne
Continental Motors, lost $2.8 million in the fourth quarter compared to a $3 million profit in
the same three months of 2007. Teledyne Continental employs 440 at the Brookley Field
Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/23/09)
Mobile airport wins project money
The Federal Aviation Administration has awarded $1.4 million to the Mobile Regional
Airport for upgrades, according to Sen. Richard Shelby. The money will be used to repair
storm drainage systems, replace the beacon and tower and other projects. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 01/23/09)
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $581.4M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a contract with an
estimated value of $581,446,845 to provide Joint Performance Based Logistics support
for the Marine Corps (MV-22), Air Force, and Special Forces Operations Command (CV-
22) aircraft during the production and deployment phase of the V-22 Program. Just over 6
percent of the work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Most work will be
performed in Ft. Worth, Texas and Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed in
November 2013. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/09)
Contract: AeroVironment, $17M
AeroVironment Inc., Simi Valley, Calif., was awarded a $17,060,507.76 contract to procure
a digital data link upgrade for the Raven RQ-11B Unmanned Aircraft System and FY 09
engineering services and accounting for contract services. Work will be performed at Simi
Valley, Ca. with an estimated completion date of Oct 30, 2010. U.S. Army Contracting
Command, Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/09) AeroVironment has an operation at Navarre, Fla.
Lockheed Martin 4Q report
BETHESDA, Md. - Lockheed Martin reported fourth quarter 2008 net earnings of $823
million - $2.05 per diluted share - compared to $799 million in 2007. Net sales were $11.1
billion, compared to fourth quarter 2007 sales of $10.8 billion. Cash from operations for
the fourth quarter of 2008 was $997 million, compared to $425 million in 2007. (Source:
Lockheed Martin, 01/22/09)
Eurocopter seeking U.S. partners
PARIS - Eurocopter is looking for American partners on a proposed European heavy-lift
helicopter and its bid for the U.S. Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH),
according to CEO Lutz Bertling. The helicopter maker, an EADS subsidiary, is in early
talks with Boeing and Sikorsky, a United Technologies company, as potential partners for
a Future Transport Helicopter. (Source: Defense News, 01/20/09) Gulf Coast note:
Eurocopter operates American Eurocopter manufacturing facility in Columbus, Miss.;
Sikorsky has operations in Northwest Florida; Boeing is the rival of Eurocopter’s parent,
EADS, in the bid for the U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tanker project.
Finalists for cyber headquarters chosen
The Air Force announced this week finalists for headquarters of 24th Air Force, a new
numbered Air Force focused on the cyber mission – protecting the nation from attacks on
computers and other communications systems. The bases are Barksdale Air Force Base,
La.; Lackland, Texas; Langley, Va.; Offutt, Neb.; Peterson, Colo.; and Scott, Ill. A final
selection will be made in June. (Source: AFNS, 01/21/09) Original plans called for a
Cyberspace Command, but last fall the Air Force opted to make it a numbered Air Force.
Keesler Air Force Base, in Biloxi, Miss., was among the candidates for the command.
Murtha to visit proposed tanker site
MOBILE, Ala. – Rep. John Murtha, who could play a key role in the battle over the Air
Force refueling tanker contract, will visit Mobile Jan. 29 and tour the proposed Northrop
Grumman/EADS site assembly site. The Pennsylvania Democrat, who chairs the House
Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, was invited by Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham,
and Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/22/09) Northrop/EADS
was awarded the contract last year, but Boeing’s protest was upheld and the Pentagon
later opted to cancel the contract and let the new administration decide.
United Technologies 4Q report
HARTFORD, Conn. – Growth in the aerospace activities of Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney
boosted United Technologies’ fourth quarter 2008 income by 8 percent to $1.15 billion.
That compares with $1.1 billion a year earlier. Earnings per share were up 14 percent to
$1.23. (Source: United Technologies, 01/21/09) UTC has Sikorsky operations in
Northwest Florida and a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne operation at Stennis Space Center
in Mississippi.
Contract: EADS, $25.6M
EADS North American Defense, Arlington, Va., was awarded a $25,588,548 contract for
funding of the Army's Light Utility Helicopter contract for five UH-72A and supporting
mission kits and equipment packages. Work will be performed at Columbus, Miss., with an
estimated completion date of March 1, 2010. U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command,
Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/21/09) EADS North
America also has operations in Mobile, Ala.
Marines pick F-35B instructors
The Marine Corps recently selected six pilots to become some of the first instructors for
the Marine version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Marines will travel to Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., where the training detachment for the F-35B will be located, by the end
of this year or beginning of next. The three variants of the JSF are the Air Force F-35A,
Navy F-35C and Marine Corps F-35B. (Source: Desert Warrior, 01/15/09)
General sees clear skies for F-35
The officer who will become commander of Eglin Air Force Base’s Air Armament Center,
Maj. Gen. Charles Davis, said the F-35 Lightning II is on track despite an earlier budget
shortfall. At a roundtable discussion in Washington last week, the departing program chief
for the F-35 Lightning II also predicted that Israel, Singapore, Spain and Japan will join
eight other international partners in the JSF program. (Source: Aviation Week, 01/16/09)
At Eglin Davis is replacing Maj. Gen. David Eidsaune, who will become director of
operations at headquarters Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base in Ohio.
RS-68s part of spy satellite launch
A classified spy satellite for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office was launched from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Saturday onboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV
powered by three Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 engines and one upper-stage
RL10B-2 engine. The National Reconnaissance Office is responsible for operating
overhead reconnaissance missions for the Department of Defense and the intelligence
community. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/18/09) Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an RS-68
operation at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.
New Navy trainer will need more room
The switch to a more powerful Navy training aircraft will require an expansion of runways
and safety zones in outlying fields. Starting this year Naval Air Station Whiting Field in
Milton, Fla., which does preliminary training for military pilots, will begin a four-year switch
from the T-34C to the T-6B trainer. Whiting runs 13 outlying fields in the region, where
pilots do touch-and-go landings, maneuvers and other exercises. Four of those outlying
fields are in Baldwin County, Ala., between Pensacola, Fla., and Mobile, Ala. The number
of training flights will also increase. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/17/09)
Budget woes put aviation school on hold
MOBILE, Ala. – Budget cuts have grounded plans for a stand-alone aviation college with a
branch in Mobile, according to the chancellor of the Alabama Community College System.
Bradley Byrne first announced plans for the Alabama Aviation College in October 2007.
Byrne said he remains committed to the idea, but wants to delay it now because of budget
considerations. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/16/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $38.7M, $4.5M
The Air Force is exercising an option with Raytheon Co., Tucson Ariz., for the production
of 46 R7 HARM Targeting System pods and initial spares. In separate action, the Air
Force has obligated $4,533,762 to Raytheon to provide for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation
Missile Targeting Systems Software Upgrade Program. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity for both. (Source: DoD, 01/15/09)
Contract: CSC, $29.2M
The Air Force is exercising an option with the CSC Applied Technologies LLC of Fort
Worth, Texas for $29,186,679. The contract provides for Base Operation Support at
Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. 81CONS Keesler Air Force Base is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/15/09)
NASA unveils earth science drone
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center has
unveiled the first Global Hawk unmanned system dedicated to earth science research.
NASA plans to use them to support its Science Mission Directorate and the Earth science
community that require high-altitude, long-endurance, long-distance airborne capability.
The initial mission will be Global Hawk Pacific 2009, six long-duration missions over the
Pacific and Arctic in the late spring and early summer of 2009. Twelve NASA and NOAA
scientific instruments integrated into one of the drones will collect atmospheric data while
flying through the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. (Source: NASA via
PRNewswire, 01/15/09) John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi is home to a large
earth science community, including NASA’s Science and Technology Division.
NATO Global Hawk pact seen soon
An announcement is expected soon that NATO will buy eight Global Hawks from Northrop
Grumman in a deal that would be worth more than $1.3 billion. NATO is targeting a 2012
entry-into-service date for the airborne alliance ground surveillance fleet (AGS). NATO
has wanted a capability similar to the Air Force’s E-8C JSTARS airborne round
surveillance system since the early 1990s, and originally planned a mix of Airbus manned
aircraft and Global Hawks, but opted for an all-unmanned system instead. (Sources:
Florida Today, 01/14/08; FlightGlobal, 01/15/09) Portions of the Global Hawk fuselage are
built at the Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss. The program is managed in
Melbourne, Fla.
Gulfport airport has record 2008
GULFPORT, Miss. - More people flew into and out of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in
2008 than ever before, with a 6.5 percent increase over the previous year. The next best
year was in 2000, before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when 949,000 total passengers came
through Gulfport. In 2008, the airport saw 974,861 passengers, an increase of 50,000
over 2000 and 63,598 over 2007. (Source: The Sun Herald, 01/15/09)
AF eyes robot ground refueler
Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio is developing an automated aircraft refueling system for
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Researchers at the directorate's Airbase Technologies
Division at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., received a request for an automated system to
refuel the F-35 while on the ground and developed the robot. (Source: AFNS, 01/12/09)
Shuttle crew members visit Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Two crew members of the STS-126 shuttle mission
visited staff at Stennis Space Center to share highlights of their November delivery of
equipment and supplies to the International Space Station. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/14/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $16.3M
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus fixed fee with performance incentives to Raytheon
Co., of Tucson, Ariz. for $16,298,964. This contract will provide a High-Speed Anti-
Radiation Missile Targeting Systems Software Upgrade Program. 693 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/13/09)
Contract: Raytheon, $6.7M
The Air Force is modifying a contract with Raytheon Co., Tucson Ariz., for $6,736,211.
This contract is a modification to the AMRAAM Production Lot 22 contract. 695ARSS,
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/12/09)
Will Boeing, Airbus fight over AF1?
The Air Force last week officially launched the search for a new widebody presidential jet
when it issued a request for information. This competition could pit Boeing’s 747 against
the Airbus 380. Airbus told Flight International the company received the RFI and is
“taking a look.” Boeing, which has provided AF1 for more than 50 years, has said keeping
the contract is a top priority. Boeing has provided the presidential jet for more than 50
years. (Sources: Flight International, Wired, 01/09/09) The other high-profile
Boeing/Airbus battle is over the Air Force tanker. The Northrop Grumman/EADS (Airbus)
team won and planned to build them in Mobile, Ala. But Boeing’s protest was upheld and
the Pentagon cancelled the contest – opting to let the new administration decide where to
go from here.
Airport hopes to land WestJet
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Northwest Florida Regional Airport officials chose the
eighth annual Senior Snowbird Expo Friday to roll out plans to lure a Canadian airline to
the area. Local airport officials have set up a Web site and are asking people to show
their interest. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/09/09)
Boeing trimming commercial plane workforce
SEATTLE, Wash. - Boeing said today that employment at its Commercial Airplanes
business unit is expected to decline by approximately 4,500 positions in 2009 as part of
an effort to control costs. The reduction will bring Commercial Airplanes' employment to
about 63,500, similar to the level it was at the start of 2008. Most of the cuts are expected
in Washington state in the second quarter of the year. (Source: Boeing, 01/09/09) Boeing’
s operations in New Orleans and Northwest Florida are not in the commercial airplanes
sector.
Contract: Northrop, $13.4M
The Air Force is awarding a cost plus award fee contract to Northrop Grumman Systems
Corp., San Diego, Calif., for $13,474,949. This contract is for engineering, manufacturing
and development activities in support of the Global Hawk Program. 303 AESG/SYK,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/08/09)
Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Ground broken on new high-tech facility
SLIDELL, La. - Northrop Grumman’s 3001 International broke ground Wednesday on a
new facility. Northrop in October 2008 bought 3001, a provider of geospatial data
production and analysis, including airborne imaging, surveying, mapping and geographic
information systems. The new office combines the existing Slidell 3001 office with the one
at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The new 20,000 square-foot facility brings 85
jobs, including 50 new positions to St. Tammany Parish. (Source: Northrop Grumman,
01/07/09)
Northrop streamlines units
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Northrop Grumman has combined seven units into five to lower
costs. The Integrated Systems group was combined with Space Technology to form the
Aerospace Systems unit, led by Gary Ervin. The Information Technology and Mission
Systems groups have combined as Information Systems, led by Linda Mills. Northrop
Grumman last year streamlined its shipbuilding business. (Source: Los Angeles Times,
01/08/09) The new aerospace unit includes Moss Point, Miss., and other facilities that
build the Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned aerial systems.
NASA leader plans to step down
Like the other political appointees of the Bush administration, NASA Administrator Mike
Griffin is planning to step down Jan. 20. Griffin does not expect to be offered an
opportunity to stay on after President-elect Barack Obama takes office. A small list of
potential appointees has already emerged. (Source: Florida Today, 01/07/09) NASA
operates facilities at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi and Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans.
Boeing gets JDAM, SDB contract
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Boeing Co. received two contracts totaling $217.1 million from the
Department of Defense for continued production of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
tail kits and Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). The JDAM contract includes more than 4,000
tail kits for the Air Force and Navy. The SDB contract includes more than 2,500 weapons
and associated carriages for the Air Force. Deliveries are scheduled for 2010. (Source:
Boeing, 01/07/09). Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is where the Air Force develops airborne
conventional weapons.
DAGR tested at Eglin
ORLANDO, Fla. - Lockheed Martin successfully conducted the first live warhead ground
launch test of the DAGR guidance kit for the 2.75-inch rocket. Conducted at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., the test demonstrated DAGR’s vehicle penetration and time-delayed
fuzing feature. Lockheed Martin engineers fired a DAGR-equipped rocket armed with a
live warhead at a stationary vehicle. It penetrated the side of the vehicle before
detonating inside. The system is designed for rotary-wing Hellfire platforms, including the
Cobra, Apache, Seahawk, Kiowa and Tiger. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/06/09)
Eglin building renamed for engineer
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Building 22 at Eglin Air Force Base has been renamed
the Register Physical Sciences Center, in honor of the late Henry I. Register. Register
spent more than 50 years at Eglin and was one of the pioneers of laser-guided smart
weapons. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/05/09)
NASA issues RFP for Ares V
WASHINGTON, D.C. - NASA issued a request for proposals for the Ares V rocket Monday.
The rocket will perform heavy lift and cargo functions as part of the next generation of
spacecraft that will return humans to the moon - the Constellation Project. Proposals are
due to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 9. Selections will be
made in the spring of 2009. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/05/09) Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the
Constellation Project.
Contract: Raytheon, $12.2M
The Air Force modified a contract with Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., for $12,247,290. This
contract action will provide a miniature air launched decoy jammer Block II program
contract for a 14-month concept refinement study for data link and increased effective
radiated power. 692 ARSS/PK, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
01/05/09)
Stennis names deputy director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA named Patrick Scheuermann as the deputy
director of John C. Stennis Space Center, NASA's primary testing ground for propulsion
systems. The promotion of Scheuermann, the center's associate director since August
2006, became effective Dec. 21. Scheuermann previously was chief operating officer of
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. (Source: NASA, 01/05/08)
Option exercised for Deepwater aircraft
ROSSLYN, Va. - Lockheed Martin and the Coast Guard exercised contract options valued
at $13.25 million to install mission systems aboard two additional HC-130J aircraft used in
the Deepwater Program. The new system uses the technology developed for the HC-
144A Ocean Sentry Maritime Patrol Aircraft. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/05/09) Support
for the HC-144A, based on the EADS CASA CN-235, is provided at EADS North America’s
facility at Mobile Regional Airport in Mobile, Ala.
Stennis kicks off robotics competition
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – This past weekend 27 high school teams from
Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana gathered at Stennis Space Center’s StenniSphere for
the regional kickoff of the 18th annual For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and
Technology Robotics Competition. It’s the first step towards the national and international
competition. Teams will participate in the Bayou Regional, March 19-21 at the University
of New Orleans, to qualify for a place in April at the FIRST Championship in Atlanta.
(Source: The Sun Herald, 01/03/09)
F-35 production on schedule
FORT WORTH, Texas – Lockheed Martin's F-35 production is on schedule and nearing
its goal of a 2010 delivery to Eglin Air Force Base. Last month Lockheed rolled out two
more F-35s that are ready to be tested. The AF-1 is a flight test aircraft and AG-1 a
ground test unit. Six F-35s are now complete and 17 are in production. The test aircrafts
have completed 83 flights. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 01/04/09)
CV-22 to be fitted with all-quadrant weapon
Special Operations Command is on track to install all-quadrant 7.62mm Gatling guns
underneath seven Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22 Ospreys in 2009. The
413th Flight Test Squadron is testing the turret-mounted gun at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
It’s passed a series of tests including firing from a hover in August, said Dave Adamiak, a
BAE Systems official. Critics had complained that the craft had no all-quadrant weapons,
but in 2007 a contract was awarded to BAE Systems to deliver seven Remote Guardian
Systems and install them onto CV-22 Ospreys for AFSOC deployments. (Source: Air
Force Times, 01/04/08)
Contract: McDonnell, $13.8M
The Air Force awarded a firm fixed-price contract to the McDonnell Douglas Corp., St.
Louis, Mo., for $13,835,952. This will authorize McDonnell to provide various test assets
in support of The Small Diameter Bomb I program for aircraft/weapon integration for
threshold and follow-on aircraft. 681 ARSS/PK, Eglin AFB, Fla., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/02/09)
Goodrich, Rolls enter joint venture
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Goodrich and Rolls-Royce announced today that they’ve formed a
joint venture company to develop and supply engine controls for Rolls-Royce aero
engines. The joint venture company, Rolls-Royce Goodrich Engine Control Systems
Limited, operates as Aero Engine Controls. Each of the contributing companies owns 50
per cent of Aero Engine Controls. Goodrich will retain the aftermarket products and
services business associated with the joint venture's products. (Source: PRNewswire,
01/02/08) Both companies have Gulf Coast operations. Rolls-Royce has a foundry in
Pascagoula and tests jet engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss; Goodrich has a service
center in Foley, Ala.