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JULY 2010
Tyndall getting F-22 squadron
Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., will be getting an additional squadron of F-22 Raptors being
relocated from Hollman Air Force Base, N.M. Another squadron of F-22s from Hollman is
being distributed among three other bases. The announcement was made by the Air Force
Thursday as part of a consolidation plan for the F-22 fleet. Tyndall is getting 21 aircraft,
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, will get six, Langley Air Force Base, Va., will get six, and
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will get two of the F-22s. (Source: DoD, 07/29/10)
Luke, Hill, Burlington to get F-35s
A day after announcing that Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will get 59 F-35s for its joint strike
fighter training center, the Air Force announced additional basings for the next-generation
plane. The Air Force chose Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and
Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt., to get F-35s. The Luke planes will be used for training,
while Hill's and Burlington's will be for operations. The previously announced candidates for
operations aircraft were, in addition to Hill and Burlington, Mountain Home Air Force Base,
Idaho, Shaw Air Force Base/McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., and Jacksonville Air
Guard Station, Fla. The other training base candidates, in addition to Luke, were Boise
AGS, Idaho, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M, and Tucson Air Guard Station, Ariz. Eglin was
also a candidate for additional training jets. The current scope of this basing action includes
250 to 300 F-35 aircraft. (Source: DoD, 07/29/10)
AF leaves Eglin with 59 F-35s
The Air Force said today that it will base 59 F-35 aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
contingent upon the result of a draft supplemental environmental impact statement expected
to be released this fall. The planes will be based at Eglin with flight operations also occurring
at Duke and Choctaw fields. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission
established the F-35 Initial Joint Training Center at Eglin, with the expectation of 107 planes.
The number was set at 59 last year, but expection was Eglin would get 48 more. The
announcement today ends that. "This is not a final basing decision; it is the alternative we
believe will fulfill our mission responsibilities while considering economic, environmental, and
technical factors," said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for
installations. In a news conference this afternoon at Eglin, Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, Air
Armament Center Commander, said the additional aircraft would interfere with other air
missions at the base. (Source: AFNS, Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/28/10)
Contract: Anderson Drace, $14.4M
Anderson Drace, JV, Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $14,380,420 firm-fixed-price
contract which provides for the design and construction of a bachelor enlisted quarters for
the Corry "A" School students training at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The work to be
performed provides 80 2-plus-2 modules for 320 Corry "A" School students training at the
Center for Information Dominance. The contract contains one unexercised option which, if
exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $14,391,620. Work will be performed
in Pensacola, Fla., and is expected to be completed by August 2012. The Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 07/26/10)
Contract: Bates, $5M
Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga., was awarded a $5,023,576 firm-fixed-
price contract to construct a new 1,400 square meter addition to an existing simulator
facility. Construction will consist of structural steel, concrete masonry unit, exterior and a
standing seam metal roof. Heating ventilation, air condition, fire detection suppression and
access control/intrusion detection systems are required. A bridge crane, emergency
generator, unlimited power supply, furnishing all utilities and parking are included.
Construction phasing and leadership energy environmental design certification are required.
Unexercised options in the amount of $200,000 are available for future execution by the
government. Work is to be performed in Hulbert Field, Fla., with an estimated completion
date of Nov. 18, 2011. Corps of Engineers-Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/23/10)
Contract: Tybrin, $11.4M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an $11,446,277 contract modification
which will add 70 man-years of software engineering support for guided weapons systems
evaluations, simulations and other services supporting research and development for the
principals and customers of the Air Armament Center. At this time, the entire amount has
been obligated. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 07/22/10)
Panel trims commercial space dollars
The House Committee on Science and Technology wants to devote $750 million to
developing a commercial space industry, well under the $6 billion requested by the Obama
administration and the $1.3 billion a Senate panel approved last week. The House
authorization bill would also instruct NASA to continue developing its own rocket, which the
administration wants to kill. (Source: New York Times, 07/20/10)
Airstrip expansion decision nears
BAY MINETTE, Ala. - A decision should be made soon on which Baldwin County airstrips will
be expanded to handle new Navy training aircraft. Jay Cope, spokesman for Naval Air
Station Whiting Field, Fla., said at a Baldwin County Commission meeting that studies are
continuing on which two Baldwin outlying fields will get between 500 and 1,500 additional
feet of runway. Whiting, which trains military pilots, has eight outlying fields in the region.
The Navy is switching from T-34 Turbo Mentors to T-6B Texan aircraft, which need longer
runways to operate. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/21/10)
Contract: Lockheed, $819.6M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an $819,647,920 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded
advance acquisition contract for special tools/test equipment required in support of the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter air system low-rate initial production Lot IV production. Work will be
performed in California, Texas, the United Kingdom, Illinois, Maryland, Colorado and other
locations. Work is expected to be completed in January 2013. This modification combines
purchases for the Navy, Air Force and international partners. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/19/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Mississippi has air show pavilion
The state of Mississippi will have its own pavilion at London's Farnborough International
Airshow this year. It will show the range of Mississippi aerospace activities, including the
substantial work done in South Mississippi. The week-long air show gets under way next
week. A group of which Mississippi is a member, the four-state Aerospace Alliance, is also
hosting a reception for about 500 aerospace executives and prospects at London's
Kensington Palace Sunday evening. (Source: Tcp, 07/17/10)
Alabama officials visit EADS
Although EADS is still competing for an Air Force contract, Alabama business and education
leaders spent three days in Spain and France this week meeting with EADS to gain insight
into the company's training needs for its proposed 1,500-worker factory. The delegation
arrived Tuesday in Madrid and toured EADS operations. On Friday, the group was at Airbus
headquarters in Toulouse, France, and left Saturday for London to attend the Farnborough
International Airshow. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/17/10)
Fire Scout passes extreme tests
ABU DHABI, UAE – The Fire Scout passed a series of flight demonstrations over 10 days
earlier this month in the United Arab Emirates. The MQ-8B demonstrations included takeoffs
and landings in hot, windy and sandy conditions in temperatures as high as 117 degrees
Fahrenheit and altitudes of up to 9,842 feet. The Navy will conduct operational evaluation of
the system later this year aboard the USS Halyburton. (Source: Northrop Grumman via
Globe Newswire, 07/14/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Canada picks F-35
The Government of Canada today announced plans to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35
Joint Strike Fighter as its next-generation fighter aircraft. It will replace Canada's fleet of CF-
18 Hornets that entered service in the early 1980s. The stealth fighter is being developed
and funded by a consortium of nine countries, including Canada, which plans to acquire 65
F-35s. Delivery of Canada's F-35s will begin in 2016. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/16/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the joint strike fighter training center.
Aerojet engine arrives
An Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine was delivered to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center on
Thursday. It’s the first of a series of Taurus II engines that will be tested at SSC to include
acceptance testing of flight engines. Stennis will provide propulsion system acceptance
testing for the Taurus II space launch vehicle being developed by Orbital Sciences Corp. of
Dulles, Va. The first Taurus II mission will be flown in support of NASA's Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services cargo demonstration to the International Space Station. Orbital's
Taurus II design uses a pair of Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines to provide first stage propulsion
for the new launch vehicle. (Source: NASA, 07/15/10)
Contract: SAIC, $9.5M
Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $9,513,837
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price and/or firm-fixed-price
level-of-effort task orders for information technology ashore operations support services for
the Navy's Military Sealift Command. This contract includes options which, if exercised,
would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $49,846,901. Work will be performed
primarily in Washington, D.C., and other sites in Norfolk, Va., Pensacola, Fla., and San
Diego, Calif. Work is expected to be completed by July 31, 2011. If all options are exercised,
work could continue until July 31, 2015. The Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/10)
Contract: Simplex, $11.8M
Simplex Corp., Hallandale, Fla., was awarded an $11,774,400 contract which will lease four
Mi-8/17 aircraft with the period of performance from Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011. At this
time, $11,774,400 has been obligated. HQ AFSOC/A7KQ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/10)
New flight announced
NEW ORLEANS, La. - For the second time in less than a week, an international air carrier
has announced new service between New Orleans and Toronto. Air Canada, which
operated out of New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, said Wednesday that it will resume
flights from the city Oct. 30. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/15/10)
Contract: Boeing, $7M
Boeing Co., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $7,000,000 contract which will support
the 40mm gun requirement for the AC-130 Plus Four program. At this time, $1,173,207 has
been obligated. 782 CBSG/GBKAA, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 07/13/10)
Farnborough gets underway next week
The Gulf Coast will be represented next week’s Farnborough International Airshow. The July
19-25 show is held every other year. There will be about 70 delegations from 38 countries.
The nearly week-long event will include 132,000 trade visitors, 153,000 public visitors, 1,393
exhibitors from 40 countries, 29 international pavilions and 165 aircraft on display, and it will
be covered by 1,800 media personnel. (Source: Tcp, 07/13/10)
Pep rally held to support EADS
MOBILE, Ala. – About 300 people showed up for a pep rally supporting EADS’ bid to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force. The celebration was also the formal announcement that
EADS is bringing together its 150-member tanker team in Mobile to manage the company's
bid during the Air Force's evaluation period. EADS, which plans to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, and rival Boeing are competing for the $35 billion contract. A third team, US
Aerospace and Antonov, is also in the competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
07/13/10)
Boeing files tanker bid
Boeing submitted its 8,000-page proposal Friday to build tankers for the Air Force, and said
it was changing the production line of its 767 jets to cut costs and better compete. The
Boeing bid was submitted a day after competitor EADS, parent of Airbus, submitted its bid.
Also on Friday, latecomer US Aerospace and partner Antonov submitted a bid. A press
release said the planes each will cost $150 million. The $35 billion contract is to build 179
planes to replace Eisenhower-era KC-135s. The Air Force has a tanker fleet of over 400.
Boeing wants to build tankers in Everett, Wash., and EADS wants to assemble its modified
A330 in Mobile, Ala. The US Aerospace-Antonov planes, AN-112KC jets, would be built in
the Ukraine and modified at an unspecified site in the United States. (Sources: Multiple,
including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Business Wire via
MarketWatch, 07/09/10)
Bill would roll back NASA changes
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is moving toward an
authorization bill that would reverse much of the president's proposed changes to NASA's
human space flight program. The bill lays out the direction of the space program for the next
three years. It would add another space shuttle flight, speed development of a heavy-lift
rocket and move ahead with building a spacecraft to venture beyond low-Earth orbit. It would
also require companies to demonstrate their capabilities before receiving large contracts for
delivering astronauts to the International Space Station. (Source: New York Times, 07/08/10)
Shuttle tank gets sendoff
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Over 1,000 people were on hand Thursday at NASA's Michoud
Assembly Center to send off the last external fuel tank for the space shuttle program. The
ceremony offered plant workers a chance to celebrate their involvement in the space
program even as fears loom about the facility's future. Work on the last tank began in 2003,
although Katrina temporarily put construction on hold. The last space shuttle flight is
scheduled for February of next year, leaving many workers at Michoud fearing for their jobs.
A spare tank is still in production. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/08/10)
WTO to delay Boeing ruling
BRUSSELS – The World Trade Organization will delay until mid-September a ruling on a
complaint accusing the U.S. of providing illegal public subsidies to Boeing. The WTO ruled
last week that Boeing's European rival, EADs-owned Airbus, had received billions of dollars
in illegal government aid. Boeing and EADS are competing for a $35 billion contract to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force. Boeing is offering a modified 767 that would be built in
Everett, Wash., and EADS is offering a modified A330 that would be assembled in Mobile,
Ala. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 07/08/10)
EADS submits bid
The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company submitted an 8,800-page bid on
Thursday for a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract, according to the New York Times.
Boeing, based in Chicago, plans to file its bid Friday. (Source: New York Times, 07/08/10)
Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
Contract: United Technologies, $57.6M
United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being
awarded a $57,594,777 modification to convert a previously awarded advance acquisition
contract to an undefinitized contract action. This modification further provides for the
procurement of 32 low-rate initial production F-135 propulsion systems for F-35 Joint Strike
Fighters: 10 conventional take off and landing for the Air Force; 16 short take-off and
vertical landing for the Marine Corps; four carrier variant for the Navy; one STOVL for the
United Kingdom; and one CTOL for the Netherlands. Modification provides for associated
and sustainment and production non-recurring activities for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air
Force, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and
Norway. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Conn., Bristol, U.K., and Indianapolis, Ind.,
and is expected to be completed in January 2013. Contract combines purchases for the U.S.
Marine Corp, Air Force, and Navy; and the governments of the United Kingdom, Italy, the
Netherlands, Turkey, and Australia. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., is home of the F-35 joint training center.
Tanker bids due Friday
Boeing and EADS are expected to submit bids Friday for the $40 billion contract to build
tankers for the Air Force. Latecomer US Aerospace and partner Antonov also plan to bid. It’
s the third contest to build the planes. Boeing was awarded a contract in 2003, but that was
scuttled by a scandal. EADS and its then-partner Northrop Grumman won in February 2008,
but that was killed by a Boeing protest upheld by the Government Accountability Office.
Northrop dropped out of this round, saying the request for proposals favors the smaller
tanker offered by Boeing. EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., and Boeing
wants to build them in Washington State. (Source: Tcp, 07/07/10) Other sources: The Hill,
Defense News, AFP.
Contract: Lockheed, $522.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $522,200,000 to
provide for long-lead efforts and materials associated with the production and delivery of 42
low-rate initial production Lot V F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. This contract provides for
22 conventional take off and landing aircraft for the Air Force; 13 short take off and vertical
landing aircraft for the Marine Corps; and seven carrier variant aircraft for the Navy. Work
will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire, Maryland and the United
Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed in May 2011. This contract combines purchases
for the Navy, 63 percent, and Air Force, 37 percent. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/06/10) Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is home to the F-35 joint training center.
General aviation building going up
GULFPORT, Miss. – Ground has been broken on a new general aviation building at
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. The building on the southwest side of the airport is
scheduled to be finished in December. Fixed-base operator Million Air will provide general
airport services, including aircraft refueling and airplane rentals. The new building will have
more than 52,000 square feet of combined terminal, office and hangar space, executive
conference rooms and a business center along with a U.S. Customs facility. (Source: Sun
Herald, 07/03/10)
Team plans to offer Antonov tanker
Ukranian aircraft manufacturer Antonov and partner U.S. Aerospace Inc., of California plan
to bid on the Air Force tanker project. Boeing and EADS are the other two bidders for the
$40 billion project. Executives of the companies signed a pact July 1 spelling out the terms
of a partnership. The American company will act as the prime contractor of a team that will
enter up to three Antonov aircraft into contest to build up to 179 tankers for the Air Force.
Bids are due July 9. (Sources: Multiple, including Mobile Press Register, Reuters, Defense
News, 07/02/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Robot tanker project funded
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, DARPA, has awarded a $33
million contract to Northrop Grumman to demonstrate aerial refueling of a NASA Global
Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle by a sister ship. The program is designated KQ-X. Northrop
Grumman will retrofit two of the UAVs, one aircraft pumping fuel into the other in flight
through a hose-and-drogue refueling system. The refueling will be completely autonomous.
The Global Hawks are high-altitude UAVs, and the refueling will take place at a much higher
altitude than has been previously demonstrated with manned aircraft. It will also be the first
time that high-altitude UAVs have flown in formation. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/01/10)
"We're still a long way from unmanned aircraft refueling bombers," said Scott Hamilton, an
aviation industry consultant in Issaquah, Wash. "But I wouldn't be surprised to see it go into
service in 10 or more years." (Source: Los Angeles Times, 07/02/10) Gulf Coast note:
Global Hawks are now built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Shuttle missions rescheduled
NASA is targeting Nov. 1 for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission and
Feb. 26, 2011, for the liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 flight from the Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. The target dates were adjusted because critical payload hardware for STS-133
will not be ready in time to support the previously planned Sept. 16 launch. With STS-133
moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly as planned, so the next available launch window is
in February. All target launch dates are subject to change. (Source: NASA, 07/01/10)
Previous story
Last external tank completed
NEW ORLEANS, La. - NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems will hold a ceremony at 9
a.m. CDT on July 8 to commemorate 37 years of tank deliveries and the final external tank's
rollout. The last shuttle flight, STS 134, is scheduled for February 2011. The tank was
completed June 25 by Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud Assembly Facility. It will travel by
barge to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 900 miles away. (Source: NASA, 06/30/10)
Contract: L-3 Vertex, $51.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$51,295,003 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable requirements contract to provide aircraft
maintenance and logistics life cycle support for 54 Navy and 11 Marine Corps C-12 aircraft.
Works is at a variety of locations, including NAS New Orleans. Work is expected to be
completed in August 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/01/10)
Airbus ups Mobile workforce
MOBILE, Ala. – The Airbus Engineering Center at Mobile’s Brookley Industrial Complex will
be getting another 90 engineers. The center currently has 150 engineers. Airbus opened
the 48,000-square-foot building in 2007. The employees at the center work on cabin
interiors, cargo systems and escape systems on a wide range of Airbus jets. Airbus owner
EADS also hopes to win an Air Force contract to assemble tankers at Brookley. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 06/30/10)
Flight academy gets check
PENSACOLA, Fla. - St. Joe, a Florida real estate development company, provided a $1.25
million donation to the National Flight Academy at the National Aviation Museum, located at
Naval Air Station Pensacola. The academy, which will provide week-long sessions to
students in 7th through 12th grades, is set to open in 2012. Its purpose is to motivate
students to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math in what's called a
"learning adventure." (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/01/10)
Hurricane Hunters saw Alex grow
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – An aircrew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron found that a storm that had been upgraded from tropical storm to hurricane status
hours before they took off had reached Category 2 status by the time they returned home.
They had been in the storm more than seven hours. Alex came ashore late in the evening of
June 29 on an unpopulated stretch of coast in northern Mexico. (Source: AFNS, 07/01/10)
JUNE 2010
Euro Hawk has first flight
The Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft built by Northrop Grumman successfully completed its
first flight June 29. It took off from the company’s Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility and
climbed to 32,000 feet before landing nearly two hours later at Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif. It’s the first international configuration of the Global Hawk. The UAV will be equipped
with a signals intelligence mission system developed by EADS Defense and Security. The
German Ministry of Defense awarded a contract in January 2007 to EuroHawk GmbH – a
Northrop Grumman and EADS joint venture – for the development, test and support of the
surveillance and reconnaissance system. (Source: Globe Newswire, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast
note: Central fuselage work on the Euro Hawk is done in Moss Point, Miss.
F-35 courseware delivered
Northrop Grumman has delivered the first set of instructional materials needed to train pilots
and aircraft maintainers for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It was delivered to the Lockheed
Martin F-35 Integrated Training Center, which will open this summer at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. Called courseware, the electronic materials include all of the presentation materials that
classroom instructors will use to teach pilots how to fly the F-35, and maintainers how to
repair and support the aircraft. The courseware also includes students' self-study materials
and pilot briefing materials used to support F-35 simulator and flight training events.
Northrop Grumman is a principal subcontractor for the Lockheed Martin-built plane that will
be used by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and foreign nations. (Source: Globe
Newswire, 06/30/10)
WTO issues expected ruling
In a ruling that could impact the current battle between Boeing and EADS over building Air
Force tankers, the World Trade Organization ruled that aid European governments provided
to Airbus violated global trade rules. The WTO ruled that four decades of government-
backed loans to Airbus helped it gain foreign sales, harming Boeing. The ruling was
anticipated by the U.S. aerospace industry. The U.S. filed the case in 2004, accusing the
European Union of unfair trade practices by subsidizing Airbus with hundreds of millions of
dollars in "launch-aid loans." Airbus officials said the EU would appeal the ruling. "There's
not a single WTO case that hasn't been changed on appeal," said an Airbus official. The
WTO is expected to rule next month on a countersuit accusing the U.S. of unfairly
subsidizing Boeing. (Source: Multiple, including Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters,
Orlando Sentinel, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS, owner of Airbus, wants to assemble its
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Panel sidesteps Constellation
WASHINGTON - A House panel agreed Tuesday to accept President Obama's proposed
funding increase for NASA, but without taking a position on changing the agency's course.
The House appropriations subcommittee governing NASA unanimously approved $19 billion
for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, a nearly $276 million increase from the current year. The
panel opted to take to take no position on White House plans to scrap NASA's moon-rocket
program and replace the space shuttle with commercial rockets. (Sources: Multiple,
including Florida Today, Orlando Sentinel, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both key NASA centers.
EADS incentives to change
The city council, county commission, airport authority and city industrial development board
will be meeting to modify incentive agreements each made in 2006 in an attempt to lure
refueling tanker assembly to Mobile. Officials have indicated that the deals are similar to
those granted at that time, but it’s likely that details will remain under wraps. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 06/29/10) The Northrop Grumman/EADS team won the $40 million contract
in February 2008, but it was overturned after a Boeing protest. Northrop dropped out after it
determined the new requirements favored a smaller plane offered by Boeing. EADS is
submitting a bid as the prime contractor.
Retired SSC chief dies
Roy Estess, long associated with NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, died Friday.
He was 71. Estess, of Carriere, had an allergic reaction to an insect string while at his camp
in Tylertown. His career at NASA spanned 37 years, with 25 of that at Stennis Space Center.
He was a founding director of the board of Infinity Science Center, a science learning center
being built along Interstate 10, just south of Stennis Space Center. (Source: Sun Herald,
06/26/10)
Contract: SURVICE, $67.8M
SURVICE Engineering Co., Belcamp, Md., was awarded a $67,800,000 contract which will
provide support to the Air Force Seek Eagle Office for the purpose of augmenting its highly
technical workforce with contracted skills and expertise to primarily provide modeling and
simulation, and analysis and product development support. AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/23/10)
Contract: Jacobs, $16.3M
Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., was awarded a $16,254,943 contract
modification which will provide technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla, and various other tenant originations. This contract will increase work
requirement. AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
06/23/10)
F-35 drop test successful
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Lockheed Martin F-35C carrier variant successfully completed
testing in which it was dropped from heights of more than 11 feet during a series of
simulated aircraft-carrier landings. The tests validated predictions and will help confirm the F-
35C's structural integrity for carrier operations. The jet, a ground-test article known as CG-
1, underwent drop testing at Vought Aircraft Industries in Grand Prairie, Texas. This final
drop test follows the recent first flight of the first F-35C. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
06/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter
training center.
Funds to stimulate aerospace jobs
The president submitted to Congress last week a fiscal year 2011 budget amendment that
targets up to $100 million toward spurring regional economic growth and job creation in the
aerospace industry. The amendment would provide up to $40 million in aid for Florida's
Space Coast and a maximum of about $60 million for other affected regions. The funds
would be made available from the Constellation Program transition element of the agency's
exploration request. The amendment does not increase the total of the administration's
fiscal year 2011 budget request. (Source: NASA, 06/21/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in
Constellation.
NASA may delay final shuttle flights
NASA is considering new target launch dates for its last two shuttle missions to give
engineers more time to prepare equipment for the International Space Station. Launch of
Discovery carrying a station warehouse module would be targeted for Oct. 29. Endeavour
would aim for liftoff on Feb. 28, 2011. Senior managers are expected to approve the new
dates at a meeting on July 1. (Source: Florida Today, 06/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis
Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in the
shuttle program.
F-35 course dry run set for July
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first pilots and maintainers for the F-35 will start a
training regimen this fall calling for airmen, naval officers, sailors and Marines to learn the
ins and outs of the Joint Strike Fighter on laptops and full-motion simulators. Instructors will
do a dry run of the course in July. Right now, the wing has about 200 instructors from the Air
Force, Navy and Marines, but should hit full strength of 2,000 by 2014. By then, the wing will
have at least 59 F-35s for training. The first one is scheduled to arrive in November.
(Source: Air Force Times, 06/20/10)
Full-body scanner installed
GULFPORT, Miss. – The U.S. Transportation Security Administration unveiled a full-body X-
ray scanner Friday at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport’s security checkpoint. It’s built by
Rapiscan Systems’s 35-worker plant in Ocean Springs, Miss. Gulfport is the first airport in
Mississippi, Alabama or Louisiana to use advanced imaging technology scanners before
passengers board the airplanes. The scanner can detect metallic and non-metallic items
including weapons and explosives, concealed beneath a passenger’s clothes. Rapiscan is
part of OSI Systems of Hawthorne, Calif. The federal government is buying a total of 450
advanced imaging systems with stimulus money, split between Rapiscan and a competing
technology built by L-3 Communications. (Source: Sun Herald, Mobile Press-Register,
06/18/10)
Tanker decision delayed
It will be mid-November before the Pentagon awards a contract for Air Force refueling
tankers. That word came Friday from Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, the Air Force’s top
uniformed acquisition official, during a briefing with reporters. The Pentagon had earlier
claimed the award date would not change from “early fall” despite granting a 60-day
extension to EADS to prepare a bid. EADS needed the extra time after partner Northrop
Grumman dropped out of the competition. The original deadline for EADS and rival Boeing
to submit their bids was May 10, but is now July 9. EADS is offering a tanker version of its
Airbus A330 jetliner and Boeing is offering the 767 jetliner. (Source: Defense News,
06/18/10; HeraldNet, 06/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala.
Water survival course moves
Because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Air Force water survival courses have
temporarily relocated to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. Training at Naval Air Station
Pensacola, Fla., was suspended June 4 when oil was discovered inside the training area
used by Detachment 2 of the 66th Training Squadron. The instructors at Det. 2 teach
students how to survive in cases where the aircrew has to abandon their aircraft over water.
The course covers a variety of open-water scenarios. Up to 55 students a week attend the
three-day course, said Lt. Col. Christopher Tacheny, the 66th TRS commander. The
Pensacola facility is the fourth location the 66th TRS has used. Previously, water survival
was taught off the coast of Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle and at
Homestead Air Reserve Base, south of Miami. It's unclear how long training operations there
will be suspended. (Source: 92nd Air Refueling Wing, 06/17/10) The Deepwater Horizon
exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil from the well has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico
since then.
CNATTU command change set
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Cmdr. Cris Treharne turns over command of the
Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit to Cmdr. Angie Walker, 11 a.m. June 25 at
Welch Auditorium, followed by a reception at Vandenberg Community Center. Walker is
reporting from Stennis Space Center, Miss., where she served as the deputy assistant chief
of staff for operations for the Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command. (Source: 81st Training Wing, 06/17/10)
STS-132 crew visits SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The STS-132 Atlantis space shuttle crew visited NASA’s
John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday to thank personnel for their role in the May mission
to the International Space Station. Crew members presented a video recap of their mission,
scheduled as the last flight for the Atlantis shuttle. Since the 1960s, Stennis has tested
every engine used in all crewed Apollo and space shuttle missions. Atlantis now is being
prepared to serve as a backup craft should an emergency arise during the final two
scheduled shuttle missions. (Source: NASA, 06/17/10)
Constellation gets new chief
Lawrence D. Thomas was appointed manager of NASA's Constellation Program, which
manages the effort to take humans beyond low-Earth orbit and develop the next generation
launch vehicle and spacecraft. Charles M. Stegemoeller was appointed deputy program
manager. They’ll be based at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Thomas most
recently served as the deputy program manager of the Constellation Program at NASA's
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. (Source: NASA, 06/14/10) The Orlando
Sentinel reported last month that lawmakers who support Constellation were upset the
agency reassigned the former head of the program, Jeff Hanley, to a deputy position at
Johnson Space Center. Hanley had opposed administration efforts to shut down the
program. Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New
Orleans, are both involved in the Constellation Program.
DoD vows to withhold payments
The Defense Department is threatening to withhold payments to Lockheed Martin starting as
early as next month if it doesn't submit a suitable plan for fixing problems for tracking
contract costs and schedules. The plan is due June 30 and a decision will come several
weeks later on whether Lockheed has demonstrated it can fix the problems within six to nine
months, according to Shay Assad, the Pentagon procurement director. It could impact
payments on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (Source: Bloomberg, 06/15/10) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the JSF training center.
Orion spacecraft takes shape
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Orion crew exploration vehicle took shape as the two halves of
the crew module were fused together at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
The Lockheed Martin Orion team welded the forward cone assembly to the aft barrel
assembly using the next generation friction stir weld process. The 445-inch long weld is the
longest such weld of its kind. Prior to flight testing, this crew module will be tested on the
ground in flight-like environments, including static vibration, acoustic, and water landing
tests. The welds were done on a Universal Weld System II, which allows virtually unlimited
five-axis welding on fixture-mounted hardware. The UWS II is part of the National Center for
Advanced Manufacturing, managed by the University of New Orleans Foundation in
partnership with NASA and the State of Louisiana. (Source: PRNewswire, 06/15/10)
F-35B goes supersonic
The short-takeoff and vertical-landing version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter broke the
sound barrier June 10. It’s the first U.S. operational STOVL aircraft to exceed that milestone.
A Marine pilot flew BF-2 to a speed of Mach 1.07 during a test at 30,000 feet over an off-
shore range near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Two Air Force F-35A conventional
takeoff-and-landing test aircraft also have broken the sound barrier. (Source: Defense
News, 06/14/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of the JSF
training center.
Atlantis crew to visit SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Six members of space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-132 crew will
visit NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday to thank employees for their part in a
safe mission to the International Space Station in May. The mission was the last scheduled
flight for the Atlantis shuttle, which will be prepared to serve as an emergency backup craft
for the final two shuttle missions. Atlantis’12-day mission carried the Russian Rassvet Mini-
Research Module-1 to the ISS. Atlantis also was the first shuttle to dock to the Russian
Space Station Mir. It traveled to the ISS 11 times. (Source: NASA, 06/14/10)
Contract: McDonnell, $98M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $98,000,000 contract which will
provide a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity basic contract for the production of
the Small Diameter Bomb I weapon system for various Foreign Military Sales customers
aircraft platforms throughout the life of the contract. At this time, no money has been
obligated. 680 ARSSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 06/11/10)
Shuttle crew visits SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Members of the STS-134 space shuttle mission crew
addressed employees at the foot of the A-2 Test Stand during a visit to NASA’s John C.
Stennis Space Center today. The crew members were Commander Mark Kelly, Mission
Specialist Mike Fincke, Pilot Greg Johnson, Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff, European
Space Agency Mission Specialist Roberto Vittori and Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel. The
flight of Endeavour will be in November. (Source: NASA, 06/11/10)
EADS moving people to Mobile
EADS North America will transfer to Mobile, Ala., later this month 100 workers as it prepares
to bid on the Air Force tanker project. The Mobile Press-Register reports that the company
leased office space at Bel Air Mall to house employees now located in Arlington, Va., and
Melbourne, Fla. EADS and rival Boeing plan to bid on the $40 billion contract. EADS, which
already has operations in Mobile, wants to assemble the KC-45 at Brookley Industrial
Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 06/11/10)
NASA picks 18 projects
NASA picked 18 projects for Phase II funding under the Small Business Technology Transfer
program. Eighteen businesses are partnered with 15 universities in projects valued at $11
million. In a project of interest to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss., Combustion
Research and Flow Technology of Pipersville, Pa., is teamed with the University of Florida to
develop simulation software to predict potential damage to a propulsion system and test
stands that can be caused by vibrations of liquid rockets. Mississippi State University is
involved in two winning projects. In one, it's working with Keystone Synergistic Enterprises of
Port Saint Lucie, Fla., on a process to solid-state weld high strength and temperature alloys
used to make engine nozzel skirts. MSU is also working with Streamline Numerics of
Gainesville, Fla., on an advanced simulation framework for design and analysis of space
propulsion systems. (Source: Tcp, based on NASA release, 06/09/10)
Contract: R.C. Construction, $37.6M
R.C. Construction Co. Inc., Greenwood, Miss., was awarded a $37,517,930 firm-fixed-price
contract to construct a new taxiway extension to include expansion joints, sealants, lighting,
etc.; a new aircraft parking apron to include expansion joints, lighting, electrical,
communications, etc.; and a new load area to include expansion joints, lighting, electrical,
communications, etc. The project will also include a load crew shelter, flare facility, and a
munitions holding area. Work is to be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an
estimated completion date of July 15, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District,
Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/09/10)
Contract: L3, $9.2M
L3 Communications Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $9,246,999 time-and-
material contract for logistical support in the areas of aircraft workers, aircraft painters, and
other areas. Work is to be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion
date of July 26, 2010. Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus, Christi, Texas, is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 06/09/10)
GRIP experiment on track
NASA's unmanned Global Hawk aircraft completed four science flights over the Pacific
Ocean in April in a joint project between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and plans are on track to use the UAV later this year to track hurricanes in
the Atlantic. In the Global Hawk Pacific (GloPac) mission, a Global Hawk fitted with 11
science instruments acquired and transmitted data that has never before been accessible
through either manned flights or satellites. Flights reached up to 65,000 feet where
information was collected from the air as well as the water and polar ice below. Later this
year, NASA Global Hawk will examine hurricanes and their formation process to explore the
possibility of improving hurricane forecasts in the GRIP experiment. (Source: Northrop
Grumman via Globe Newswire, 06/09/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss. Background story on the GRIP experiment.
Put your face in space
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA is inviting members of the public to send an
electronic image of their faces into orbit aboard one of the final remaining space shuttle
missions. Visitors to the "Face in Space" Web site can upload their portrait to fly aboard
shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission or shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission. Participants
will receive special certificates once the mission is completed. Visit http://faceinspace.nasa.
gov/ to submit an image. Those without a picture can skip the image upload section, and
NASA will fly their name. (Source: NASA, 06/08/10)
Contract: Sunrise, $59.5M
Sunrise Beach Corp., Allen, Texas, was awarded a $59,471,900 fixed-price-labor hours for
aircraft paint and maintenance services for the 1108th Aviation Classification Repair Activity
Depot for the Mississippi Army National Guard at Gulfport, Miss. Fifty-seven percent of the
work will be done in Gulfport, with the remainder done in Birmingham, Ala., Salisbury, N.C.,
Eastover, S.C., Frankfort, Ky., Smyrna, Tenn., Brooksville, Fla., Jackson, Tenn., Saint Croix,
Virgin Islands, Dobbins, Ga., Fort Rucker, Ala., Hope Hull, Ala., and Mobile, Ala., with an
estimated completion date of May 31, 2015. National Guard Bureau, U.S. Property and
Fiscal Office for Mississippi, Jackson, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
06/08/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $17.6M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $17,619,018 contract which will provide for the
electronic protection improvement program. At this time, $2,114,605 has been obligated.
696 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/08/10)
STS-134 crew to visit SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The six crew members of the last scheduled space
shuttle mission will visit NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center this week. The shuttle
Endeavour's STS-134 mission will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the
International Space Station, and is slated to launch in November. Visiting on Friday will be
Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg Johnson, Mission Specialists Greg Chamitoff, Drew
Feustel, Mike Fincke and European Space Agency Specialist Roberto Vittori. Shuttle crew
traditionally visit NASA centers instrumental to the missions. Stennis has tested all of the
main engines used on space shuttle missions. (Source: NASA, 06/08/10)
Navy F-35 makes first flight
FORT WORTH, Texas – The Navy version of the F-35 made its inaugural flight Sunday. The
carrier variant took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base and logged a
57-minute flight. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with principal industrial partners
Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 06/07/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the initial JSF training center.
Space-X rocket takes off
The Falcon 9, first of a new generation of private rockets, successfully launched from Cape
Canaveral, Fla., on Friday. The 180-foot rocket put a model of its Dragon capsule into orbit
about 160 miles up, setting the stage for possible flights to the international space station
early next year. The flight came after an initial abort right at ignition. The launch was
important to the Obama administration, which has proposed a far greater role for
commercial space companies in the future of NASA. SpaceX plans to send a fully
operational rocket and capsule into orbit later this summer and one to the space station next
year. (Source: Washington Post, 06/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in NASA programs.
AMDS gets F-35 school AV work
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Advanced Media Design Systems was recently awarded the audio visual
component of the Joint Strike Fighter Air Force/Navy/Marine Squad Ops at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. AMDS will be renovating a hanger including over 45 rooms with new AV control
systems and equipment. The Joint Strike Fighter School is expected to be completed in early
October 2010. The training facility is expected to instruct over 500 F-35 pilots a year from
the Air Force, Navy, Marines and at least eight other countries. (Source: PR.com, 06/04/10)
Name changes coming
Thirty-five units at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be getting name changes. Air Force
Materiel Command officials notified commanders last month that headquarters approved
converting the command structure from wings, groups and squadrons to directorates,
divisions and branches. The target date is June 30. At Eglin, the 308th Armament Systems
Wing will be impacted the most with all of its units undergoing a name change. The Air Force
decided to standardize the size of wings, groups and squadrons across the Air Force. Wings
now must contain 1,000 or more members, groups 400 and squadrons 35. As a result, many
wings, groups, and squadrons at AFMC Centers will be inactivated, and replaced by new
directorates, divisions and branches, which do not have mandatory minimum manning
thresholds. (Source: Materiel Command, 06/02/10)
First homeland defense ORI held
GULFPORT, Miss. - Three units representing each component of the Air Force made history
last month when they completed the first homeland defense operational readiness
inspection. Held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, the ORI marked the first
time the Air Force validated a unit’s wartime capability to defend the homeland by fighting an
enemy on U.S. soil. Like other ORIs, this one tested the ability of each unit to mobilize, fly to
a remote site, defend against enemy attacks and redeploy back home. Unlike traditional
ORIs, in this one participants were tasked with supporting civil authorities while fighting an
unconventional foe. The 123rd Airlift Wing from Kentucky represented the Air National
Guard, the 317th Airlift Group from Texas provided active-duty forces and the 70th Aerial
Port Squadron from Florida contributed Air Force Reserve. The ORI was May 16 through
23. (Source: AFNS, 06/01/10)
A new way of training
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first F-35 mission rehearsal trainer recently arrived at
the 33rd Fighter Wing. It replicates the cockpit of an F-35, and is a containerized, forward-
deployable version of the full mission simulator slated to arrive late this year. The trainer is
one of many new technologies the three U.S. military services and eight partner nations
purchasing the Joint Strike Fighter will be using. From their arrival at the 33rd Academic
Training Center, students will interact with the latest technology, receiving laptops instead of
books. The training will be a far cry from the traditional training methods using chalk boards,
stacks of books, poster-sized visual aids and cockpit mock-ups. When the wing reaches full
strength in 2014, it will train Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and
maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. (Source: Eglin PAO, 06/02/10)
Graduation ceremony marks recovery
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Thirty-two physicians and dentists graduate from 81st
Medical Group internship and residency training next week. It marks Keesler's first internal
medicine residency graduating class since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the culmination of five
years of dealing with infrastructure challenges and rebuilding teaching faculty in the wake of
the hurricane. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Charles Green will deliver the
commencement address at the graduation, scheduled for 2 p.m. June 10 in Keesler
Hospital's Don Wylie Auditorium. (Source: 81stMG, 06/02/10)
Bases vie for F-35
The Lockheed-Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is behind schedule, billions over budget and
the roar of its jet engine could eclipse the older planes it will replace. Still, 11 bases in seven
states are hoping to convince the Pentagon to choose them to house the plane. The first
round of selections is slated for 2011. (Source: AP via Google, 05/31/10) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is already scheduled to become a joint training center. Tyndall Air
Force Base, near Panama City, Fla., hopes to get some of the jets.
MAY 2010
Contract: Lockheed, $6M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $5,986,457 contract which will sustain
systems engineering support for the production and fielded systems of the Joint Air-to-
Surface Standoff Missile and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range. 308
ARSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contacting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/28/10)
Growing airport gets rescue facility
MOSS POINT, Miss. - Moss Point and Jackson County officials cut the grand-opening ribbon
at the new Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Facility at Trent Lott International Airport in Moss
Point on Thursday. The 3,910-square-foot-facility cost $609,000. The opening marks the
growth of the airport. Six years ago the air traffic control tower was built and flights increased
50 percent, said Carol Snapp, the airport director. She said once the rescue facility is
manned, flights will increase again. (Source: Mississippi Press, 05/28/10)
Measure a blow to EADS
The U.S. House on Thursday night adopted a measure to force the Pentagon to consider
the role of illegal subsidies in the contest between Boeing and EADS to sell refueling tankers
to the Air Force. A decision by the World Trade Organization in a dispute over large aircraft
found that the European company had received subsidies. The measure must pass several
other steps, including reconciliation with a companion defense bill in the Senate. The
Pentagon has resisted considering the ruling. (Source: Financial Times, 05/28/10) Gulf
Coast note: EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
SSC names new associate director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA announced Ken Human is the associate director of
John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. He'll support Stennis Director Patrick Scheuermann
and Deputy Center Director Rick Gilbrech. Most recently, Human served as the deputy
manager of the External Integration Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston,
supporting the International Space Station Program, responsible for further development of
international partnerships and collaborations, particularly with the Russian, Japanese,
Canadian and European space agencies. Human began his NASA career at Stennis in 1978
as an attorney advisor in the legal office. Stennis is NASA's primary testing ground for rocket
engines and propulsion systems, and is the agency's systems engineering center for
applied science activities. (Source: NASA, 05/28/10)
Lawmakers irked program chief sacked
Lawmakers who support the Constellation Program, NASA’s bid to return astronauts to the
moon and beyond, were outraged the agency reassigned the head of the program. Jeff
Hanley, who was moved to a deputy position at Johnson Space Center in Houston, has
opposed administration efforts to shut down the program. NASA Administrator Charles
Bolden said Hanley had become "the focus of attention" and was "conflicted" over the
administration's updated mission for NASA. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 05/26/10) Gulf Coast
note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both
involved in the Constellation Program.
Contract: Vertex, $18M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded an
$18,074,568 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide for additional logistics
services and materials for organizational, intermediate and depot-level maintenance of 13
T39N and 6 T-39G aircraft at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. In addition, 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.
Seventy-five percent of the work will be done in Pensacola and the rest in Corpus Christi
and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/26/10)
First F-35 production engines delivered
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Pratt & Whitney has delivered the final F135 flight test engine
and the first lot of F135 production engines for the F-35. The full complement of 29 test
engines delivered by Pratt & Whitney includes 11 ground test engines and 18 flight test
engines. The first lot of F135 production engines consists of four conventional take off and
landing engines, the variant of the F-35 that will be used by the Air Force. All the engines
are destined for aircraft that will support the flight training program at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. (Source: Pratt and Whitney
via PRNewswire, 05/26/10)
Boeing says EADS a security risk
Boeing is painting its rival in the Air Force tanker competition as a security risk, pointing out
that the company has courted Iran and others at odds with the United States. Boeing wants
lawmakers and the Pentagon to factor national-security into the competition. EADS North
America, which is the company competing in the competition, is a subsidiary of EADS NV,
headquartered in Germany and France. EADS North America accuses Boeing of mounting a
misinformation campaign and trying to make the competition about anything other than the
best tanker. (Sources: Reuters, The Hill, 05/25/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America
wants to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Dutch waffle on F-35 purchase
The Netherlands' involvement in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program will remain uncertain
for several more months. The lower house of the Dutch parliament voted to cancel the
purchase of an F-35 initial operational test and evaluation aircraft, but the caretaker
government now in place wants the decision left to the new government. General elections
are planned for June 9, but the situation could remain unresolved as new coalition
agreements are worked out. The F-35 purchase has been politically contentious in the
Netherlands, and the debate has become more heated because of the F-35's schedule and
cost overruns. (Source: Aerospace Daily and Defense Report via Military.com, 05/24/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home to the still-developing Joint Strike
Fighter training center.
Office opened for Global Hawk support
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Northrop Grumman opened an office here in a ceremony late last
week to provide support for the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems being
assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base. The office could eventually employ more than 100
people and attract suppliers and subcontractors as the number of aircraft increase at the
base. (Source: Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 05/24/10) Gulf Coast note: Global
Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
AEHF satellite set for July launch
Lockheed Martin delivered the first satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency
(AEHF) program to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will be prepared for a July 30
liftoff aboard an Atlas V. The multi-satellite AEHF system will provide the U.S. military with
global, protected, high capacity and secure communications. It's the successor to the five-
satellite Milstar constellation. The governments of Canada, The Netherlands, and the United
Kingdom participate in the AEHF program as international partners and will have access to
the communications capability of AEHF. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire,
05/24/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center
personnel at Stennis Space Center, Miss., worked on the core propulsion modules for the
AEHF program.
New airport set to open
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The nation's newest commercial airport, the 4,000-acre Northwest
Florida Beaches International Airport, will begin operation Sunday. The airport is replacing
the Panama City-Bay County International Airport and sits on land donated by the region's
largest landowner, St. Joe Co. The airport will be served by Southwest and Delta, and
initially will be using a 10,000-foot runway. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening is scheduled
for Saturday. (Source: Multiple, including Panama City News-Herald, 05/20/10, Dallas
Morning News, 05/21/10)
Tanker completes key test
Two A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft have successfully completed tanker-to-
tanker refueling missions. The two MRTTs are in certification flights for Australia. The plane
has also successfully refueled F-16 and F/A-18 fighters and E-3 AWACS. The MRTT is the
same design as the KC-45 that EADS North America plans to offer in the contest to build U.
S. tankers. If the KC-45 wins, the planes will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. The company also
plans to assemble freighter aircraft at the same facility. (Source: EADS North America,
05/19/10) Boeing, the other company that plans to compete for the U.S. tanker project, will
build its planes, a modified 767, in Washington state.
AirTran to launch new service
NEW ORLEANS, La. - AirTran Airways will launch a new nonstop flight between New Orleans
and Milwaukee Oct. 7. The additional flight increases the number of cities the airline flies to
from New Orleans to three. AirTran already operates daily flights to Atlanta and
Baltimore/Washington. (Source: Times-Picayune, 05/19/10)
Navy to trim back aviation pool
In a bid to reduce the current wait time for training, the Navy wants to decrease the number
of officers in the Aviation Preflight Indoctrination student pilot pre-load. Reductions in fleet
requirements and material challenges with training aircraft have caused the student pilot
population to exceed the pre-load by about 200 personnel, increasing the waiting period
from commissioning to API from three to six months. Navy officials plan to offer
redesignations to some who now hope to be aviators. Navy officials are also planning to
offer delays or deferments via internships, graduate education, and other temporary
additional duty options, prior to moving to Pensacola, Fla. (Source: NNS, 05/18/10) Gulf
Coast note: Naval Air Station Pensacola and Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., are initial
location for naval aviator training.
Contract: Lockheed, $85.5M, $58M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded two contracts related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. One is an $85,499,548
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive/award-fee contract in support of the
JSF low-rate initial production Lot II. This provides for the procurement of the additional
special tooling and special test equipment required under LRIP II to meet anticipated
production ramp. Work is expected to be completed in April 2012. The second contract is a
$58,000,000 modification to the previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for
technical services required to meet production ramp rates in support of the JSF low-rate
initial production Lot III aircraft. This work is expected to be completed in January 2011.
Work on both contracts will be done in Texas, California, the United Kingdom, Italy and other
locations inside and outside the U.S. The Naval Air Systems command, Patuxent River, Md.,
is the contracting activity for both contracts. (Source: DoD, 05/19/10) Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., will be home to the JSF training center.
Contract: R.C. Construction, $23.2M
R.C. Construction Co. Inc., Greenwood, Miss., was awarded a $23,160,074 firm-fixed-price
contract for the construction of short take off vertical landing simulated carrier practice
landing decks. Work is to be performed at Eglin Air Force Base and nearby Duke Field, Fla.,
with an estimated completion date of July 15, 2011. Bids were solicited on the Internet with
11 bids received. The U.S. Corps of Engineers Mobile Regional Contracting Center Mobile.,
Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/19/10)
New training aircraft takes to the air
WHITING FIELD, Fla. – Military flight students at Naval Air Station Whiting Field took to the
sky for the first time at the controls of a new training aircraft Tuesday. Over the next three
years the T-6B Texan II will be replacing the T-34 Turbo Mentor that’s served Whiting Field
for the last 30 years. The T-6B Texan is a single-engine, two-seat trainer that’s faster, twice
as powerful and includes an updated avionics package that displays flight instruments on a
digital display rather than gauges. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/19/10)
Contract: Tybrin, $241.5M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Information
Systems and Global Services, Gaithersburg, Md., and L-3 Services, Inc., Chantilly, Va., were
each awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for services
in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division's Combat Environment
Simulation Division. Services to be provided include the acquisition and deployment of
equipment or systems designed to provide a dense, realistic, and electromagnetic
environment to be used by the tri-service community for weapon systems development;
training; test and evaluation; test and evaluation of defense suppression systems; electronic
warfare systems; electronic countermeasures equipment; and electronic counter-
countermeasures equipment. Tybrin's ceiling is $241,540,417. Each company will have the
opportunity to bid on each individual task order. Work will be performed in China Lake and
Point Mugu, Calif., and is expected to be completed in May 2015. The Naval Air Warfare
Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/18/10)
Contract: Northrop, $30M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $30,000,000 contract
which will provide for congressionally mandated advance procurement long-lead associated
with two Block 30 and two Block 40 Global Hawk air vehicles; two in-line airborne signals
intelligence payloads; two multi-platform radar technology insertion program sensors; two in-
line sensors; and other items and activities required to protect the production schedule for
Lot 10. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 05/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Northrop, $303.3M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems Air Combat Systems, San Diego,
Calif., was awarded a $303,337,052 contract which will provide production of two Global
Hawk Block 30 air vehicles, two Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles, and related program
sustaining support efforts. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part
in Moss Point, Miss.
Branson AirExpress lands
GULFPORT, Miss. – The first flight of Branson AirExpress landed at Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport on Monday. Nonstop flights on 50-seat jets are Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday, with one-way fares starting at $59. Connecting flights are available to
Houston and Austin, Texas, starting at $99, said Jonathan Borges with Branson AirExpress.
(Source: Sun Herald, 05/17/10)
Threatened rocket has busy schedule
Although the president wants to kill the Constellation Program and the Ares I, NASA
managers in charge of the rocket have put together an ambitious testing program to speed
its development, including a flight in November 2014 with astronauts aboard. That would be
earlier than NASA's current schedule, which calls for the first manned flight in March 2015,
and much faster than the 2017 date predicted by a blue-ribbon panel that reviewed NASA's
human spaceflight program last year. (Source: New York Times, 05/16/10) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both
involved in Constellation and other NASA programs.
Contract: Colsa, others, $28.5M
2020 Company LLC, Falls Church, Va., Colsa Corp., Huntsville, Ala., and Oasis Systems
Inc., Lexington, Mass., were awarded a $28.5 million contract which will provide a wide range
of diverse, non-engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in the
acquisition, development, production and support of various equipment and weapons
systems within the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. AAC/PKES, Eglin, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/17/10)
Kiln airport has new role
KILN, Miss. - Stennis International Airport has been transformed into the staging area for the
eastern Gulf of Mexico for crews battling the oil spill. Flights have already dropped more
than 53,000 gallons of oil dispersant to try to break up the oil on the water’s surface.
Ground crews at the airport pump more than 23,000 gallons of jet fuel a day to keep the
aerial missions flying from dawn until dusk. Thousands of barrels of dispersant, trucks of
giant plastic barrels and other equipment are arriving at the airport’s hangars from all across
the world. Responders decided to use the Hancock County airport because it is strategically
located near the interstate and close to the Gulf. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/13/10)
EADS exec expects tanker win
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. – A senior vice president of government relations for EADS North
America told a dinner audience he has the utmost confidence his company will win the
contract to build tankers for the Air Force. Sam Adcock made the statement during the
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation dinner. “We're in this competition, and
we're going to build this aircraft in Mobile, Ala.," he said. "In 10 years, along the Gulf Coast
between Alabama and Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida, we're going to have well in
excess of 10,000 jobs." EADS announced in April that it would go for the contract alone after
Northrop Grumman dropped out of a deal to jointly pursue it. EADS is competing against
Boeing. (Source: Mississippi Press, 05/14/10)
Contract: Speegle, $11M
Speegle Construction Inc., Niceville, Fla., was awarded an $11,028,000 firm-fixed-price
contract for the construction of the 7th Special Forces Group backyard training ranges,
7SFG compound, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Work is to be performed in Eglin with an
estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with
18 bids received. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile,
Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/13/10)
Bill would add cost to EADS bid
Lawmakers who support Boeing's bid to build tankers for the Air Force introduced legislation
today that would require the Pentagon to add the value of government subsidies to a
competing proposal from EADS. It would amount to $5 million per plane. Boeing wants to
build tankers based on the 767, and EADS wants to build modified A330s. The Pentagon
won't consider the WTO ruling in part because of the appeals process, in part because of a
counter complaint by the European Union against Boeing. The bill is co-authored by Rep.
Todd Tiahrt and Sen. Sam Brownback, both of Kansas, where Boeing has manufacturing
facilities. The legislation has about 20 supporters in the House and four in the Senate, the
two politicians said. (Source: Bloomberg, 05/13/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to
assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 wins design excellence award
The Lockheed Martin F-35 program has been recognized for its "cutting-edge design and
technology" with an award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The
award was presented May 12 in Washington, D.C. The citation recognizes the "cutting-edge
design and technology of – and global collaboration involved in – the Joint Strike Fighter,
enabling a unique battlespace capability for the future." Lockheed is developing the F-35
with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. AIAA is the world's largest
technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. (Source: Lockheed Martin
via PRNewswire, 05/13/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training center. Lockheed, Northrop and BAE Systems all have
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Aviation symposium underway
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Naval aviation is the topic of the 24th Naval Aviation Symposium being
held Thursday and Friday at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. Panel topics range from the birth of naval aviation to advancements in the field.
In connection with the symposium, Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon,
will be inducted into the Hall of Honor Friday in the Blue Angels Atrium at the museum.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/13/10)
Battle brews over shutdown costs
Two big NASA contractors could be on the hook for millions in program shutdown costs if the
Obama administration revamps manned space-exploration. ATK and Lockheed Martin are
waging battle with NASA's leadership over who will cover possibly more than $1 billion in
such expenses, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cites people familiar with the
situation. The Senate Commerce Committee expected on Wednesday to delve into the
termination-liability issues. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 05/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis
Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are NASA facilities in
the Gulf Coast region.
Hotel planned for tech park
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - Developers plan to build a "green" Holiday Inn at the Stennis
Technology Park that could bring more business to the 26-acre site at the intersection of
Interstate 10 and Mississippi 603, just outside Stennis Space Center. The total investment is
about $15 million. The hotel will have conference facilities, a business center, bar and
restaurant. Plans call for 143 rooms but that number could go up to 172, said MHR
Development's Kip Reddien. The hope is to begin construction in late summer. The park
houses a 30,000-square-foot building. Scott Bolton, the park's project manager, said the
Holiday Inn should benefit from its proximity to NASA's Stennis Space Center and Stennis
International Airport. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/11/10)
Bill would make Pentagon weigh WTO
A bill is being introduced that would force the Pentagon to consider World Trade
Organization rulings when deciding defense contracts. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., plans
to introduce the bill Thursday, according to an e-mail obtained by Reuters and verified by a
congressional aide. The immediate impact would be in the $40 billion competition between
Boeing and EADS to build tankers for the Air Force. Kevin Rozelsky, Boeing's director of
legislative affairs, has approached some senators about supporting the bill. (Source:
Reuters, 05/11/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS hopes to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Boeing wants to build them in Washington state.
Meetings held to prep troops for move
Representatives from Northwest Florida have scheduled a series of town hall meetings near
Fort Bragg, N.C., to provide information to thousands of military personnel who will be
relocating to Eglin Air Force base next year. The meetings are Tuesday and Wednesday.
About 30 organizations from Northwest Florida will be represented. The bed down of the 7th
Special Forces at Eglin will bring 2,200 new soldiers to the region by the middle of 2011.
When spouses and children are added, the total population increase in the region has been
estimated at more than 6,000. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/11/10)
Contract: A.E. New Jr., $16.1M
A. E. New Jr. Inc, Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $16,132,000 contract to design-build two
single-story sprinkler-equipped child development center facilities with core administration
area, staff support area, facility support area, and child care areas. Work is to be performed
at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 17, 2011. U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/10/10)
Contract: Vertex, $14M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$14,000,000 ceiling-priced undefinitized contract action to provide aircraft maintenance and
logistics services in support of the Navy's T-34 and T-44 aircraft. Services to be provided
include aircraft maintenance and logistics support, including labor, equipment, tools, and
material. Half the work will be performed at the Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., and half
at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and is expected to be completed in November 2010. The
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/07/10)
Obama NASA plan in trouble
WASHINGTON - President Obama's plans for NASA appear in big trouble. Few Democrats
have publicly endorsed the entire plan, while opponents like Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
continue to blast the Obama plan as "unrealistic" and "destructive." NASA appears to be
hedging its bets that the president's vision might not pass muster with Congress. Kennedy
Space Center officials and contractors, under direction from Johnson Space Center and
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, are pressing ahead with plans for test flights of a
multibillion-dollar Ares I rocket that Obama wants to cancel. (Source: Orlando Sentinel,
05/06/10) Gulf Coast note: NASA has operations at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
Huey set up at airport entrance
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A UH-1 Huey set up outside the terminal at Northwest
Florida Regional Airport was dedicated Wednesday in honor of the late Michael J. Novosel
Sr., who earned a Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. Hundreds of people, including
family members and soldiers from Fort Rucker, Ala., attended the ceremony. The Huey,
which arrived at the airport April 23, will greet visitors at the airport’s entrance. The display is
a tribute to all Vietnam veterans. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/05/10)
New CSO course opens in Pensacola
NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Air Force has launched a new training
program for Combat Systems Officer students with the inaugural class of the 479th Flying
Training Group. The year-long program combines navigator, electronic warfare and weapon
systems training into a single pipeline. The resulting CSOs - pronounced Sizzos - will be
trained in a common set of core skills to fill any of the roles once filled by navigators, WSOs
or EWOs. There will also be a significant increase in hands-on flying. The CSO course will
include 38 sorties in T-6 Texan II and modified T-1A Jayhawks, and 40 missions in
simulators. The 479th FTG became the 12th Flying Training Wing's newest group in
October, when it started operations in Florida as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and
Closure Committee directive to relocate Air Force navigator training from Randolph Air
Force Base to NAS Pensacola, where the Navy conducts its Naval Flight Officer training.
With stand-up of the new group, nearly 35 percent of the 12th FTW is now in Florida.
(Source: Air Education and Training Command, 05/05/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $96.7M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $96,744,354 contract which will provide
miniature air launched decoy low rate initial production contracts for a 24-month effort to
include operational test and evaluation. At this time, $89,817,202 has been obligated. 692
ARSS/PK Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/05/10)
Contract: Northrop, $79.2M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a $79,239,035
contract for the procurement of 487 NexGen MWS sensors and 99 NexGen MWS
processors, including associated technical data, for the H-53 and H-46 helicopters. Under
two percent of the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/05/10)
Tanker start date now November
The Air Force changed its KC-X Request for Proposals to list a contract "start date" of Nov.
12. Previous Pentagon announcements said the award for the $40 billion contract to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force would be made in the early fall. This comes a month after the
Defense Department announced that EADS would be granted an extra 60 days to put
together a solo bid on the tanker after Northrop Grumman, which said the RFP favored a
smaller Boeing plane, dropped out as EADS' partner. The original contract "award date"
listed in the amended RFP is Aug. 16. (Source: Air Force Times, 05/03/10) Meanwhile, in
Frankfurt, Germany, EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois said he's certain EADS would win
the tanker contract. "I would even bet that we will get the contract," Gallois told German
tabloid Bild. (Source: Reuters, 05/03/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to build the tankers
in Mobile, Ala.
Slick causes tank shipment problems
The oil slick floating in the Gulf of Mexico caused a few headaches in the effort to ship an
external fuel tank to Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The 15-story tank used in Space
Shuttle launches is made at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and it's sent in a
covered barge to Kennedy. But the slick blocked the usual deep-water access. The barge
was placed on a barge Saturday and was scheduled for a Monday night departure to
Gulfport, Miss. That's where the NASA retrieval ship, Freedom Star, will take over from the
commercial towers and bring it the rest of the way to Kennedy. The 900-mile trip takes six
days. (Sources: Multiple, including WLOX-TV, MSNBC, 05/03/10)
Northrop, Bell unveil new UAV
Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter have unveiled a new unmanned helicopter, Fire-X,
based on the four-blade, single engine Bell 407. The new drone borrows many of the
systems that are used in the successful Fire Scout. The new UAV will be able to keep tabs
on adversaries for longer periods of time and deliver more cargo to more remote locations.
The first flight of Fire-X is expected by the end of 2010. The new aircraft represents
Northrop Grumman's entry in an anticipated U.S. Navy competition in 2011 to demonstrate a
new medium-range unmanned system. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 05/03/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop's Fire Scout is built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
APRIL 2010
Contract: Boeing, $6.8M
Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $6,760,660 contract which will provide fiscal 2010
and fiscal 2011 option year sustaining support to the Lot 6 production contract. At this time,
$3,371,832 has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 04/30/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $53.1M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $53,100,000 contract which will provide for the
engineering and manufacturing development for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer.
This includes the associated engineering, program management, supportability, mission
planning, modeling and simulation, hardware fabrication, production readiness, software and
testing. 692 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD,
04/30/10)
Joint F-35 EW squadron set up
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The squadron serving as the sole Department of Defense
provider of electronic warfare support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter activated April 23 in a
ceremony at Eglin. The 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron stood up as a first step toward
preparing airmen, sailors and Marines with the latest electronic warfare data for all three
variants on the F-35. The squadron, which currently has 32 technicians and engineers, will
grow to 130 personnel at full strength and will operate the $300 million United States
Reprogramming Laboratory, which tests all aspects of the Joint Strike Fighter's electronic
warfare capability. Half will be airmen and half Navy and Marine personnel. (Source: Eglin Air
Force Base, 04/29/10)
FEMA chief visits Hurricane Hunters
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Craig Fugate, who was appointed last year to head up
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, visited the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron Hurricane Hunters at Keesler Air Force Base Thursday. He saw the C-130Js and
got an update of the squadron’s missions. The hurricane season begins June 1. (Source:
Sun Herald, 04/29/10)
Blue Angels name new 2011-12 leader
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team announced the
commanding officer for the 2011 and 2012 teams. Selected was Cmdr. David E. Koss,
chosen by a panel of admirals and former Blue Angels. He’s commanding officer of Strike
Fighter Squadron 14, the “Tophatters.” The Blue Angels are based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. (Source: NNS, 04/29/10)
Keesler getting new medical group commander
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Brig. Gen. Dan Wyman passes leadership of the 81st
Medical Group to Brig. Gen. Kory Cornum during a change of command ceremony at 9 a.m.
Friday in front of Keesler Medical Center. Wyman will become the command surgeon for Air
Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Cornum comes to Keesler after
serving as ACC command surgeon since 2007. Wyman assumed command of the 81st
Medical Group in June 2008 following a two-year tour of duty as command surgeon of
Pacific Air Forces and 13th Air Force surgeon at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. (Source: Sun Herald,
04/28/10)
Contract: Vertex, $10.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$10,300,000 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity
delivery order 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. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons
Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/10)
Contract: Satterfield, $22.5M
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc., Houston, Texas, is being awarded a $22,540,000
firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 202-room combat systems officer bachelor
housing at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Work is expected to be completed by June
2012. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online
Web site, with 21 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command,
Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/10)
NG picks Virginia for HQ
Northrop Grumman will locate its new corporate office in Virginia, concluding a search that
also included the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Northrop Grumman is
negotiating with several building owners in the Falls Church/Arlington area. The company
expects to initiate operations in the new corporate office in the summer of 2011 with about
300 people. The move of corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the Washington area
is designed to let the company be closer to its primary customer, the Pentagon. Northrop
Grumman has 120,000 employees and is involved in the aerospace, electronics, information
systems, shipbuilding and technical services sectors. (Source: Northrop Grumman,
04/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a major presence on the Gulf Coast,
including shipyards and an unmanned systems center.
Italian military gets F-35 training update
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Representatives from the Italian air force and navy visited
the 33rd Fighter Wing recently to check the progress of the first F-35 integrated training
center and learn more about this new coalition venture. “A lot of work has been done. A lot
of work has to be done,” said Rear Adm. Paolo Treu, director of Naval Aviation Department
and commander of the Italian Fleet Air Arm. Italy is one of the partner nations that will be
training Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers at the 33rd FW. (Source: Eglin Public
Affairs Office, 4/23/2010)
EADS has new tanker site
EADS North America has launched www.kc-45now.com, a new website about the company’s
KC-45 aerial tanker that it’s proposing to build for the Air Force. The new site features video
and photography of the KC-45 tanker in flight conducting refueling operations, as well as
facts and information about the aerial refueling system. EADS North America announced last
week it’s re-entering the competition against Boeing, which is offering the 767. If selected,
the tanker will be built in Mobile, Ala. (Source: EADS, 04/23/10)
F-35 composite work leads to award
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin, Magestic Systems Inc. and Nikon Metrology jointly
won a first-place JEC Innovation Award in composites manufacturing for technology used in
the production of the F-35. The 2010 JEC Innovation Award was presented in Paris earlier
this month in recognition of the cured laminate compensation process, a composite
manufacturing process for achieving precision, as-built laminate thickness without post-cure
machining. This new process is used in the production of composite parts for the F-35 and
was developed to pre-measure and correct the thickness of cured composite wing skins for
the F-35. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to become home of the F-35 training center; fabrication and research into
advanced materials is a key sector in South Mississippi.
SSC said “critical” for NASA
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., says he's "gained assurances" that NASA's Stennis Space
Center in South Mississippi will have a robust future as a testing facility whether or not
Congress agrees to the sweeping changes proposed for NASA by the Obama
administration. Cochran questioned NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. about Stennis
during a hearing to review the FY2011 budget request for the space agency. Bolden
stressed the need for a "robust testing program," and and pointed to $312 million for
commercial space testing, some of which will take place at Stennis. "Stennis is critical,"
Bolden testified. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal, 04/26/10)
FWB helps design C-130H tanker
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – A new fuel tanker aircraft designed and engineered at the
Fort Walton Beach Boeing office has been delivered to the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces.
Boeing Fort Walton Beach partnered with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Cobham Mission
Systems to convert a C-130H into a flying refueling station. The project got its start with work
Boeing Fort Walton Beach completed for the Air Force Special Operations Command,
converting 20 C-130Hs into tankers. That caught the eye of the Japan, which needed
tankers for UH-60 rescue helicopters. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, McClatchy-
Tribune Information Services via COMTEX and TradingMarkets, 04/25/10)
Space UAV launched
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. - A Boeing-built unmanned orbital vehicle
called X-37B was successfully launched Thursday aboard an Atlas V rocket into low-earth
orbit. The Orbital Test Vehicle looks much like the space shuttle, and its mission is
classified. The X-37B is designed to return from space and land on its own. The vehicle will
be used to demonstrate a reliable, reusable unmanned space test platform for the Air Force.
The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine and a Pratt & Whitney
Rocketdyne RL10 upper-stage engine. (Sources: Boeing, PRNewswire, 04/22/10) Gulf
Coast note: Unmanned aerial systems are built in part in Moss Point, Miss; Pratt and
Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
AF F-35 completes flight test
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Air Force version of the F-35A flew for an hour April 20 from
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, becoming the seventh F-35
Lightning II to fly. AF-2, the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, is the Air Force's
version of the Joint Strike Fighter. This fifth-generation fighter is the first one to carry an
internal GAU-22/A 25-millimeter Gatling gun weapon system. (Source: AFNS, 04/22/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to the Joint Strike
Fighter training center.
Building named for Doolittle Raider
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A building at Eglin Air Force Base has been renamed to
honor one of the Doolittle Raiders. Building 68 was named the Horton J-Primes Test Facility
in honor of retired Master Sgt. Ed Horton, who passed away in 2008. Horton was a gunner
on one of the B-25s that launched from a carrier to bomb Japan after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. Horton was among the group that trained at Eglin for the risky mission. (Source:
Eglin Air Force Base, 04/21/10)
County won’t pay city’s legal fee
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Okaloosa County rejected paying Valparaiso’s legal fees in a
lawsuit over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Valparaiso sought to be reimbursed $61,000. The
county sued Valparaiso in April 2009 to halt the city’s lawsuit against the Air Force over the
possibility of the F-35s coming to Eglin Air Force Base. The lawsuit was settled in February.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/21/10)
SSC commemorates Apollo 13 mission
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center marked the 40th
anniversary of the Apollo 13 flight with exhibits and remembrances from Biloxi native Fred
Haise Jr., who served as lunar module pilot on the mission. During an afternoon of activities,
Stennis hosted employees and area senior citizens to tour Apollo 13 exhibits, take photos
with Haise, collect NASA-related items and offer their own remembrances of the mission.
Apollo 13 launched April 11, 1970 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two days into the
flight, the command module spacecraft was crippled by an oxygen tank explosion, forcing a
free-trajectory return to Earth. The astronauts were forced to power down the command
module and use the lunar module as a space "lifeboat." (Source: NASA, 04/21/10)
787 undergoing Eglin climatic testing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A Boeing 787 is at Eglin Air Force Base to undergo extreme
weather testing at the Air Force’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory. According to Boeing, the
787 flight-test fleet logged its 500th hour of flying April 16. The 787 at Eglin is designated
ZA003. (Source: Boeing, 04/20/10) The McKinley Climatic Lab is part of the 46th Test Wing.
In addition to Air Force testing, it can be used by other government agencies and private
industry. It can create any climatic environment in the world.
EADS to enter tanker battle
EADS North America announced today that it intends to submit a proposal by July 9 for the
U.S. Air Force's tanker program and will offer the KC-45. EADS is in discussions with
potential U.S. partners. Reuters first reported Monday that EADS would likely submit a bid,
and the company confirmed it today. EADS said that in addition to the tankers, it plans to
build and modify A330 commercial freighters at a site in Mobile, Ala. The tanker will be
competing against the Boeing 767, a smaller aircraft, for the $40 billion contract. EADS'
former partner, Northrop Grumman, dropped out of the competition on grounds the Air
Force request for proposals favored the smaller tanker. (Source: EADS, 04/20/10)
Pensacola getting new flights
United Airlines will start a daily nonstop flight from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport to
Chicago beginning Nov. 4. The new daily service was the result of United successful
weekend service to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport that began in February. United
recently entered the Pensacola market in February with two daily departures to Washington
Dulles International Airport. Service for the United Express flight will be operated by Express
Jet on a 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jet. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/20/10)
Sources: EADS poised to go it alone
Reuters is reporting that EADS is poised to bid alone for a U.S. tanker after failing to recruit
L-3 Communications Holdings or another major company. The news service cites sources
familiar with the matter. Guy Hicks, spokesman for EADS' U.S. arm, said the company
continued to examine its options and declined further comment. EADS’ previous partner,
Northrop Grumman, bowed out after determining the request for proposals favored the
smaller Boeing aircraft. (Source: Reuters, 04/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
City wants county to pay legal fees
VALPARAISO, Fla. - The city of Valparaiso has asked Okaloosa County to pay its legal fees
related to recent litigation over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The county sued Valparaiso
last April to halt the city’s lawsuit against the Air Force over the possibility of the aircraft
coming to Eglin Air Force Base. The county claimed Valparaiso officials violated the state’s
Government in the Sunshine law when they voted to sue the Air Force. The lawsuit was
settled last month. The legal fees come to $61,000. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
04/16/10)
Airports sign co-operative accord
GULFPORT, Miss. - Officials from the airports in Gulfport and Panama signed a cooperation
agreement Thursday to promote cargo trade in both countries. Bruce Frallic, director of
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, said several initiatives already are being implemented.
Rafael Flores, general manager of the Tocumen International Airport in Panama, said his
country is a transfer point of goods and the Coast also can become a hub for this trade.
(Source: Sun Herald, 04/15/10)
N.O. passenger count dips
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The number of passengers going through the Louis Armstrong New
Orleans International Airport dropped a bit in February. The airport reported 618,201
passengers boarded and left flights in February, down from 620,814 in February 2009. For
the first two months of the year, traffic is down 1.5 percent over the first two months of 2009.
(Source: AP via Times-Picayune, 04/16/10)
Victims of Navy plane crash identified
The four people aboard a Navy T-39N Sabreliner that crashed in a wooded area north of
Atlanta Monday have been identified. They are retired Lt. Cmdr. Charles McDaniel, 67, of
Cantonment, Fla., Marine Capt. Jason Paynter, 38, of Pensacola, Fla., Marine 1st Lt. Shawn
Nice, 26, of Levittown, Pa., and Navy Ensign Zachary Eckhart, 25, of Orefield, Pa. They were
on a routine training mission and assigned to Training Squadron 86 at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. The cause of the crash is under investigation. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
04/15/10)
Fire Scout ends first deployment
MAYPORT, Fla. - The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter returned from its first operational
deployment April 15. The UAV was embarked aboard USS McInerney during its recent six-
month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility. Fire Scout can
reach speeds of up to 85 knots, altitudes of 20,000 feet and fly for more than six hours on
one tank of fuel. Fire Scout was kept up and running by Helicopter Anti-Submarine
Squadron Light 42 Det. 7, who served as McInerney's air support. According to Lt. Tobias
Walters of HSL-42 Det. 7, Fire Scout did well during its first deployment. He called it a
technology that will integrate well with today's Navy. Among other things, the Fire Scout was
used in drug bust. (Source: NNS, 04/15/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
Stennis awards construction contract
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi
awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to M&D Mechanical Contractors,
Inc. of Decatur, Ala., to provide general construction services at the center. The contract
value is not to exceed $25 million. The contract is for five years, with no option periods.
General construction activities performed under this contract will include maintenance,
repair, alteration, civil, mechanical, piping and structural steel fabrication and erection and
electrical work at Stennis. (Source: NASA, 04/12/10)
Gilbrech now Stennis deputy director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Rick Gilbrech is now deputy director of John C. Stennis
Space Center, the agency’s primary testing ground for rocket engines and propulsion
systems, and its systems engineering center for applied science activities. The appointment
of Gilbrech, who has served as the center's associate director, was effective immediately.
Gilbrech began his NASA career at Stennis in 1991 and is the former director. He was
associate administrator for the exploration systems mission directorate, retired, then
returned to NASA and was named associate director at SSC before being named deputy
director. (Source: NASA, 04/12/10)
Search continues for crash cause
A day after a Navy training jet crashed in rural Georgia, crews were searching the woods for
clues to determine the cause. Navy officials said four people were in the T-39N Sabreliner
when it crashed Monday into a wooded area two hours north of Atlanta. The aircraft was
assigned to Training Air Wing Six at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla., and was flying a
routine training mission. All four crew members are believed to have died in the crash.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/14/10)
Contract: Northrop Grumman, $10M
Northrop Grumman System Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $9,999,999 contract
which will provide for additional long-lead funding of two Global Hawk Block 30M systems
and two Global Hawk Block 40 systems. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/13/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are
built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout scores its first drug bust
EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN - A Fire Scout unmanned helicopter in a routine flight supported
its first drug interdiction with the USS McInerney and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement
Detachment this past weekend. A test was being conducted on one of the ship's two Fire
Scouts when the UAV acquired a suspected narcotics "go-fast" on radar. The mission
payload operator received permission to pursue. Over three hours, Fire Scout monitored
the go-fast with its state-of-the-art optics. Due to its small profile, Fire Scout maintained a
covert posture while feeding real-time video back to McInerney. Fire Scout captured video of
the "go-fast" meeting with a fishing vessel. McInerney and its Coast Guard detachment
moved in and seized about 60 kilos of cocaine and caused the suspects to allegedly jettison
another 200 kilos of narcotics. (Source: NNS, 04/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are
built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Eglin air show this weekend
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the 75th
Anniversary Eglin Air Force Base Air Show April 10-11. Gates open at 9 a.m. to the general
public and it's free for anyone attending this event. The gates will close to the general public
at 3 p.m. In addition to the air performances there will be a wide range of static displays.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 04/05/10)
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $10.3M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $10,264,377 contract which
provided for the purchase of 89 carriage load crew trainers and 356 weapons load crew
trainers to support F-16 Block 40/50, F-35, and F-22 integrations and training requirements.
681 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/06/10)
Star Aviation wins contract
MOBILE, Ala. – Star Aviation said it won a contract to help install wireless Internet systems
on 105 planes owned by Alaska Airlines. Star, which has about 100 employees between its
Brookley Field Industrial Complex headquarters and an office in Everett, Wash., will design
and make wiring harnesses and the racks to hold them. The work is supposed to be
completed by the end of the year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/06/10)
Drone recovered by fishermen
A BQM-167 drone out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., was recovered by a fisherman in the
Gulf of Mexico. The drone had been lost March 10 due to an engine flame-out during a
routine training exercise. The drone, found in the Tampa area, belongs to the 82nd Aerial
Targets Squadron, a tenant unit at Tyndall. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/06/10)
Contract: Gulf Power, $5.6M
Gulf Power Co., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $5,586,210 firm-fixed-price contract for the
construction of Freedom Way substation and transmission line extension, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Work is to be performed in Hurlburt Field. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District,
Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/05/10)
Science center signing ceremony set
GULFPORT, Miss. - A signing ceremony for the contract to build a 72,000 square foot state-
of-the-art science center near NASA's Stennis Space Center will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m.
at the Hancock Bank Board Room in downtown Gulfport. Roy Anderson Corp. will start
construction May 1. The center to be located along Interstate 10 near the Louisiana-
Mississippi state line is expected to be a big tourist draw. Infinity is designed to highlight the
activities at Stennis Space Center and inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers
in the fields of earth, ocean and space science. (Source: Infinity Science Center Inc.,
04/05/10)
F-35 training remains on track
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Despite recent problems with the F-35 cost and
development schedule, establishment of a training pipeline for pilots and maintainers for the
Joint Strike Fighter remains on track. Navy Capt. Mike Saunders, deputy commander of the
33rd Operations Group at Eglin, told Navy Times the plan is to be ready with the first jet
arrives. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps plan to begin flying the F-35 within the next
two years. The first simulators arrived in late March. The Marine Corps' training squadron,
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, stood up Friday. The Air Force created the
58th Fighter Squadron last year. The Navy's Strike Fighter Squadron 101 will stand up next
year. (Source: Navy Times, 04/05/10)
MSU hosts unmanned systems conference
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State University this week will host a two-day national
symposium on unmanned aircraft systems. Titled “Academic Opportunities: Developing the
Future of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Remotely Piloted Aircraft,” it’s designed to identify
research opportunities in the growing UAV field, including airspace integration, autonomy,
swarming, signal processing and sense and avoid. The invitation-only symposium begins
Wednesday at Hunter Henry Center. Keynote speaker is Lt. Gen. David Deptula, deputy
chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The gathering brings
together some 200 military, government and academic leaders to help update the Air
Force's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan for 2009-47. (Source: MSU, 03/23/10 ) Gulf
Coast note: MSU is in the state’s Golden Triangle, home to a cluster of aerospace
companies, including those involved in UAVs. South Mississippi, home to Stennis Space
Center, is the state’s other hotspot for UAVs. Northrop Grumman builds portions of the
Global Hawk and Fire Scout in Moss Point.
Keesler chief assigned to Space Command
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Brig. Gen. Ian R. Dickinson, commander of the 81st
Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, will be the new communications director and chief
information officer for the Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Dickinson will
replace Brig. Gen. David B. Warner, who retires July 1. Dickinson’s replacement at Keesler
has not been announced. (Sources: AP via cbs4denver, WLOX-TV, 04/04/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $13.5M
Raytheon Co., Tuscon, Ariz., was awarded a $13,542,075 contract which provides support
for four months of AMRAAM system engineering and program management due to delay of
Lot 24. 695ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
04/02/10)
Marine unit reactivated for F-35 duties
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 451 was reactivated this week after a
13-year absence to train Marines to pilot F-35 fighters. The ceremony was at the National
Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The unit, first activated in 1944, is
being redesignated Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. It will train at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., which will be used by all the services for initial training in the F-35. The
Marines will use the short-takeoff, vertical landing variant of the Lockheed Martin-built plane.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/02/10)
Gulfport gets new flights
GULFPORT, Miss. – A new air service between Gulfport and Branson, Mo., will get
underway beginning May 17. Startup airline Branson Air Express will use 50-seat Embraer
ERJ-145 regional planes operated under charter by ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Flights will be on
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Connecting flights will be available to Houston and
Austin, Texas. (Source: Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 04/01/10)
MARCH 2010
EADS gets 60-day deadline extension
The Pentagon said Wednesday it will extend the deadline by 60 days if EADS officially
decides to submit a bid to build Air Force tankers. Europe’s EADS had requested 90 days.
EADS had partnered with Northrop Grumman to for the $35 billion contract. But Northrop
dropped out in March, saying the government's requirements favored Boeing's smaller
aircraft. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the government would extend the
deadline from May 10 to July 9 if EADS expressed an interest in bidding. EADS spokesman
Guy Hicks said the company made it clear it needed 90 days as a minimum. "We will
consider the Department's decision to offer a 60 day extension." (Sources: Multiple,
including Washington Post, Bloomberg, 03/31/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to assemble
the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it submits a bid and wins.
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $55.2M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $55,151,902
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for non-recurring efforts
associated with Increment III of the CV-22 aircraft Block 20 upgrade program. Efforts to be
provided include concept definition, non-recurring engineering, drawings, and
installation/integration of brake performance enhancements and the helmet mounted display
upgrade. Four percent of the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., but the majority,
91 percent, will be done in Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed in December
2015. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 03/31/10)
Contract: CSC, $31.5M
Computer Sciences Corp., Falls Church, Va., is being awarded a $31,547,535 cost-plus-
fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for information technology support
services to sustain the Naval Education Technology and Professional Development Training
Command, Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Education and Training Command; and Manpower,
Personnel, Training and Education Command. This contract includes four option terms
which, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $220,842,902. Fifty-
seven percent of the work will be done in Pensacola, Fla. The rest will be done in Great
Lakes, Ill., Norfolk, Va., and various locations inside and outside the continental United
States. Work is expected to be completed by March 2011. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Norfolk, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 03/31/10)
Raytheon meets decoy delivery goal
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon Co. has delivered an operationally significant
quantity of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy to the Air Force, allowing the service to reach
its "required assets available" as scheduled. The 300-pound MALD decoy is modular, air-
launched and programmable with a range of 575 miles. Currently integrated on the B-52
bomber and F-16 fighter aircraft, MALD can be certified on any aircraft with a 14-inch
suspension carriage. Raytheon is also developing a jamming variant of the MALD and
expects to deliver its first system in 2012. (Source: Raytheon via PRNewswire, 03/31/10)
Airports gets grant for runway work
Two airports in South Mississippi won federal grants for improvements. Trent Lott
International Airport in Moss Point will receive $809,753 for runway and taxiway lighting work.
Stennis International Airport in Bay St. Louis will get $104,500 for airport apron construction
and wildlife hazard assessment. The Department of Transportation grants are part of $8.6
million in funding through the Airport Improvement Program that will help 32 state airports in
infrastructure projects meant to improve operational safety and efficiency. (Source:
Mississippi Press, 03/26/10)
Contract: L-3, $6.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC, Madison, Miss., received a firm-fixed-price
modification of $6,260,514 for exercise of option periods one and two, providing an
additional six months of lease services of four helicopters for pilot training in support of U.S.
Special Operations Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, beginning on April
1, 2010, and ending Sept. 30, 2010. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source:
DoD, 03/30/10)
Bill filed to stop threat to Constellation
Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi cosponsored a measure to prohibit
NASA from suspending work on the Constellation Program without justification. The
legislation reaffirms language in the FY2010 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that directs NASA
to continue moving forward with Constellation and prohibits termination or modification of
existing contracts unless separate legislation is passed by Congress. Constellation, the
program to take astronauts to the moon and beyond, was canceled in the proposed Obama
budget. The measure was introduced by Sen. George LeMieux of Florida and also
cosponsored by Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, and Utah's Orrin Hatch
and Bob Bennett. (Source: WLOX-TV, 03/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center,
Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in the Constellation
program.
Airline to lay off ground workers
Continental Airlines said Friday it will lay off 150 ground workers including bag handlers at
seven U.S. airports, including Pensacola, Fla., and hire contractors to do the work. The
other layoffs to occur June 1 are in Providence, R.I., Greensboro, N.C., Richmond and
Norfolk, Va., St. Louis and Kansas City. The company said the seven airports were the only
all-regional service airports where Continental still uses its own employees for ground
handling work. (Source: AP via Business Week, 03/26/10)
EADS nearing tanker bid decision
Europe's EADS is nearing a decision to compete directly with Boeing for a contract to supply
aerial tankers to the Air Force, according to a Reuters analysis. EADS now has prime
contractor status, and it hopes to get a 90-day extension on the bid deadline. EADS and its
former teammate, Northrop Grumman, won the $35 billion contest in February 2008, but it
was overturned on a Boeing protest. Northrop earlier this month dropped out of the battle on
grounds the new request for proposals favors the smaller Boeing tanker. (Source: Reuters,
03/26/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS, should it bid and win, would assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala.
Improved Paveway completes test series
Lockheed Martin's Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb completed a series of six flight tests
earlier this month at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The bomb uses an enhanced laser guidance
package, improving precision when compared to existing Paveway II LGBs. The weapons
were launched from altitudes between 10,000 and 30,000 feet against a billboard target
angled at 45 degrees. Two GBU-10s and four GBU-12s were released from a pair of F-16D
Viper aircraft from Eglin's 40th Flight Test Squadron. Each successfully initiated laser
acquisition at the expected time and guided to the intended target. (Source: Lockheed
Martin, 03/24/10)
Contracts awarded for science center
GULFPORT, Miss. – Contracts were awarded Thursday to two firms to oversee construction
of the Infinity Science Center, south of Stennis Space Center. Roy Anderson Corp. of
Gulfport submitted the low bid of $15.6 million to construct the building and Eley Guild Hardy
of Biloxi was named executive architect. Work will begin May 3 and the building will be
complete in 16 months. John Wilson, the education program development director at Infinity,
said it could be August 2011 before money is raised to pay for the exhibits and open the
science center. The science center will provide a fun way for visitors to learn about the
Earth, oceans and space. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/25/10)
NASA awards lab contract for Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center has awarded a
$26 million contract to A2 Research, JV, of Huntsville, Ala., to provide technical laboratory
services at the center. The firm, fixed-priced contract includes a one-year base contract
period, plus a one-year option and one three-year option period. Laboratory services by A2
Research, JV, include gas, materials and environmental laboratory analysis; maintenance of
measurement standards and the calibration and repair of instrumentation; and specialized
technical, business and administrative systems and related operations to support mission
requirements for Stennis. (Source: NASA, 03/25/10)
Shuttle crew visits Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Four members of the STS-130 Endeavor space shuttle
crew thanked employees at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday for their role in
a successful mission to the International Space Station. The STS-130 crew delivered a third
connecting nodule to the space station, which will increase the interior space for crew
members and many life support and environmental control systems. Four more shuttle
missions are scheduled. The next is planned for April 5. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/25/10)
Biofuel passes test at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - An A-10 using a 50-50 mixture of biofuel and conventional
JP-8 aviation fuel was tested Thursday at Eglin Air Force Base. It was the first time the
mixture was tested in both engines. The fuel is derived in part from camelina, a common
plant that's been used for lamp fuel and ointments. The military is testing new fuels to
diversify its fuel sources. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base officials, who are overseeing the
biofuels research, were on hand for the test, one of many that will be conducted. (Sources:
WEAR-TV, Dayton Daily News, 03/25/10)
WTO affirms improper subsidies
The World Trade Organization said Tuesday that Airbus received improper subsidies for the
A380 jet and several other airplanes. The ruling affirmed interim findings last September on
the U.S. complaint. According to multiple published reports, the WTO found most of the
loans from European governments to develop the A380 were at below market rates and
amounted to prohibited subsidies. The WTO also found that Europe had provided improper
subsidies for the A300, A310, A320, A330 and A340. (Sources: Multiple, including New York
Times, AP via Google, 03/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent, EADS, may still compete in
the contest to build tankers for the Air Force. It wants to assemble the planes, based on an
A330, in Mobile, Ala.
Deadline extension decision expected soon
MOBILE, Ala. – EADS could find out as early as this week whether it will get more time to bid
on the tanker project. That’s the word from EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe, who
was in Mobile to help prepare an aid shipment to Haiti. Boeing appears in line to be the only
bidder for the $40 billion contract. EADS North America’s former partner, Northrop
Grumman, opted out because it felt the requirements favor the smaller Boeing tanker. EADS
feels the same, but has asked for a 90-day extension of the May 10 deadline to consider its
options. EADS still plans to build the tankers in Mobile should it win the contract. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 03/23/10)
Russia company chief denies tanker bid plan
Russia's United Aircraft Corp. isn't planning to bid for the tanker program, Chief Executive
Officer Alexei Fyodorov told Bloomberg. Both the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post
reported the maker of Ilyushin transports planned to bid, citing John Kirkland, an attorney in
Los Angeles who represents the group. Fyodorov said he wasn't familiar with Kirkland. For
his part, Kirkland said it's either a huge misunderstanding or the Russians not wanting to
confirm a plan until something is officially announced. Kirkland had said something would be
announced Monday. He provided the Mobile Press-Register with copies of correspondence
between his firm and United Aircraft in addition to incorporation papers for a U.S. subsidiary,
UAC America Inc., formed to pursue the tanker contract. (Source: Bloomberg via
BusinessWeek, Mobile Press-Register, 03/21/10)
F-35 school impact study updated
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – An updated study of the impact of the Joint Strike Fighter
training school at Eglin Air Force Base shows 59 planes will have an impact of $613 million,
down from the $2.15 billion that would have occurred between 2010 and 2016 with all 107
planes originally planned. Though the other 48 planes may still come to Eglin, the Air Force
is looking at other bases as well. The study by the University of West Florida, originally done
in 2005 and updated since, was commissioned by the Economic Development Council of
Okaloosa County. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/20/10)
Russian aerospace company eyes tanker
Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. is planning to bid on the contract to build tankers for the Air
Force. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the plans, said the company will
offer the Ilyushin Il-96 wide-body jet. The plane would be largely built in Russia and
assembled in the United States. United Aircraft, a consortium owned by the Russian
government, is planning to partner with an unnamed “small” U.S. defense contractor.
(Source: Wall Street Journal, 03/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS’ plans are to assemble its
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
EADS seeks 3 months to bid on tanker
EADS is seeking three more months to prepare a bid for the multibillion-dollar refueling
tanker, the Defense Department said today. "We're considering that request," Bryan
Whitman, a department spokesman, told reporters. The current deadline is May 10. EADS
said it could rejoin the competition if it decides there's a chance to win. EADS' North
American, which partnered with Northrop Grumman until that company opted out last week,
may wind up as prime contractor. EADS North America is a prime contractor for the
Mississippi-built UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters. (Source: Reuters, 03/19/10)
NG making market play in D.C.
Northrop Grumman, which plans to move corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the
Washington D.C. area by next year, has plastered the Capitol South metro stop with more
than 25 banners and signs boasting its weapons capabilities. Among the images: close-up
photos of Fire Scouts and Global Hawks, two unmanned aerial systems built in part in Moss
Point, Miss. (Source: Forbes, 03/19/10)
EADS reconsidering tanker contest
EADS may be interested in having the Pentagon extend the deadline for bids for the Air
Force tanker competition. Defense News reported Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell
saying DoD "has received notification from EADS North America indicating possible interest
in competing for the Air Force's KC-X tanker and we would welcome that." The Mobile Press-
Register said EADS, in a statement Friday morning, said it was "assessing this new
situation." Last week EADS and partner Northrop Grumman said they were dropping out of
the competition on grounds the rules favor the smaller tanker from rival Boeing. May 10 is
the deadline for bids. (Sources: Defense News, 03/18/10; Mobile Press-Register, 03/19/10)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman, Alabama and Mobile-area governments have ended
their incentives agreements on a site at Brookley Field where the companies planned to
build an assembly plant.
F-35 notches first vertical landing
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - An F-35B made a vertical landing for the
first time Thursday. The Joint Strike Fighter performed a 93 miles per hour short takeoff
from Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Some 13 minutes into the flight, the pilot positioned
the aircraft 150 feet above the airfield, where the F-35 hovered for a minute then descend
to the runway. The aircraft, BF-1, is one of three F-35B STOVL jets undergoing flight trials
at the Patuxent River test site. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Tanker incentives agreements end
MOBILE, Ala. – Northrop Grumman, Alabama and Mobile-area governments formally ended
their incentives agreements after the company opted to drop out of the competition to build
tankers for the Air Force. Northrop Grumman had planned to build a $600 million assembly
plant at Brookley Field, should it win the contract. It did, in 2008, but the contract was
overturned on a protest from Boeing. Northrop and bidding partner EADS, which said the
terms of the new competition favored the smaller Boeing plane, decided last week not to bid.
The two companies received a $110 million package of cash and tax breaks tied to the
creation of 1,500 job. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/18/10)
Admiral picked to head F-35 program
Defense Secretary Robert Gates picked Vice Adm. David Venlet to run the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter program. The three-star officer will need Senate confirmation. Gates said in early
February that he would remove Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Heinz as manager of the JSF
and replace him with a three-star officer. The nomination comes as the Pentagon prepares
to formally tell Congress that the cost of the F-35 has increased by more than 50 percent.
(Source: The Hill, 03/16/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to
become home of the JSF training center.
Commander picked for NAS
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Navy has selected Capt. Christopher Plummer to take over as
commander of Naval Air Station Pensacola. Plummer, a naval aviator, is attending Joint
Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., and will assume command in mid-April. Capt. William
Reavey was relieved of command earlier this month after allegations of inappropriate
conduct. Cmdr. Greg Thomas is serving as commanding officer until Plummer arrives.
(Source: WEAR-TV, WKRG-TV, 03/16/10)
Blue Angels return from California
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Blue Angels flight demonstration team returned home to Sherman
Field at Naval Air Station Pensacola Monday. The team just wrapped up its off-season
training program in El Centro, Calif. The team is scheduled to perform 67 shows at 35
locations across the country in the upcoming season. (Source: WEAR-TV, 03/15/10)
Contract: Rockwell Collins, $11.1M
Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded an $11,111,767 contract
modification which will provide for systems development, integration, and
verification phase of the P5 range instrumentation waveform. This waveform is in
support of the F-22 and F-35 aircraft. 689 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Contract: Kaman Precision, $46.3M
Kaman Precision Products Inc., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $46,253,422.83 contract
modification which will provide a quantity of 12,994 joint programmable fuze systems. At this
time, entire amount has been obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $19.5M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,505,458 contract which provides an
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air-Missile system improvement program. At this time,
$2,770,000 has been obligated. 696 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Airbus hopes to sell A400Ms in U.S.
Airbus said it plans to sell about 210 of its A400M military airlifters in the United States,
according to the AP and BBC. Domingo Urena, chief of Airbus Military, said it’s too early to
tell if Airbus would seek a U.S. partner. Airbus parent EADS partnered with Northrop
Grumman in the competition to build tankers for the Air Force. Just last week both
companies bowed out of the competition when they said the request for proposals from the
Pentagon favored the smaller Boeing plane. (Source: AP, BBC, 03/15/10) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop/EADS had planned to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 cost up dramatically
The projected cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has increased 60 to 90 percent in real
terms since 2001, well past a level requiring the program to be revamped, Pentagon officials
said Thursday. The estimated price of each F-35 jumped to $80 million to $95 million, as
measured in 2002 dollars, from $50 million when Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract
in 2001. (Source: New York Times, 03/11/10). Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is slated to be the
location for the Joint Strike Fighter Training School. More than 100 of the initial cadre at
33rd Fighter Wing have arrived, said Ashley Wright, a spokeswoman for Eglin. Training is
still expected to begin this year. However, that training could be on simulators only. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/12/10)
Keesler impact $1.1B
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – South Mississippi's Keesler Air Force Base's total
economic impact for fiscal year 2009 has been calculated at more than $1.1 billion. "We're
proud that Keesler continues to have a significant positive impact on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast's economy," said Brig. Gen. Ian Dickinson, commander, 81st Training Wing. In
addition to employee payroll figures and construction and purchases, the total impact
includes military retiree pay and the value of volunteer services as well as jobs indirectly
created on the Gulf Coast. Keesler, in Biloxi, is where the Air Force does training in
electronics. It's also home to the 403rd Reserve Wing. (Source: Keesler Air Force Base,
03/10/10)
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $8.8M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded an $8,823,078 contract which
purchase 100 focused lethality munitions-small diameter bomb I variant. At this time, the
entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/10/10)
Contract: BAE Systems, $23.2M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$23,237,133 modification to a previously awarded contract 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. Other locations
are in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, California, Texas, the District of Columbia
and Germany. Work is expected to be completed in March 2011. The Naval Air Warfare
Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
03/09/10)
Despite tanker loss, opportunity calls
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Despite the Northrop Grumman/EADS decision to drop out of the
$40 billion competition to build tankers for the Air Force, two local leaders say Jackson
County is still ripe for aerospace development. George Freeland, executive director of the
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, said the Gulf Coast region “still
possesses all the ingredients necessary to support new aerospace and technical
development and job creation." Jerry St. Pé, former president of Ingalls Shipbuilding,
agreed, saying that there are "other opportunities in this whole sphere of aerospace
technology that this region is ideally positioned to take advantage of." Northrop and EADS
planned to build the tankers in nearby Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mississippi Press, 03/09/10)
Forum set to discuss NASA future
President Obama will spell out his vision for the future of American astronauts in space at a
conference in Florida on April 15. The president has been criticized over his plans to kill the
Constellation Program, designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. NASA has
spent $9 billion on the program. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said he hopes Obama will use the
meeting to lay out a goal and a timetable for sending astronauts to Mars. Nelson has
suggested continuing parts of Constellation, including the Orion crew capsule and the Ares I
rocket as a test vehicle for a future heavy-lift rocket. Although Constellation is under the
gun, the program passed a two-day preliminary design review last week. (Source: New York
Times, 03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis
Space Center, Miss., are both involved in Constellation.
EADS, like Northrop, scraps bidding on tanker
The parent company of Airbus, EADS, has dropped out of the contest to build the next
generation of tankers for the U.S. Air Force, leaving Boeing as the sole bidder. EADS
accused the U.S. government of skewing the competition in rival Boeing's favor. Ralph
Crosby, chairman of EADS North America, said the methodology for the contest "would
heavily weigh in the favor of the smaller, less capable Boeing tanker." EADS and Northrop
planned to offer a military version of the A330, while Boeing has opted for the 767. Northrop
earlier announced it would drop out. Northrop and EADS had complained that the RFP was
changed from the previous competition. Northrop and EADS won the last competition in
February 2008, but it was overturned after a protest by Boeing. (Source: Telegraph,
03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS wanted to assemble the tankers in Mobile,
Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex, creating at least 1,500 jobs.
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $148.7M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $148,668,470 contract which will
provide for 6,565 Lot 14 guided vehicle kits procured for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
purposes. 678 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 03/08/10)
Contract: Boeing, $69.7M
Boeing Co., St Louis, Mo., was awarded a $69,702,919 contract which will provide for the
QF-16 full scale aerial target basic contract. 691 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/08/10)
Northrop won’t bid on tanker or protest RFP
Northrop Grumman says it won't compete for the U.S. Air Force's multibillion-dollar aerial
tanker contract, and furthermore will not protest the request for proposals. The decision
forces Airbus parent EADS to decide whether it will submit a solo bid. Northrop had
complained that the RFP was changed from the previous competition, and that this one
favors the smaller tanker being proposed by Boeing. Northrop and its partner EADS won the
last competition in February 2008, but it was overturned after a protest by Boeing. In a
statement from Northrop CEO Wes Bush, he said the company "will not protest," even
though it feels it has substantial grounds to support a GAO or court ruling to overturn the
revised source selection process. Bush said America's warfighters have waited too long for
a tanker. Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., said he was "deeply disappointed" Northrop won't be
bidding. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said the Air Force had a chance to provide the most
capable plane for warfighters and “blew it.” (Sources: Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Seattle
Times, Mobile Press-Register, Tcp, 03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS wanted
to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex, creating at least
1,500 jobs.
F-35 carrier variant engine gets ISR
The Pratt and Whitney F135 conventional takeoff and landing/carrier variant engine for the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has received approval for operational use. Called initial service
release, it indicates the engine, with more than 13,000 test hours, meets all requirements for
safety, reliability and performance. It’s now approved for low-rate initial production. Pratt and
Whitney has delivered 17 flight test engines and the first production F135 engine, and
expects to deliver the final short take off and vertical landing flight test engine early this
year. The F-35 will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marines, as well as the military from
eight foreign partners. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/05/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., will be the joint strike fighter training center.
Michoud working on final external tank
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin workers at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility expect
to finish the last of 134 space shuttle external tanks by the end of June before shutting down
the production line for the aluminum-lithium structures. Completion of the tank for shipment
to Kennedy Space Center, Fla., is scheduled for June 29, to support the scheduled Sept. 16
launch of the shuttle Discovery on the final mission of the space shuttle era before the three-
orbiter fleet is retired. The government-owned fabrication facility was scheduled for
assembly by Boeing of the upper stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, but the Obama
administration has proposed canceling the program of post-shuttle vehicles. (Source:
Aviation Week, 03/04/10)
State money for Michoud on “hold”
A project that won a commitment of state dollars is now in a "holding pattern" because of the
uncertainty of federal support. Louisiana allocated $102 million to help Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans transition from making external fuel tanks for the space shuttle to
helping with NASA's Constellation program. President Obama's 2011 budget proposal
canceled Constellation, so the state put an "informal hold" on the remaining $46 million for
Michoud, according to Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret. On
another matter, Moret told legislators his agency is shifting resources from out-of-state
recruiting to retaining existing businesses and helping them expand. He said the business-
retention program has proven popular. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 03/04/10)
Boeing to offer 767
Boeing said today that it will offer a 767-based aerial refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force's
multibillion-dollar competition, according to Reuters. The 767 will have an updated digital
flight deck and a fly-by-wire refueling boom. Boeing said the tanker would meet all the Air
Force's 372 requirements and offered a low-risk manufacturing option. Dow Jones
Newswires reports Boeing will present a proposal by May. 10. There's no word yet on
whether the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which said the current rules favor the smaller
Boeing plane, will bid. (Sources: Reuters, 03/04/10) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS
team wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Commander permanently removed
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The commanding officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola has been
permanently relieved of command following an inquiry into alleged “inappropriate conduct.”
Capt. William P. Reavey was relieved by Rear Adm. Tim Alexander, commander of Navy
Region Southeast, Wednesday due to loss of confidence in Reavey’s judgment and ability to
command. Reavey was temporarily removed from his command at NAS Pensacola last week.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/03/10)
NO airport ranked low in satisfaction
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louis Armstrong International Airport ranks next-to-last among 24
small American airports in customer satisfaction. That’s according to a biennial survey
released by J.D. Power and Associates. At least 100 passengers provided ratings for 27
attributes in six major categories: airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in process,
terminal facilities, security check and food and retail services. (Source: Times-Picayune,
03/02/10)
Contract: Vertex, $7.9M
L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $7,869,228 contract
to provide for aircraft flight line maintenance for F-16 aircraft and add sharpshooter
targeting pod maintenance in support of Taiwan's F-16 program at Luke Air Force Base,
Ariz. AETC/CONS/LGCI, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 03/02/10)
EADS still wants to bid on tanker?
Northrop Grumman said Tuesday it's getting closer to a decision on whether to bid on a
multibillion-dollar aerial tanker contract. But a European source told Reuters that partner
EADS wants to bid. The Northrop Grumman/EADS team won the contract in February 2008,
but it was overturned following a Boeing protest. Northrop said in December that the new
contest's rules favor Boeing's smaller plane, and it threatened not to bid. A European
source said EADS remains interested in gaining a bigger foothold in the United States.
(Source: Reuters, 03/02/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS want to
assemble the tanker in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 suit settled
VALPARAISO, Fla. - Valparaiso and the Air Force reached a settlement in the legal battle
over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. City residents have been concerned over the noise
expected when Eglin opens the F-35 joint training center. The suit was filed over use of a
runway close to the city of Valparaiso. The agreement has the Air Force using it only when
necessary. The Air Force also agreed to pay Valparaiso attorney fees of $60,000, and will
set up a committee to address any future noise issues. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 03/01/10)
Stennis gets new director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Patrick Scheuermann, deputy director of Stennis Space
Center, has been named the new director of the NASA facility. He replaces Arthur “Gene”
Goldman, who will become deputy director of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
The announcements, effective immediately, were made today by NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden. Before being named deputy director of Stennis, Scheuermann was
associate director at the center and previously served as chief operating officer of NASA's
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. (Source: NASA, 03/01/10)
Orion marks milestone with heat shield
The Lockheed Martin-led team developing the Orion crew exploration vehicle completed
fabrication of the world’s largest heat shield structure. The shield is 16.4 feet in diameter
and protects the spacecraft and its crew from the extreme temperatures experienced during
re-entry. The work was completed at Lockheed Martin’s composite development facility in
Denver, Colo. The heat shield will be applied to the Orion ground test article, which is the
first full-sized, flight-like test article for Orion being built at the Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/01/10)
FEBRUARY 2010
Brookley gets new aerospace company
MOBILE, Ala. – Regent Aerospace of Valencia, Calif., will open a facility at Brookley
Industrial Complex adjacent to ST Aerospace Mobile. The company plans a two-phase entry
into the Mobile market, first with 90 people at the former DHL building to perform aircraft
interior refurbishing work, then later with the purchase, lease or construction of a larger
facility to double the workforce. Regent has seven facilities in the United States and one
each in China and France. The company performs aircraft refurbishments for airlines and
manufactures aircraft parts and survival equipment. (Source: Mobile Airport Authority,
Mobile Press-Register, 02/26/10)
Contract: Northrop Grumman, $49M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Annapolis, Md., is being awarded a $49,099,073 cost-
plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for services and materials for
depot level repair and maintenance of airborne mine countermeasures systems. Systems
include: AN/AQS-14A sonar detecting set; AN/AQS-24 mine hunting system; AN/ALQ-141
acoustic minehunting/minesweeping system; CP-2614/T common post mission analysis; and
USM-668 intermediate level test equipment and swivel slip-ring assembly. Work will be
performed in Panama City, Fla., and is expected to be completed by February 2015. The
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/25/10)
Delta to add flights at new airport
Delta Air Lines will add two additional flights per day with larger aircraft when the new
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City, Fla., opens in late May.
The airport executive director said the new jets will be 140-seat MD-88s. Delta currently
uses Atlantic Southeast Airlines and its regional Bombardier Canadair jets in the 50- and 70-
seat range. The new airport has a 10,000-foot runway. (Source: Panama City News Herald,
02/24/10)
Suit may be near end
The city of Valparaiso, Fla., and the Air Force may be close to settling a lawsuit filed almost
a year ago, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. Nearby Eglin Air Force Base is
slated to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center, but Valparaiso has been
concerned about noise from the F-35. The city sued the Air Force in March 2009 over use
of a runway near the city without consideration of other options. But the Valparaiso city
attorney, without providing details, indicated a settlement may be near and discussions
would end soon. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 02/25/10)
Stennis discusses AJ26 testing
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Stennis Director Gene Goldman today confirmed the
center will test Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines for Orbital Sciences Corp. as part of a NASA
partnership with the companies. Stennis operators have been modifying their E-1 Test
Stand since last April for the AJ26 engines. Work has included construction of a 27-foot-
deep flame deflector trench. The AJ26 Aerojet engines will power Orbital’s Taurus II space
launch vehicle for missions to supply the International Space Station. (Source: NASA,
02/24/10) See previous story.
Lawmakers briefed on tanker rules
WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn and other top officials briefed
senior lawmakers today about the final terms for a $35 billion aerial tanker competition.
Among the first were Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin and Sen. John
McCain. Rep. Norm Dicks said the changes in the RFP are “rather minimal,” and that the Air
Force reduced requirements for the contract from 373 to 372. Sen. Jeff Session of Alabama
said he’s “disappointed,” and Rep. Mike Rogers, also from Alabama, said, “I don’t think it
looks promising.” (Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, New York Times, 02/24/10) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team both want to build the tankers.
Northrop/EADS would assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Stennis awards contract
NASA's Stennis Space Center has awarded a contract to ASRC Research and Technology
Solutions LLC, a small business in Greenbelt, Md., to provide information and technical
services at the center. The two-year contract, which includes three one-year options, is
valued at $54.5 million. The company will supply a broad range of information, technical,
technology and applied science services. (Sources: Article Ant, UPI, 02/24/10)
RFP to be released Wednesday
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers were told today that the Air Force will release final terms for the
$35 billion tanker competition on Wednesday. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Deputy
Defense Secretary William Lynn, and Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter will brief
lawmakers then hold a news conference at the Pentagon. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team both want to build the tankers. (Source: Reuters, 02/23/10) Gulf
Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS want to assemble tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Gates expects two tanker bids
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that he expects two parties to bid on
the Air Force tanker project, according to Reuters. The final tanker requirements
will be released as soon as Tuesday, but no later than the end of the month. The
Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which sees the draft request for proposals as
favoring the smaller Boeing plane, has threatened not to bid. Meanwhile, Gov.
Chris Gregoire of Washington state and the governors of eight other states that
stand to gain with a Boeing win were in Washington D.C., Monday pulling for a
Boeing win. They announced the formation of "U.S. Tanker 2010" at the National
Press Club. While that was going on, a new effort was launched to push for
awarding the contract to both Boeing and Northrop. It's called BuildThemBoth.com,
which claims 100,000 U.S. jobs would be created by building two different tankers.
(Sources: Reuters, Everett Herald, Seattle Times, 02/22/10). Gulf Coast note: The
tankers would be assembled in Washington state with a Boeing win and Mobile,
Ala., with a Northrop/EADS win.
Airport traffic declines
MOBILE, Ala. - Passenger traffic at Mobile Regional Airport in 2009 almost broke
even compared to 2008. Nearby neighbors did not fare as well as Mobile, with
Mississippi’s Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and Florida’s Pensacola Gulf
Coast Regional Airport both suffering declines steeper than the national average.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/21/10)
F-35 operational date re-evaluated
The Air Force is re-evaluating when the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be ready for
service. That's what Air Combat Command chief Gen. William Fraser told reporters
Friday at an Air Force Association-sponsored conference in Orlando, Fla. Fraser
said the program restructuring announced Feb. 1 will extend the plane's system
design and development phase until 2015, two years after the Air Force had
planned to begin operating the aircraft. (Source: Defense News, 02/19/10)
Meanwhile, a Lockheed Martin vice president said at the symposium that the U.S.
Air Force officially becomes the first F-35 customer later this year when the first of
the stealth fighters is delivered to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Steve O'Bryan,
Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 Business Development and Customer
Engagement, said the first two production F-35s are in final assembly at
Lockheed's plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The Air Force plans to operate 1,763 F-35As.
(Source: PRNewswire, 02/19/10)
Contract: Hansel Phelps, $37.6M
Hensel Phelps Construction, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $37,583,000 firm-fixed-
price contract for Special Forces complex Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This project
will require construction of the primary facilities. Work is to be performed at Eglin
Air Force Base, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 8, 2011. U.S. Corps of
Engineers, Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/19/10)
ST Engineering profits down
Singapore Technologies Engineering said profit fell 6 percent for the year as the
firm's aerospace division struggled with the worldwide recession. Profit fell to
$314.5 million while revenue grew 4 percent for the year to $3.93 billion. The
company is the parent of ST Aerospace Mobile, which employs 1,300 at Mobile's
Brookley Field Industrial Complex in Alabama, and VT Halter Marine, which employs
1,100-plus at shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, Miss. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 02/19/10)
New tanker battleground
A Northrop Grumman team was in North Carolina Wednesday to enlist the state as
an ally in the battle to build Air Force tankers. Boeing and Northrop both want to
win a $40 billion contract to build tankers. Northrop won the contract two years
ago, but Boeing successfully had it overturned. Northrop has said it won't submit a
bid if the current draft for proposal, which it says favors the smaller Boeing plane,
isn't changed. The Northrop team told state officials a Northrop/EADS win would
mean 1,500 jobs in the state. Rep. Pryor Gibson said that if Northrop's numbers are
true, he'll write to the Pentagon and White House in support. (Source: Raleigh
News Observer, 02/18/10) Meanwhile, the Air Force is bracing for a possible sole-
source bid from Boeing. Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, military deputy in charge of
acquisition for the Air Force, said the Pentagon is following a policy of "don't
change anything that potentially favors one competitor over another." The
Pentagon expects to release the final terms for the competition between Feb. 23
and the end of the month. (Source: Reuters, 02/18/10) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop and EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they win the
contract.
Global Hawk sets flight mark
The RQ-4 Global Hawk surpassed 30,000 combat flying hours and 1,500 combat
sorties Feb. 10 during deployment in Southwest Asia. The Global Hawks are
assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and
provide a broad spectrum of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
collection capability to support joint combatant forces. The 380th AEW Global
Hawks reached their 1,500th combat sortie on Feb. 10. The RQ-4 arrived to this
deployed location in October 2001 as a test platform and was never intended to fly
as many sorties as it has. (Source: AFNS, 02/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks
are built in part at the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss
Point, Miss.
Third test F-35B now at Patuxent River
A third F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River,
Md., to begin testing. The short takeoff/vertical landing joins two other F-35B
aircraft at the naval base. The jet, known as BF-3, took off from Fort Worth, Texas
Wednesday and arrived at NAS Patuxent River three hours and 10 minutes later.
The plane will be used to evaluate vehicle systems and will also focus on weapons
testing. It will carry and release most of the weapons the F-35B will use in combat.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 02/17/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will
be the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
SBIRS hits milestone
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Lockheed Martin said it’s achieved a key integrated test
milestone on the second Space-Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbit
satellite. SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches and
support other missions. The GEO-2 satellite completed its first phase of Baseline
Integrated System Test (BIST-1), which establishes a performance baseline for the
remainder of the test program. The spacecraft is planned for launch aboard an
Atlas V in 2012. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 02/16/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed
Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
builds subsystems for the SBIRS.
Fire Scout shows resupply capability
Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated that its MQ-8B Fire Scout
unmanned helicopter can resupply troops deployed on a combat mission. The
company conducted the autonomous proof-of-principle resupply capability during
the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, Ga. The Fire Scout had
two ruggedized containers attached to external pylons. Fire Scout flew
autonomously from take-off to the cargo drop to landing. The VUAS also used its
electro-optical/infrared optical payload during the mission to practice
reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition techniques. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 02/15/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.; the Army recently dropped plans to buy Fire Scouts.
Airborne laser downs missile
Boeing and Northrop Grumman may be locked in battle over the Air Force tanker
project, but they were both cheering a test where a Boeing 747 equipped with a
Northrop Grumman laser gun shot down a missile over the Pacific late Thursday
night. It was a major milestone in the development of the nation's missile defense
system. (Sources: Multiple, including Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Boeing,
Northrop Grumman, 02/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Both companies have operations
along the Gulf Coast region.
Global Hawk continues Haiti work
An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft has flown six missions
and provided more than 3,600 images of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and other areas
damaged by the Jan. 12 earthquake and aftershocks. The day after the quake, an
Air Force Block 10 Global Hawk was diverted by the 12th Reconnaissance
Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., from its trip en-route to support wartime
operations in Afghanistan to assist in relief efforts. Since then it’s been operating
out of Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/12/10)
Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
AGT one of two NASA award winners
NASA presented its highest honor for quality and performance, the George M. Low
Award, to two companies during NASA's seventh annual Project Management
Challenge in Galveston, Texas. The winners were United Space Alliance of
Houston and Applied Geo Technologies of Choctaw, Miss. Tribally owned AGT
provides scientific, laboratory and geographic analysis services, maintains
measurement standards and calibrates and repairs instrumentation at NASA's
Stennis Space Center, Miss. AGT received the award in the small business service
category. United Space Alliance provides a variety of services at Kennedy Space
Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center. (Source:
PRNewswire, 02/10/10)
Certification testing of RS-68A begins
Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne has completed the initial step in certifying the RS-
68A rocket engine by successfully hot-fire testing the first certification engine. The
RS-68A is an upgrade of the RS-68, a liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine
that will provide increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency for the Delta IV
family of launch vehicles. During the hot-fire test at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
the first RS-68A certification engine successfully burned for 190 seconds, with
operating time split between 102 percent and 55 percent power levels. Pratt and
Whitney Rocketdyne will hot-fire test the first RS-68A certification engine a
minimum of 12 times through February and follow that with a similar series of hot-
fire tests on its second certification engine in March and April. (Source: Pratt and
Whitney, 02/10/10)
Work continues on air show
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Work is continuing on Eglin's 2010 Open House and
Air Show. The event, scheduled for April 10 and 11, is the first since 2007. This
year's theme is "75 Years of Eglin Pride." The Air Force Thunderbirds, a precision
flying team, and the Army's Black Daggers, a parachute demonstration team, are
already confirmed performers for both days. The show will also include static
displays. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 02/10/10)
Dutch training in Hancock County
HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – Pilots from the Netherlands have been doing some
training at Stennis International Airport this week. They are training to become part
of the Dutch F-16 flight demonstration team. The pilots are training in Hancock
County in part because of the less-crowded air space. (Source: WLOX-TV, 02/09/10)
AeroMexico reduces flights
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The first international airline to offer direct service to New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is reducing service to the city next month.
AeroMexico has offered nonstop flights to Mexico City that continued on to San
Pedro Sula, Honduras, from New Orleans since July. The flights operated six times
a week. According to AeroMexico's Web site, flights will be available in March only
on Mondays and Fridays. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/10/10)
Shelby lifts many holds
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., lifted many of his holds on President Obama's
nominations to administration posts. The move may temper a threat by Democratic
leaders in the Senate that the administration would make recess appointments
during next week's Presidents' Day break. Last week Shelby placed a hold on
nominees over concerns about an Air Force tanker project that could benefit
Mobile and funding for a counterterrorism center that would benefit Huntsville.
Shelby still has holds on nominees directly related to the tanker project. (Source:
New York Times, 02/08/10)
Rep. John Murtha dies
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., died Monday at 77. Murtha, chairman of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee on defense, was elected to Congress in 1974 and
was among the most hawkish of Democrats. He was one of the first to advocate
buying Air Force tankers from both the Northrop Grumman/EADS team and Boeing.
Murtha had been suffering from complications from gallbladder surgery. (Source:
Multiple, including New York Times, USA Today, 02/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop
and EADS plan to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they end up bidding on and
winning all or a portion of the $40 billion contract.
France wants chance to compete
PARIS - French Defense Minister Hervé Morin said he told U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates that he hoped EADS and Northrop Grumman would get a fair chance
to compete for the U.S. Air Force refueling tanker. He said at a joint news
conference he reminded Gates "that when one is a country that stands up for the
market economy, it can't be a one-way street." Northrop Grumman says the draft
request for proposals favors the smaller Boeing offering and has threatened to
withdraw from the competition if the RFP is not modified. The final RFP is expected
this month. (Source: Defense News, 02/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS
hope to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker, center cause Shelby’s hold
In the latest twist of the Air Force tanker competition, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
placed a hold on dozens of President Obama's nominees. A spokesman said
Shelby's concerned about the tanker request for proposal and funding for a
counterterrorism center. On the tanker issue, Boeing is competing against the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile,
Ala. Northrop sees the draft RFP as tilted towards the smaller Boeing plane and
won't bid if the RFP isn't changed. On the center, Shelby is concerned the
president's proposed 2011 budget rescinds funds to build the FBI Terrorist
Explosives Devices Analytical Center in Huntsville. Robert Gibbs, the White House
press secretary, called the hold an example of a broken Washington. (Sources:
Multiple, including New York Times, Mobile Press-Register, TPM, 02/05/10)
Hurlburt group wins award
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The Air Force has awarded the 720th Special Tactics Group
with the Gallant Unit Citation for heroism in combat. The award was given for the
unit’s work during Operation MEDUSA, which lasted through all of 2006 and 2007 in
Afghanistan. The 720th was the only Air Force unit to receive a Gallant Unit Citation
during that period. Combat controllers act as air traffic controllers for fighter jets.
A tactical control party helps them aim air strikes at enemy targets. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 02/04/10)
Northrop Grumman 4Q report
Northrop Grumman Corp. reported Thursday it posted a fourth-quarter net
earnings of $413 million, and 2009 net earnings of $1.7 billion. Last year the
company reported a fourth quarter net loss of $2.5 billion and net loss for the year
of $1.3 billion. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Los Angeles-
based Northrop Grumman has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region.
First F-35 production engine delivered
Pratt and Whitney delivered the first F135 production engine for the F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter. The engine has accrued more than 13,000 hours in testing during
the development program. (Source: Pratt and Whitney, 02/02/10) In another F-35
development, Wyle air crew personnel became the first aviators to aerially refuel
the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the F-35 using a probe-and-
drogue refueling system during a recent mission at Lockheed Martin’s Ft. Worth,
Texas, manufacturing facility. (Source: PRNewswire, 02/03/10) Gulf Coast note: The
F-35 training center will be at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Contract: NW Florida Contractors, $8M
NorthWest Florida Contractors Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an
$8,096,083 contract to provide all plant, materials, labor, equipment, and all
operations in connection with the construction of various reinforced concrete
targets on specified test areas as shown on contract drawings, at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. 96 CONS/PKA, Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 02/03/10)
Services to get F-35s on time
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said the services will receive F-35
Joint Strike Fighters on time but in smaller numbers. Gates, who testified before
the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon's fiscal 2011 budget
request, said fewer F-35s will be produced during the initial years of production
than originally anticipated. The first training squadron of JSFs will still arrive at
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2011. The Marine Corps will start receiving its version
of the F-35 in 2012, the Air Force in 2013 and the Navy in 2014. (Source: The Hill,
02/02/10)
Work to continue on A-3
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Work will continue on the A-3 rocket test stand
regardless of President Obama's budget plans to kill the Constellation program
and the Ares I rocket. Stennis Director Gene Goldman told the Sun Herald Tuesday
that construction could take another year and a half on the $300 million project.
Goldman said $157 million has been spent already, with about $43 million more
contracted. Goldman also doesn't expect the president's plan to create a loss of
civil service employees, but he won't know the status on contract labor for several
months. Stennis has more than 400 civil servants and more than 1,800 contractors.
(Source: Sun Herald, 02/02/10)
Tanker refuels AWACS
An Airbus A330 tanker transport marked a new milestone with the aerial refueling
of a French Air Force E-3F AWACS radar aircraft. The plane transferred more than
65,000 pounds of fuel during two missions. The latest refueling missions were part
of the flight test and military certification program for the Royal Australian Air
Force’s A330. Australia has ordered five aircraft, the first of which will be delivered
later this year. The military A330 is the basis of Northrop Grumman's KC-45 tanker
offered for the U.S. Air Force. (Source: EADS North America, 02/02/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop and EADS North America plan to assemble Air Force tankers in
Mobile, Ala., if they win all or a part of the Pentagon contract.
NASA awards $50M
NASA awarded $50 million in stimulus money to five teams in support of the
transportation of crew to and from low Earth orbit. The award came the same day
the president's budget was submitted to Congress. It provided no money for the
Constellation Program, which aimed to return astronauts to the moon, and instead
favors investing in a commercial space taxi to ferry astronauts to the International
Space Station. In awarding the money, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the
agency is "pleased to be able to quickly move forward to advance this exciting
plan for NASA." The money is the result of open competition for funds from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Sierra Nevada Corp. of Louisville, Colo.,
was awarded $20 million and Boeing in Houston was awarded $18 million. United
Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colo., Blue Origin of Kent, Wash., and Paragon
Space Development Corp., Tucson, Ariz., will get $6.7 million, $3.7 million and $1.4
million, respectively. (Source: NASA, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the
Constellation Program.
Marketing group backs dual tanker buy
The Aerospace Alliance, a marketing partnership of Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Northwest Florida, said Monday that it now supports buying aerial
tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. In a story on the
group's Web site, it said buying from both competitors would mean 36 tankers a
year rather than 12 and create up to 100,000 jobs nationwide. When the group
formed in October 2009, it said its priority was to support Northrop/EADS' effort to
win the competition to replace the Air Force's tanker fleet. Northrop/EADS wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala. But in December Northrop threatened to drop
out of the bidding on grounds the draft request for proposal favors the smaller
Boeing plane. The Pentagon has said it does not want to buy planes from both
manufacturers, and it will only make minor RFP modifications. (Source: Tcp,
02/01/10)
Budget: $12B for five years for tanker
The Pentagon expects to award a contract for the new refueling tanker this
summer and allocated $12 billion to pay for the program over the next five fiscal
years. Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers, the Air Force’s budget official, said the final
request for bids will be issued this month. There is no guarantee Congress won’t
interject itself into the decision. Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team,
which wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., are locked in an intense
lobbying battle over the $35 billion contract. (Source: The Hill, 02/01/10)
Gates replaces F-35 chief
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is replacing the general in charge
of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and withholding $614 million in award fees
from contractor Lockheed Martin. The F-35 program manager, Air Force Maj. Gen.
David Heinz, will be replaced by a yet-to-be-announced higher-ranking general.
The Pentagon plans to buy more than 2,400 F-35s over the next 25 years for the Air
Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Gates disclosed the changes as he released the
Pentagon’s proposed $708.3 billion spending package for fiscal 2011. (Source: New
York Times, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home
of the JSF training center.
Battle brewing over NASA budget
U.S. astronauts won't return to the moon as planned if Congress passes President
Obama's proposed $19 billion NASA budget. But the commitment to the
International Space Station will extend to 2020, and $6 billion will be invested in a
plan to have commercial companies get more involved in space flight. The budget
will now be sliced and diced by Congress. Some predict a major battle. Sen.
Richard Shelby, R-Ala., says the budget "begins the death march for the future of U.
S. human space flight." The Constellation Program, which sought to send
astronauts to the moon by 2020, also envisioned establishing a moon colony. But
the White House Budget Office says it's behind schedule, over budget and overall
less important than other space investments. (Sources: Multiple, including CNN,
Space Daily, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Washington Post, 02/01/10)
UAV market to total $80B in 10 years
WASHINGTON - While the rate of growth may decline somewhat, unmanned aerial
vehicles continue to be the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace
industry, report Teal analysts in their latest integrated market analysis. Teal
Group's 2010 market study estimates that UAV spending will more than double
over the next decade from current worldwide UAV expenditures of $4.9 billion
annually to $11.5 billion, totaling just over $80 billion in the next ten years. (Source:
PRNewswire, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned
systems are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
JANUARY 2010
Contract: Kachemak, $9.8M
Kachemak Research Development, Inc., Logan, Utah, was awarded a $9,774,048
contract which will provide for robotics research in support of AutoScan 31G for
robotic perimeter security applications. 325 CONS/LGCB, Tyndall Air Force Base,
Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $23.7M
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $23,684,516 contract
which will replace obsolete parts within the guidance section data processor
module and modify the supporting missile hardware and software architecture as
required to continue production of the existing missile systems. 695 ARSS, Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/10)
Budget has $11 billion for JSF, boosts SOF
The Pentagon's 2011 budget will seek nearly $11 billion for the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter, boosts funds special operations forces and puts the Air Force on track to
award a tanker contract in the summer of 2010, according to a draft overview
obtained by Defense News. The budget is due to be sent to Congress Feb. 1.
(Source: Defense News, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base will be
home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center; Northwest Florida and South
Mississippi are home to several special operations organizations; if Northrop
Grumman/EADS compete for and win the tanker contract, the planes will be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Margin focus may play role in tanker bidding
Northrop Grumman’s threat to pull out of bidding for the tanker program, which
would leave Boeing as the sole bidder, may resonate with investors who want new
Chief Executive Officer Wes Bush to ensure profitability at the third largest U.S.
defense contractor. Bloomberg writes about some of the factors, including profit
margins, that will come into play when the Pentagon releases final requirements
for the $35 billion contract next month. (Source: Bloomberg, 01/29/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop Grumman and teammate EADS want to build the tankers in Mobile,
Ala.
Goodrich 4Q report
Goodrich Corp. earned a $105 million profit in the fourth quarter, down 38 percent
from $168.7 million in the last three months of 2008. Quarterly sales fell 3 percent
to $1.64 billion. For the year, Goodrich earned $597.3 million, down 12.3 percent
from $681.2 million in 2008. Goodrich, based in Charlotte, N.C., employs about 720
people at its service center in Foley, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/29/10)
Contract: Dyncorp, $6.7M
Dyncorp International, LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,745,095
contract for continued contractor logistics support for 12 U.S. Navy UC-35C/D
aircraft. Seventeen percent of the work will be done at Naval Air Station New
Orleans, La. Other work sites are Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Marine Corps Air
Station Futenma, Japan, MCAS Miramar, Calif., and MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. Work is
expected to be completed in November 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/28/10)
Lockheed Martin 4Q report
Lockheed Martin Corp. reported fourth quarter 2009 net earnings of $827 million
compared to $823 million in 2008. Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2009 were
$12.5 billion, a 13 percent increase over the $11.1 billion in 2008. For the year
ended Dec. 31, 2009, net earnings were $3 billion compared to $3.2 billion in 2008.
Net sales for 2009 were $45.2 billion, a 6 percent increase over the $42.7 billion in
2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin has
multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Raytheon 4Q report
Raytheon Co. reported fourth quarter 2009 income from continuing operations of
$517 million, up 21 percent compared to $428 million in the fourth quarter 2008.
EPS from continuing operations for the fourth quarter 2009 was $1.30, up 29
percent compared to $1.01 in the fourth quarter 2008. (Source: Raytheon via
PRNewswire, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Massachusetts-based Raytheon has
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Teledyne 4Q report
Teledyne Technologies reported fourth quarter 2009 sales of $454.4 million,
compared with sales of $464.8 million for the same period of 2008. Net income for
the fourth quarter of 2009 was $32.2 million compared with net income of $19.9
million in the fourth quarter of 2008. (Source: Business Wire, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast
note: Teledyne Continental Motors of Mobile, Ala., is a subsidiary of California-
based Teledyne Technologies.
Return to moon dead?
Louisiana's U.S. senators are concerned about reports that President Barack
Obama is planning to provide the space agency with no money in his 2011 budget
for a NASA rocket program to replace the space shuttle. A Florida newspaper has
reported that Obama is dropping plans by the Bush administration to return
astronauts to the moon through the Constellation Program, and wants NASA to
focus on earth science projects like research on global warming. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: NASA's Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the
Constellation Program.
First UK pilot flies F-35
PATUXENT RIVER, Md - A Royal Air Force officer on Tuesday became the first active-
duty service pilot from the United Kingdom to fly an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. RAF
Squadron Leader Steve Long piloted BF-2, the second short takeoff/vertical
landing F-35B, over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., logging the aircraft's
18th mission. He flew the aircraft to 20,000 feet before landing 1.3 hours later. Both
the RAF and the Royal Navy plan to operate the F-35B. Long said he was
particularly pleased with the sensors and the level of situational awareness. He
was the third active-duty service member to fly the F-35. It’s also been flown by U.
S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps pilots. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/27/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter
training center.
Michoud preps for Ares I production
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Work is well underway to prepare Michoud Assembly Facility
for the work it will do on the Ares I upper stage and avionics. The Constellation
Program’s Ares I rocket is being developed to launch the next generation of
astronauts into space. The rocket had a successful test Oct. 28 at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., the first time in more than a generation that NASA tested a new
rocket. Boeing is the production and design partner for the Ares I upper stage,
also called the second stage, and instrument unit avionics, the “brains.” Tooling to
produce the upper stage requires a nearly three-story building, and work is
underway to reinforce floors in the Boeing Ares areas. Once reinforced, a robotic
weld tool and a machining center will be installed. Construction has begun on a
Vertical Assembly Building where the upper stages will be assembled. Currently 15
Boeing employees work at Michoud but that number is expected to grow to 120 by
the end of 2010. Boeing also built the first stage of the Saturn V at Michoud.
(Source: Michoud Messenger, January 2010)
Pilot’s remains recovered
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The body of Lt. Clinton Wermers, a Navy pilot whose training
plane crashed Saturday in Lake Pontchartrain, has been recovered by divers.
Wermers and a student aviator were in a T-34 assigned to Naval Air Station Whiting
Field in Milton, Fla., when they crashed on approach to the New Orleans Lakefront
Airport. The student was rescued Saturday. Wermer’s remains were recovered
Wednesday around 1 a.m. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/27/10)
United Technologies 4Q report
United Technologies Corp. reported fourth quarter 2009 net income of $1.1 billion,
down 6 percent over the year ago quarter. Results for the current quarter include
an $0.08 per share charge for restructuring costs net of one time items. (Source:
UTC via PRNewswire, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Connecticut-based United
Technologies has activities in the Gulf Coast region, in part through subsidiary
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
General Dynamics 4Q report
General Dynamics reported 2009 fourth-quarter earnings from continuing
operations of $618 million compared to 2008 fourth-quarter earnings from
continuing operations of $630 million. Full-year 2009 earnings from continuing
operations were $2.41 billion compared to $2.48 billion for 2008. (Source: GD via
PRNewswire, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Virginia-based General Dynamics has
activities in the Gulf Coast region.
Boeing 4Q report
The Boeing Co.reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.3 billion as revenue rose
42 percent to $17.9 billion. Current period results reflect solid performance across
core businesses and represent a significant improvement over the year-ago
quarter, which included a labor strike and a charge on the 747 program. Revenue
for the full year reached a record $68.3 billion. (Source: Boeing via PRNewswire,
01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Chicago-based Boeing has activities in the Gulf Coast
region.
Contract: CSC, $29.5M
CSC Applied Technologies LLC of Fort Worth, Texas was awarded a $29,513,871
contract which will provide for base operating support service at Keesler Air
Force Base, Miss. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/26/10)
Cyber AF earns initial operating capability
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The commander of Air Force Space Command
certified 24th Air Force for its initial operational capability Jan. 22. The 24th Air
Force, activated in August 2009 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is a component
numbered Air Force subordinate to Air Force Space Command located at Peterson.
"Cyberspace operations represent one of the critical and major areas of growth
within the Air Force today," said Maj. Gen. Richard Webber, the 24th Air Force
commander. (Source: AFNS, 01/25/10) Gulf Coast note: Air Force cyber training is
done at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
Hurlburt works to save lives
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Medics from the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron
have performed dozens of surgeries, evacuated scores of citizens and delivered
tons of supplies as part of the ongoing relief effort in Haiti after the Jan. 12
earthquake. The squadron's special operations surgical teams, special operations
critical care evacuation teams, and special operations forces medical elements
arrived in Haiti Jan. 13. "Up until a few days ago, our medics were the only military
surgical capability in the country and the only surgical presence at the embassy,"
said Lt. Col. Jeremy Kokenes, the 1st SOSS operations director, who is in frequent
contact with his personnel in Haiti. (Source: AFNS, 01/26/10)
EU complains about WTO ruling gap
A 10-month gap between World Trade Organization rulings on cases involving
government subsidies to Boeing and Airbus could hinder the ability of the EU and
U.S. to arrive at a settlement. An EU spokeswoman said the two cases are so
similar that the WTO appeals body should rule on both at the same time. The WTO
in September said Airbus was receiving subsidies, but won’t rule on the alleged
subsidies to Boeing until June. (Source: Business Week, 01/25/10) Gulf Coast note:
Airbus parent EADS is teamed with Northrop Grumman and competing against
Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. EADS plans to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala.
Pilot presumed dead
NEW ORLEANS, La.-- A Navy pilot whose training airplane crashed Saturday into
Lake Pontchartrain is presumed dead, and the search is now a recovery mission.
The pilot has been identified as Navy Lt. Clinton Wermers, a native of South
Dakota. He was the instructor aboard a T-34C that also carried a student aviator.
They were assigned to Training Squadron 6 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, in
Milton, Fla. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/25/10)
Search to continue for missing pilot
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The search will continue Monday for a missing pilot whose
Navy trainer crashed into Lake Pontchartrain, just outside New Orleans, Saturday
around 7 p.m. The T-34C Turbomentor training plane from Naval Air Station Whiting
Field, Fla., had two pilots on board. One pilot was rescued Saturday, reportedly
with minor injuries. The plane was conducting a routine training mission. (Sources:
CNN, Mississippi Press, Pensacola News Journal, 01/24/10)
Oceanographers help in Haiti
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Oceanographers from the Naval Meteorology and
Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center are heavily involved in relief
efforts in Haiti. Stennis-based personnel are conducting hydrographic surveys of
ports of interest around Haiti to determine navigational hazards for ships bringing
aid to Haiti. Personnel from the command’s Naval Oceanographic Office have
conducted airborne lidar surveys of Port-au-Prince using the CHARTS system
aboard a Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft. Other NAVO personnel are aboard the
naval oceanographic 329-foot survey ship USNS Henson. (Source: NNS, 01/22/10)
Taurus test now expected in April
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – First stage engine testing for the Taurus 2 rocket
at Stennis Space Center is expected in April or May. Orbital Sciences is still hoping
for a March 2011 debut of the company’s medium-lift Taurus 2 rocket, according to
Frank Culbertson, Orbital senior vice president. Orbital is building the Taurus 2 to
launch the company's Cygnus cargo freighter to the International Space Station.
The Taurus 2 rocket first stage will use a pair of kerosene-fueled AJ26 main
engines provided by Aerojet Corp. The first batch of AJ26 engines is slated to
arrive at Stennis no earlier than March, nearly a year later than expected in
schedules announced in late 2008. (Source: Spaceflight Now, 01/20/10)
Mayor urges split tanker buy to Obama
WASHINGTON - Mobile Mayor Sam Jones wants President Barack Obama to
reverse the Pentagon's plan and buy aerial tankers both Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team as a major job creation program. Jones, in a letter to Obama,
said that would create nearly 100,000 jobs nationwide and help retire the existing
fleet seven years earlier. He delivered the letter Thursday during a meeting at the
White House with other city mayors. (Source: Reuters, 01/22/10). The
Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Sikorsky, $7M
Sikorsky Support Services Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $7,035,212
modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract to
provide aircraft maintenance and logistics support for the T-34C, as well as
manage the aircraft's service life extension and service life maintenance
management programs. Additionally, the contractor will provide all required
support to enter T-6 aircraft flight data into the Training Information Management
System and Organizational Optimized Maintenance Activity software systems. Work
will be performed at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas and NAS Whiting
Field, Fla., and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The Naval Air
Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
01/21/10)
F-35 testing, acquisition will slow
The Pentagon is slowing testing and acquisition of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Air
Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said Wednesday during a briefing with
reporters in Washington. He said the path had been too aggressive, and there’s
an effort underway to lengthen the test period, increase test assets and make the
production rate less ambitious. The F-35 will be ready for initial operational
capability with the Air Force in 2013, Schwartz said. (Source: Navy Times, 01/21/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to be home to the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Pentagon may budge on fixed-price
The Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, says changes to the request for
proposals for the aerial tanker will “lessen the financial risk” for bidders. But he
characterizes the changes as “modest.” Schwartz says the final RFP will be issued
within a month of the fiscal 2011 budget release scheduled for Feb. 1. Boeing and
the Northrop Grumman/EADS team are expected to bid for the work, though
Northrop has threatened not to bid if the RFP is not changed. (Source: Aviation
Week, 01/20/10)
Astronauts thank Stennis workers
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA astronauts were at Stennis Space Center
Tuesday afternoon to thank employees for their work. Five of the six members of
the Space Shuttle Crew Atlantis flew to Stennis, where space shuttle engines are
tested. The Atlantis returned to earth in late November. The crew's 13 day mission
included a trip to the International Space Station to deliver supplies and bring one
of the astronauts back home. The trip also involved three successful space walks.
(Source: WLOX-TV, 01/19/10)
Lockheed lands contract extension
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin of Bethesda,
Md., a contract extension to continue the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA,
or ODIN, services to support the agency. The contract extension has a value of
about $230 million and will continue through Oct. 31, 2011. Agency-wide services
under the ODIN master contract and center delivery orders include desktop
hardware and software, personal digital assistants, telephone operations, network
services, information technology security and other services. The contract will be
managed by the NASA Shared Services Center. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/19/10)
Boeing: France protectionist
PARIS - Boeing's representative in France on Tuesday accused the European
nation of shielding its defense market behind a wall of "extreme protectionism."
Yves Galland said Paris had few lessons to give America on opening up to foreign
suppliers. Boeing is in a battle with Europe’s EADS/Airbus to supply tankers to the
U.S. Air Force. Airbus and U.S. partner Northrop Grumman have called the draft
request for proposal tilted in Boeing’s favor. But Galland, president of Boeing
France, said the U.S. had ordered hundreds of helicopters from EADS’ Eurocopter,
while it’s been 30 years since France bought any defense equipment from Boeing.
(Source: Reuters, 01/19/10) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop Grumman/EADS team
wants to assemble the aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala.; Eurocopters are built in
Columbus, Miss.
NASA Global Hawk readies for GloPac
SAN DIEGO – The NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system completed 10.4
hours for pilot training and flight characterization in preparation for the Global
Hawk Pacific Campaign set to start this spring. Five flights have been completed
since the first flight of Air Vehicle Six (AV-6) on Oct. 23. Prior to this, the aircraft
had not flown in more than 6 years. AV-6 is being modified to carry eleven earth
science sensors in preparation for GloPac. (Source: Globe Newswire, 01/18/10)
Gulf Coast note: Plans are still on track to use Global Hawks in August and
September 2010 to track hurricanes for the Genesis and Rapid Intensification
Process Experiment.
Flying Jennies back home
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – The Flying Jennies of the 403rd Wing at Keesler
have returned home from four months in Southeast Asia. The Reservists of the
403rd's 815th Airlift Squadron set a record by airdropping 801 bundles in 24
missions over a one-week period. They logged 2,500 hours in just three months.
Flying the C-130J-30 model aircraft, the 815th airdropped nearly 5,000 tons of
cargo, including ammunition, medical supplies, food and water – and “care
packages” with comfort items. They also flew more than 20,000 passengers and
500 aeromedical evacuation passengers during the deployment. (Source: Sun
Herald, 01/17/10; 403rd Wing Public Affairs, 01/12/10)
Coast Guard Mobile sends aircraft
MOBILE, Ala. - The U.S. Coast Guard has assigned the new HU-144A Ocean Sentry
aircraft based out of Mobile's Coast Guard Aviation Training Center to help with
relief efforts in Haiti. The Ocean Sentry is the new medium-range fixed-wing
search and rescue aircraft, replacing the HU-25A Falcon jets that have been used
by the Coast Guard for about 30 years. The Ocean Sentry is powered by two
turboprop engines and has a longer range than the Falcon and normally carry a
crew of five. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/15/10)
ADS-B operational in Gulf of Mexico
A next-generation air traffic system is now in place covering the Gulf of Mexico.
Houston air traffic controllers are now using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-
Broadcast, a GPS-based technology, to separate and monitor aircraft flying over
the Gulf of Mexico. The milestone announced this week by FAA Administrator
Randy Babbitt came as the Coast Guard prepared to shut down the U.S. Loran-C
chains that for decades provided long-range position-fixing capability to mariners
and aviators. Previously, there was virtually no radar coverage over the Gulf,
which required 120-mile in-trail separation of high-altitude IFR traffic. Similarly,
individual helicopters flying under IFR at low altitudes to and from oil platforms
were encased in 20x20-mile “boxes” to ensure safe separation from other
helicopters. ADS-B now permits five-mile separation. Philadelphia will roll out its
ADB-B system next month, and the system will be available nationwide by 2013.
(Source: Aviation Week, 01/14/10; AIA, 01/14/10)
Eglin EOD school growing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The demand for training in explosive ordnance
disposal is on the rise. The Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin will
be at maximum capacity in fiscal 2010, with 1,786 students – up from 1,705 students
in 2009 and 1,283 in 2008. The executive officer of the school said this year’s
increase will be the last one until additional facilities are built. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 01/13/10)
Remote training with virtual reality
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Air Force officials are testing the waters to see
if training with avatars in a virtual environment is effective. It would allow students
who are assigned on temporary duty to Keesler to use computers at their home
base for training. Keesler officials say if TDY students are able to complete the
training from their home base, the savings to the military could be as high as
$700,000 a year in housing, food, and transportation costs. Avatars are computer-
generated figures that represent the computer user. (Source: WLOX-TV, 01/14/10)
County OKs money for aviation park
MILTON, Fla. – Nearly a half-million dollars will be used to begin work on Whiting
Aviation Park, a 269-acre facility near Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The Santa
Rosa County Commission voted to seek bids for infrastructure work. The
commission discussed having county road crews do the work for some $315,000,
but decided to seek bids to see if a private contractor can do it for less.
Commissioners also approved $175,000 for a consultant to develop a master plan.
The park, which will have access to one of Whiting's runways, is intended to attract
aviation-related businesses. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 01/14/10)
Spec ops deploy to Haiti
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Two MC-130H Combat Talon IIs from the 15th Special
Operations Squadron and multiple teams from the 720th Special Tactics Group
deployed to Haiti in support of humanitarian operations. These teams bring an
array of capabilities with them to the country devastated by a 7.0 magnitude
earthquake Jan. 12. In addition to opening up the airport at Port-au-Prince, combat
controllers are trained to survey other areas to look for potential airdrop and
landing zones so other cargo and personnel can be accepted into the country if
required. (Source: AFNS, 01/14/10)
Drilling would hurt Eglin mission
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The commander of Eglin Air Force Base told lawmakers
Wednesday that oil and gas drilling in Florida waters could threaten military
operations. Col. Bruce McClintock told the House Military Affairs and Local Policy
Committee that when Eglin fires missiles at drones, the drones and the spent
missiles “have to fall somewhere.” Drilling supports say the entire Gulf is not a
military training area, and exclusion zones can be set up. (Source: Florida Today,
01/13/10)
Army to end two robotic programs
The Army told Congress it’s terminating a robotic vehicle and unmanned aircraft
program that were once part of the Army’s Future Combat Systems. It comes as the
Pentagon prepares its 2011 budget request, and highlights the need to focus on
technologies military planners see as key to supporting soldiers in Afghanistan
and Iraq. The terminated unmanned ground vehicle is the Multifunction
Utility/Logistics and Equipment Countermine and Transport, and the UAV is the Fire
Scout. The Army said the Shadow UAV can meet the Army needs with some
technology improvements. The Navy, however, is still involved in Fire Scout.
(Source: The Hill, 01/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
Ex NASA official faces fraud charges
GULFPORT, Miss. – A former high-ranking NASA official who’s on federal probation
faces fraud charges over a $600,000 contract awarded to Mississippi State
University by Stennis Space Center. Courtney A. Stadd pleaded not guilty Monday
to a nine-count indictment that alleges he conspired to have MSU subcontract
$450,000 of work on a remote-sensing study to his consulting business, Capitol
Solutions. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/11/10)
Tanker specs won’t be tech improvement
European Aeronautic Defense and Space said Tuesday that the Air Force’s latest
specifications for an aerial tanker will not yield significant technological
improvements over the current tanker fleet. Sean O’Keefe, head of EADS North
America, says the current draft request for proposals is not a modernization
program, just a replacement program. (Source: New York Times, 01/12/10)
Meanwhile, the CEO of Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security Systems Division,
said the company is well positioned to meet the demands of a fixed-price contract,
even though the company doesn’t like a fixed-price contract. (Source: Defense
News, 01/11/10) EADS and partner Northrop Grumman, which want to assemble the
planes in Mobile, Ala., have threatened to withdraw from the contest if the RFP is
not changed from the current version, which they say favors the smaller plane
being offered by Boeing.
Guard gets Lakotas
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two Alabama Army National Guard UH-72A Lakota Light Utility
Helicopters were unveiled during a ceremony last week. The guard is getting four
of the helicopters from EADS North America, which will be based at the Army
Aviation Support Facility #2 in Birmingham. The Alabama Army National Guard’s
Lakotas are assigned to Detachment 1, Co. C, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation
Regiment. The UH-72As will replace Detachment 1’s OH-58 Kiowas. EADS North
America has delivered 93 Lakotas to the Army and five to the Navy. The UH-72As
are built in Columbus, Miss., by the American Eurocopter business unit of EADS
North America. (Source: EADS, 01/09/10)
STOVL F-35 has flight test
The short takeoff/vertical landing version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 engaged its
STOVL propulsion system in flight for the first time this week during testing at
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Tests to come include short takeoffs, hovers
and vertical landings. The F-35 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine
driving a Rolls-Royce LiftFan. In the test, the pilot from BAE Systems engaged the
LiftFan propulsion system at 5,000 feet and 210 knots, then slowed to 180 knots
with the system still engaged before accelerating to 210 knots and converting
back to conventional-flight mode. The F135 system development and
demonstration program has completed 164 hours of flight time, including cross-
country flights to and from Edwards and Eglin Air Force Bases and Patuxent River
Naval Air Station. (Sources: Pratt & Whitney, 01/08/10; Lockheed Martin, 01/07/10).
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to become home of the JSF
training center; Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems all have
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Airbus picks Kansas for project
Airbus Americas said Thursday it will add 80 jobs to its 210-worker engineering
facility in Wichita, Kan., a project that Wichita officials had said they were
competing against Mobile to land. Airbus has a 150-worker engineering facility at
the Brookley Field Industrial Complex. Airbus said the company's new engineering
work is related to wings, already the primary focus in Wichita. Engineers in Mobile
work on cabin interiors, cargo systems and escape systems. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/08/10)
Gates wants delay of F-35 purchases
Bloomberg reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered a delay in
the Lockheed Martin F-35 program, cutting the Pentagon’s planned purchases by
10 aircraft in fiscal 2011 and a total of 122 through 2015, according to a budget
document. More than $2.8 billion that was budgeted earlier to buy the military’s
next-generation fighter would instead be used to continue its development.
(Source: Bloomberg, 01/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center; Lockheed Martin
has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
Airport has good year
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport topped its 2008 figures
for departures and posted its third-highest count in the past eight years for
incoming passengers. The airport averaged 758 passengers per month between
January and April, outgoing traffic picked up, topping the 1,000 mark in May for the
first time since August 2008. After that, outgoing traffic never fell below 1,145 in
any of the following seven months. The airport finished 2009 with 12,365
boardings, a couple hundred departures more than 2008. (Source: Hattiesburg
American, 01/07/10)
Guardrail moves toward certification
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Northrop Grumman and the Army recently completed
electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility testing on the first RC-
12X Guardrail, bringing the signals intelligence system one step closer to
providing mission-critical capability to the warfighter this year. The RC-12X is the
Army's airborne SIGINT sensor and ground processing system. The EMI/EMC
testing validates operation of the aircraft's electronic systems in a large,
electromagnetically shielded chamber. EMI/EMC testing is required before an
airworthiness certificate can be issued. Delivery to the Army is scheduled for
summer 2010. (Source: Global Newswire, 01/05/10)
PW delivers F-35 demo engine
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Pratt & Whitney has delivered its final conventional take
off and landing/carrier variant F135 flight test engine to the F-35 Joint Program
Office as the program transitions from development and demonstration to
production. Pratt & Whitney has delivered 17 flight test engines and expects to
deliver the final short take off and vertical landing flight test engine early this
year. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. (Source:
PRNewswire, 01/05/09) Gulf Coast note: The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training
center will be at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an
operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Notice of intent for F-35 basing issued
Air Force officials at Langley Air Force Base, Va., published the notice of intent in
the Federal Register to prepare an environmental impact statement to assess the
impacts of establishing operational F-35 units at existing Air Force and Air National
Guard installations. The candidate bases are Mountain Home Air Force Base,
Idaho; Hill AFB, Utah; Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt.; Shaw AFB/McEntire Joint
National Guard Base, S.C.; and Jacksonville AGS, Fla. The analysis will examine
issues relating to land use, airspace and safety, air and water quality, noise,
socioeconomics, biological and cultural resources and cumulative actions. Air
Force officials expect to complete the environmental impact analysis process in
about one year. (Source: AFNS, 01/05/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center. The city of Valparaiso
has raised concerns over the potential noise associated with the fighter.
Airport looking into security lapse
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport is looking into how a
college student from Korea ended up spending the night at the airport
undetected. The Pensacola Christian College student was found asleep at a Delta
airlines gate at 4:15 a.m. Sunday when an agent of the airline arrived to open the
gate for business. The student told airport officials he spent the night sleeping in
the concourse waiting for friends, also college students, scheduled to arrive
Sunday. The concourse is closed when the final flight arrives and several sweeps
failed to find the student. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 01/05/10)
Northrop moving HQ to DC
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman said it plans to move its headquarters from
Los Angeles to the Washington D.C. area by 2011. It plans to identify a site by this
spring and is looking at the District, Maryland and Virginia. The company plans to
move about 300 people to the headquarters. Wes Bush, the company’s chief
executive, says Northrop has a lot of customers in the Washington, D.C., region
and the move will help the company better serve customers. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 01/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and partner EADS are competing
against Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. If the Northrop/EADS team wins
the tankers will be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Work continues on Stennis A-3 stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – This year will bring several milestones in the
construction of the A-3 stand that will be used to test the next generation of rocket
engines. Lonnie Dutreix, A-3 project manager, said some of the deadlines are
tentative as the future direction of NASA’s exploration program is decided. A-3 will
be used to test the J-2X engine, a key propulsion system for NASA’s Constellation
Program. This year workers will install the stand’s test cell and diffuser, which let
operators simulate altitudes of up to 100,000 feet using a series of chemical steam
generators to create a vacuum. The test cell and diffuser is being manufactured by
American Tank and Vessel Inc. at its facility in Lucedale, Miss. The stand is slated
to be finished in late 2011. (Source: NASA, 01/04/10)
Airport expects good 2010
GULFPORT, Miss. – The head of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport predicts an 8
to 10 percent passenger growth in 2010 compared to the previous year. Bruce
Frallic, the airport’s director, says the last two years have been tough on the
industry, but he sees signs of recovery. AirTran returns Jan. 8 after a year’s
absence from the airport, with flights to Atlanta and Tampa three days a week.
Millions have been spent on improvements at the airport, and millions more will be
spent this year. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/01/10)
Tyndall getting F-22 squadron
Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., will be getting an additional squadron of F-22 Raptors being
relocated from Hollman Air Force Base, N.M. Another squadron of F-22s from Hollman is
being distributed among three other bases. The announcement was made by the Air Force
Thursday as part of a consolidation plan for the F-22 fleet. Tyndall is getting 21 aircraft,
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, will get six, Langley Air Force Base, Va., will get six, and
Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will get two of the F-22s. (Source: DoD, 07/29/10)
Luke, Hill, Burlington to get F-35s
A day after announcing that Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will get 59 F-35s for its joint strike
fighter training center, the Air Force announced additional basings for the next-generation
plane. The Air Force chose Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and
Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt., to get F-35s. The Luke planes will be used for training,
while Hill's and Burlington's will be for operations. The previously announced candidates for
operations aircraft were, in addition to Hill and Burlington, Mountain Home Air Force Base,
Idaho, Shaw Air Force Base/McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., and Jacksonville Air
Guard Station, Fla. The other training base candidates, in addition to Luke, were Boise
AGS, Idaho, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M, and Tucson Air Guard Station, Ariz. Eglin was
also a candidate for additional training jets. The current scope of this basing action includes
250 to 300 F-35 aircraft. (Source: DoD, 07/29/10)
AF leaves Eglin with 59 F-35s
The Air Force said today that it will base 59 F-35 aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.,
contingent upon the result of a draft supplemental environmental impact statement expected
to be released this fall. The planes will be based at Eglin with flight operations also occurring
at Duke and Choctaw fields. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission
established the F-35 Initial Joint Training Center at Eglin, with the expectation of 107 planes.
The number was set at 59 last year, but expection was Eglin would get 48 more. The
announcement today ends that. "This is not a final basing decision; it is the alternative we
believe will fulfill our mission responsibilities while considering economic, environmental, and
technical factors," said Kathleen Ferguson, Air Force deputy assistant secretary for
installations. In a news conference this afternoon at Eglin, Maj. Gen. C.R. Davis, Air
Armament Center Commander, said the additional aircraft would interfere with other air
missions at the base. (Source: AFNS, Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/28/10)
Contract: Anderson Drace, $14.4M
Anderson Drace, JV, Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $14,380,420 firm-fixed-price
contract which provides for the design and construction of a bachelor enlisted quarters for
the Corry "A" School students training at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The work to be
performed provides 80 2-plus-2 modules for 320 Corry "A" School students training at the
Center for Information Dominance. The contract contains one unexercised option which, if
exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $14,391,620. Work will be performed
in Pensacola, Fla., and is expected to be completed by August 2012. The Naval Facilities
Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 07/26/10)
Contract: Bates, $5M
Bates Engineers/Contractors Inc., Bainbridge, Ga., was awarded a $5,023,576 firm-fixed-
price contract to construct a new 1,400 square meter addition to an existing simulator
facility. Construction will consist of structural steel, concrete masonry unit, exterior and a
standing seam metal roof. Heating ventilation, air condition, fire detection suppression and
access control/intrusion detection systems are required. A bridge crane, emergency
generator, unlimited power supply, furnishing all utilities and parking are included.
Construction phasing and leadership energy environmental design certification are required.
Unexercised options in the amount of $200,000 are available for future execution by the
government. Work is to be performed in Hulbert Field, Fla., with an estimated completion
date of Nov. 18, 2011. Corps of Engineers-Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/23/10)
Contract: Tybrin, $11.4M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an $11,446,277 contract modification
which will add 70 man-years of software engineering support for guided weapons systems
evaluations, simulations and other services supporting research and development for the
principals and customers of the Air Armament Center. At this time, the entire amount has
been obligated. AAC/PKET, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 07/22/10)
Panel trims commercial space dollars
The House Committee on Science and Technology wants to devote $750 million to
developing a commercial space industry, well under the $6 billion requested by the Obama
administration and the $1.3 billion a Senate panel approved last week. The House
authorization bill would also instruct NASA to continue developing its own rocket, which the
administration wants to kill. (Source: New York Times, 07/20/10)
Airstrip expansion decision nears
BAY MINETTE, Ala. - A decision should be made soon on which Baldwin County airstrips will
be expanded to handle new Navy training aircraft. Jay Cope, spokesman for Naval Air
Station Whiting Field, Fla., said at a Baldwin County Commission meeting that studies are
continuing on which two Baldwin outlying fields will get between 500 and 1,500 additional
feet of runway. Whiting, which trains military pilots, has eight outlying fields in the region.
The Navy is switching from T-34 Turbo Mentors to T-6B Texan aircraft, which need longer
runways to operate. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/21/10)
Contract: Lockheed, $819.6M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an $819,647,920 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded
advance acquisition contract for special tools/test equipment required in support of the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter air system low-rate initial production Lot IV production. Work will be
performed in California, Texas, the United Kingdom, Illinois, Maryland, Colorado and other
locations. Work is expected to be completed in January 2013. This modification combines
purchases for the Navy, Air Force and international partners. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/19/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Mississippi has air show pavilion
The state of Mississippi will have its own pavilion at London's Farnborough International
Airshow this year. It will show the range of Mississippi aerospace activities, including the
substantial work done in South Mississippi. The week-long air show gets under way next
week. A group of which Mississippi is a member, the four-state Aerospace Alliance, is also
hosting a reception for about 500 aerospace executives and prospects at London's
Kensington Palace Sunday evening. (Source: Tcp, 07/17/10)
Alabama officials visit EADS
Although EADS is still competing for an Air Force contract, Alabama business and education
leaders spent three days in Spain and France this week meeting with EADS to gain insight
into the company's training needs for its proposed 1,500-worker factory. The delegation
arrived Tuesday in Madrid and toured EADS operations. On Friday, the group was at Airbus
headquarters in Toulouse, France, and left Saturday for London to attend the Farnborough
International Airshow. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/17/10)
Fire Scout passes extreme tests
ABU DHABI, UAE – The Fire Scout passed a series of flight demonstrations over 10 days
earlier this month in the United Arab Emirates. The MQ-8B demonstrations included takeoffs
and landings in hot, windy and sandy conditions in temperatures as high as 117 degrees
Fahrenheit and altitudes of up to 9,842 feet. The Navy will conduct operational evaluation of
the system later this year aboard the USS Halyburton. (Source: Northrop Grumman via
Globe Newswire, 07/14/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Canada picks F-35
The Government of Canada today announced plans to acquire the Lockheed Martin F-35
Joint Strike Fighter as its next-generation fighter aircraft. It will replace Canada's fleet of CF-
18 Hornets that entered service in the early 1980s. The stealth fighter is being developed
and funded by a consortium of nine countries, including Canada, which plans to acquire 65
F-35s. Delivery of Canada's F-35s will begin in 2016. (Source: PRNewswire, 07/16/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the joint strike fighter training center.
Aerojet engine arrives
An Aerojet AJ26 rocket engine was delivered to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center on
Thursday. It’s the first of a series of Taurus II engines that will be tested at SSC to include
acceptance testing of flight engines. Stennis will provide propulsion system acceptance
testing for the Taurus II space launch vehicle being developed by Orbital Sciences Corp. of
Dulles, Va. The first Taurus II mission will be flown in support of NASA's Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services cargo demonstration to the International Space Station. Orbital's
Taurus II design uses a pair of Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines to provide first stage propulsion
for the new launch vehicle. (Source: NASA, 07/15/10)
Contract: SAIC, $9.5M
Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $9,513,837
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price and/or firm-fixed-price
level-of-effort task orders for information technology ashore operations support services for
the Navy's Military Sealift Command. This contract includes options which, if exercised,
would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $49,846,901. Work will be performed
primarily in Washington, D.C., and other sites in Norfolk, Va., Pensacola, Fla., and San
Diego, Calif. Work is expected to be completed by July 31, 2011. If all options are exercised,
work could continue until July 31, 2015. The Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is
the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/10)
Contract: Simplex, $11.8M
Simplex Corp., Hallandale, Fla., was awarded an $11,774,400 contract which will lease four
Mi-8/17 aircraft with the period of performance from Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2011. At this
time, $11,774,400 has been obligated. HQ AFSOC/A7KQ, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/15/10)
New flight announced
NEW ORLEANS, La. - For the second time in less than a week, an international air carrier
has announced new service between New Orleans and Toronto. Air Canada, which
operated out of New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, said Wednesday that it will resume
flights from the city Oct. 30. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/15/10)
Contract: Boeing, $7M
Boeing Co., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $7,000,000 contract which will support
the 40mm gun requirement for the AC-130 Plus Four program. At this time, $1,173,207 has
been obligated. 782 CBSG/GBKAA, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 07/13/10)
Farnborough gets underway next week
The Gulf Coast will be represented next week’s Farnborough International Airshow. The July
19-25 show is held every other year. There will be about 70 delegations from 38 countries.
The nearly week-long event will include 132,000 trade visitors, 153,000 public visitors, 1,393
exhibitors from 40 countries, 29 international pavilions and 165 aircraft on display, and it will
be covered by 1,800 media personnel. (Source: Tcp, 07/13/10)
Pep rally held to support EADS
MOBILE, Ala. – About 300 people showed up for a pep rally supporting EADS’ bid to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force. The celebration was also the formal announcement that
EADS is bringing together its 150-member tanker team in Mobile to manage the company's
bid during the Air Force's evaluation period. EADS, which plans to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, and rival Boeing are competing for the $35 billion contract. A third team, US
Aerospace and Antonov, is also in the competition. (Source: Mobile Press-Register,
07/13/10)
Boeing files tanker bid
Boeing submitted its 8,000-page proposal Friday to build tankers for the Air Force, and said
it was changing the production line of its 767 jets to cut costs and better compete. The
Boeing bid was submitted a day after competitor EADS, parent of Airbus, submitted its bid.
Also on Friday, latecomer US Aerospace and partner Antonov submitted a bid. A press
release said the planes each will cost $150 million. The $35 billion contract is to build 179
planes to replace Eisenhower-era KC-135s. The Air Force has a tanker fleet of over 400.
Boeing wants to build tankers in Everett, Wash., and EADS wants to assemble its modified
A330 in Mobile, Ala. The US Aerospace-Antonov planes, AN-112KC jets, would be built in
the Ukraine and modified at an unspecified site in the United States. (Sources: Multiple,
including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Business Wire via
MarketWatch, 07/09/10)
Bill would roll back NASA changes
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation is moving toward an
authorization bill that would reverse much of the president's proposed changes to NASA's
human space flight program. The bill lays out the direction of the space program for the next
three years. It would add another space shuttle flight, speed development of a heavy-lift
rocket and move ahead with building a spacecraft to venture beyond low-Earth orbit. It would
also require companies to demonstrate their capabilities before receiving large contracts for
delivering astronauts to the International Space Station. (Source: New York Times, 07/08/10)
Shuttle tank gets sendoff
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Over 1,000 people were on hand Thursday at NASA's Michoud
Assembly Center to send off the last external fuel tank for the space shuttle program. The
ceremony offered plant workers a chance to celebrate their involvement in the space
program even as fears loom about the facility's future. Work on the last tank began in 2003,
although Katrina temporarily put construction on hold. The last space shuttle flight is
scheduled for February of next year, leaving many workers at Michoud fearing for their jobs.
A spare tank is still in production. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/08/10)
WTO to delay Boeing ruling
BRUSSELS – The World Trade Organization will delay until mid-September a ruling on a
complaint accusing the U.S. of providing illegal public subsidies to Boeing. The WTO ruled
last week that Boeing's European rival, EADs-owned Airbus, had received billions of dollars
in illegal government aid. Boeing and EADS are competing for a $35 billion contract to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force. Boeing is offering a modified 767 that would be built in
Everett, Wash., and EADS is offering a modified A330 that would be assembled in Mobile,
Ala. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 07/08/10)
EADS submits bid
The European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company submitted an 8,800-page bid on
Thursday for a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract, according to the New York Times.
Boeing, based in Chicago, plans to file its bid Friday. (Source: New York Times, 07/08/10)
Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it wins.
Contract: United Technologies, $57.6M
United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being
awarded a $57,594,777 modification to convert a previously awarded advance acquisition
contract to an undefinitized contract action. This modification further provides for the
procurement of 32 low-rate initial production F-135 propulsion systems for F-35 Joint Strike
Fighters: 10 conventional take off and landing for the Air Force; 16 short take-off and
vertical landing for the Marine Corps; four carrier variant for the Navy; one STOVL for the
United Kingdom; and one CTOL for the Netherlands. Modification provides for associated
and sustainment and production non-recurring activities for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air
Force, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and
Norway. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Conn., Bristol, U.K., and Indianapolis, Ind.,
and is expected to be completed in January 2013. Contract combines purchases for the U.S.
Marine Corp, Air Force, and Navy; and the governments of the United Kingdom, Italy, the
Netherlands, Turkey, and Australia. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.,
is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., is home of the F-35 joint training center.
Tanker bids due Friday
Boeing and EADS are expected to submit bids Friday for the $40 billion contract to build
tankers for the Air Force. Latecomer US Aerospace and partner Antonov also plan to bid. It’
s the third contest to build the planes. Boeing was awarded a contract in 2003, but that was
scuttled by a scandal. EADS and its then-partner Northrop Grumman won in February 2008,
but that was killed by a Boeing protest upheld by the Government Accountability Office.
Northrop dropped out of this round, saying the request for proposals favors the smaller
tanker offered by Boeing. EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., and Boeing
wants to build them in Washington State. (Source: Tcp, 07/07/10) Other sources: The Hill,
Defense News, AFP.
Contract: Lockheed, $522.2M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded an advance acquisition contract with an estimated value of $522,200,000 to
provide for long-lead efforts and materials associated with the production and delivery of 42
low-rate initial production Lot V F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. This contract provides for
22 conventional take off and landing aircraft for the Air Force; 13 short take off and vertical
landing aircraft for the Marine Corps; and seven carrier variant aircraft for the Navy. Work
will be performed in Texas, California, Florida, New Hampshire, Maryland and the United
Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed in May 2011. This contract combines purchases
for the Navy, 63 percent, and Air Force, 37 percent. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/06/10) Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is home to the F-35 joint training center.
General aviation building going up
GULFPORT, Miss. – Ground has been broken on a new general aviation building at
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. The building on the southwest side of the airport is
scheduled to be finished in December. Fixed-base operator Million Air will provide general
airport services, including aircraft refueling and airplane rentals. The new building will have
more than 52,000 square feet of combined terminal, office and hangar space, executive
conference rooms and a business center along with a U.S. Customs facility. (Source: Sun
Herald, 07/03/10)
Team plans to offer Antonov tanker
Ukranian aircraft manufacturer Antonov and partner U.S. Aerospace Inc., of California plan
to bid on the Air Force tanker project. Boeing and EADS are the other two bidders for the
$40 billion project. Executives of the companies signed a pact July 1 spelling out the terms
of a partnership. The American company will act as the prime contractor of a team that will
enter up to three Antonov aircraft into contest to build up to 179 tankers for the Air Force.
Bids are due July 9. (Sources: Multiple, including Mobile Press Register, Reuters, Defense
News, 07/02/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Robot tanker project funded
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, DARPA, has awarded a $33
million contract to Northrop Grumman to demonstrate aerial refueling of a NASA Global
Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle by a sister ship. The program is designated KQ-X. Northrop
Grumman will retrofit two of the UAVs, one aircraft pumping fuel into the other in flight
through a hose-and-drogue refueling system. The refueling will be completely autonomous.
The Global Hawks are high-altitude UAVs, and the refueling will take place at a much higher
altitude than has been previously demonstrated with manned aircraft. It will also be the first
time that high-altitude UAVs have flown in formation. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 07/01/10)
"We're still a long way from unmanned aircraft refueling bombers," said Scott Hamilton, an
aviation industry consultant in Issaquah, Wash. "But I wouldn't be surprised to see it go into
service in 10 or more years." (Source: Los Angeles Times, 07/02/10) Gulf Coast note:
Global Hawks are now built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Shuttle missions rescheduled
NASA is targeting Nov. 1 for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission and
Feb. 26, 2011, for the liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 flight from the Kennedy Space
Center, Fla. The target dates were adjusted because critical payload hardware for STS-133
will not be ready in time to support the previously planned Sept. 16 launch. With STS-133
moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly as planned, so the next available launch window is
in February. All target launch dates are subject to change. (Source: NASA, 07/01/10)
Previous story
Last external tank completed
NEW ORLEANS, La. - NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems will hold a ceremony at 9
a.m. CDT on July 8 to commemorate 37 years of tank deliveries and the final external tank's
rollout. The last shuttle flight, STS 134, is scheduled for February 2011. The tank was
completed June 25 by Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud Assembly Facility. It will travel by
barge to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 900 miles away. (Source: NASA, 06/30/10)
Contract: L-3 Vertex, $51.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$51,295,003 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable requirements contract to provide aircraft
maintenance and logistics life cycle support for 54 Navy and 11 Marine Corps C-12 aircraft.
Works is at a variety of locations, including NAS New Orleans. Work is expected to be
completed in August 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/01/10)
Airbus ups Mobile workforce
MOBILE, Ala. – The Airbus Engineering Center at Mobile’s Brookley Industrial Complex will
be getting another 90 engineers. The center currently has 150 engineers. Airbus opened
the 48,000-square-foot building in 2007. The employees at the center work on cabin
interiors, cargo systems and escape systems on a wide range of Airbus jets. Airbus owner
EADS also hopes to win an Air Force contract to assemble tankers at Brookley. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 06/30/10)
Flight academy gets check
PENSACOLA, Fla. - St. Joe, a Florida real estate development company, provided a $1.25
million donation to the National Flight Academy at the National Aviation Museum, located at
Naval Air Station Pensacola. The academy, which will provide week-long sessions to
students in 7th through 12th grades, is set to open in 2012. Its purpose is to motivate
students to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math in what's called a
"learning adventure." (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/01/10)
Hurricane Hunters saw Alex grow
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – An aircrew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron found that a storm that had been upgraded from tropical storm to hurricane status
hours before they took off had reached Category 2 status by the time they returned home.
They had been in the storm more than seven hours. Alex came ashore late in the evening of
June 29 on an unpopulated stretch of coast in northern Mexico. (Source: AFNS, 07/01/10)
JUNE 2010
Euro Hawk has first flight
The Euro Hawk unmanned aircraft built by Northrop Grumman successfully completed its
first flight June 29. It took off from the company’s Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility and
climbed to 32,000 feet before landing nearly two hours later at Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif. It’s the first international configuration of the Global Hawk. The UAV will be equipped
with a signals intelligence mission system developed by EADS Defense and Security. The
German Ministry of Defense awarded a contract in January 2007 to EuroHawk GmbH – a
Northrop Grumman and EADS joint venture – for the development, test and support of the
surveillance and reconnaissance system. (Source: Globe Newswire, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast
note: Central fuselage work on the Euro Hawk is done in Moss Point, Miss.
F-35 courseware delivered
Northrop Grumman has delivered the first set of instructional materials needed to train pilots
and aircraft maintainers for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It was delivered to the Lockheed
Martin F-35 Integrated Training Center, which will open this summer at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. Called courseware, the electronic materials include all of the presentation materials that
classroom instructors will use to teach pilots how to fly the F-35, and maintainers how to
repair and support the aircraft. The courseware also includes students' self-study materials
and pilot briefing materials used to support F-35 simulator and flight training events.
Northrop Grumman is a principal subcontractor for the Lockheed Martin-built plane that will
be used by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and foreign nations. (Source: Globe
Newswire, 06/30/10)
WTO issues expected ruling
In a ruling that could impact the current battle between Boeing and EADS over building Air
Force tankers, the World Trade Organization ruled that aid European governments provided
to Airbus violated global trade rules. The WTO ruled that four decades of government-
backed loans to Airbus helped it gain foreign sales, harming Boeing. The ruling was
anticipated by the U.S. aerospace industry. The U.S. filed the case in 2004, accusing the
European Union of unfair trade practices by subsidizing Airbus with hundreds of millions of
dollars in "launch-aid loans." Airbus officials said the EU would appeal the ruling. "There's
not a single WTO case that hasn't been changed on appeal," said an Airbus official. The
WTO is expected to rule next month on a countersuit accusing the U.S. of unfairly
subsidizing Boeing. (Source: Multiple, including Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Reuters,
Orlando Sentinel, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS, owner of Airbus, wants to assemble its
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Panel sidesteps Constellation
WASHINGTON - A House panel agreed Tuesday to accept President Obama's proposed
funding increase for NASA, but without taking a position on changing the agency's course.
The House appropriations subcommittee governing NASA unanimously approved $19 billion
for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, a nearly $276 million increase from the current year. The
panel opted to take to take no position on White House plans to scrap NASA's moon-rocket
program and replace the space shuttle with commercial rockets. (Sources: Multiple,
including Florida Today, Orlando Sentinel, 06/30/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are both key NASA centers.
EADS incentives to change
The city council, county commission, airport authority and city industrial development board
will be meeting to modify incentive agreements each made in 2006 in an attempt to lure
refueling tanker assembly to Mobile. Officials have indicated that the deals are similar to
those granted at that time, but it’s likely that details will remain under wraps. (Source: Mobile
Press-Register, 06/29/10) The Northrop Grumman/EADS team won the $40 million contract
in February 2008, but it was overturned after a Boeing protest. Northrop dropped out after it
determined the new requirements favored a smaller plane offered by Boeing. EADS is
submitting a bid as the prime contractor.
Retired SSC chief dies
Roy Estess, long associated with NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, died Friday.
He was 71. Estess, of Carriere, had an allergic reaction to an insect string while at his camp
in Tylertown. His career at NASA spanned 37 years, with 25 of that at Stennis Space Center.
He was a founding director of the board of Infinity Science Center, a science learning center
being built along Interstate 10, just south of Stennis Space Center. (Source: Sun Herald,
06/26/10)
Contract: SURVICE, $67.8M
SURVICE Engineering Co., Belcamp, Md., was awarded a $67,800,000 contract which will
provide support to the Air Force Seek Eagle Office for the purpose of augmenting its highly
technical workforce with contracted skills and expertise to primarily provide modeling and
simulation, and analysis and product development support. AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/23/10)
Contract: Jacobs, $16.3M
Jacobs Technology, Inc., Tullahoma, Tenn., was awarded a $16,254,943 contract
modification which will provide technical, engineering and acquisition support at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla, and various other tenant originations. This contract will increase work
requirement. AAC/PKES, Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
06/23/10)
F-35 drop test successful
FORT WORTH, Texas - A Lockheed Martin F-35C carrier variant successfully completed
testing in which it was dropped from heights of more than 11 feet during a series of
simulated aircraft-carrier landings. The tests validated predictions and will help confirm the F-
35C's structural integrity for carrier operations. The jet, a ground-test article known as CG-
1, underwent drop testing at Vought Aircraft Industries in Grand Prairie, Texas. This final
drop test follows the recent first flight of the first F-35C. (Source: Lockheed Martin,
06/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter
training center.
Funds to stimulate aerospace jobs
The president submitted to Congress last week a fiscal year 2011 budget amendment that
targets up to $100 million toward spurring regional economic growth and job creation in the
aerospace industry. The amendment would provide up to $40 million in aid for Florida's
Space Coast and a maximum of about $60 million for other affected regions. The funds
would be made available from the Constellation Program transition element of the agency's
exploration request. The amendment does not increase the total of the administration's
fiscal year 2011 budget request. (Source: NASA, 06/21/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space
Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in
Constellation.
NASA may delay final shuttle flights
NASA is considering new target launch dates for its last two shuttle missions to give
engineers more time to prepare equipment for the International Space Station. Launch of
Discovery carrying a station warehouse module would be targeted for Oct. 29. Endeavour
would aim for liftoff on Feb. 28, 2011. Senior managers are expected to approve the new
dates at a meeting on July 1. (Source: Florida Today, 06/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis
Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in the
shuttle program.
F-35 course dry run set for July
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first pilots and maintainers for the F-35 will start a
training regimen this fall calling for airmen, naval officers, sailors and Marines to learn the
ins and outs of the Joint Strike Fighter on laptops and full-motion simulators. Instructors will
do a dry run of the course in July. Right now, the wing has about 200 instructors from the Air
Force, Navy and Marines, but should hit full strength of 2,000 by 2014. By then, the wing will
have at least 59 F-35s for training. The first one is scheduled to arrive in November.
(Source: Air Force Times, 06/20/10)
Full-body scanner installed
GULFPORT, Miss. – The U.S. Transportation Security Administration unveiled a full-body X-
ray scanner Friday at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport’s security checkpoint. It’s built by
Rapiscan Systems’s 35-worker plant in Ocean Springs, Miss. Gulfport is the first airport in
Mississippi, Alabama or Louisiana to use advanced imaging technology scanners before
passengers board the airplanes. The scanner can detect metallic and non-metallic items
including weapons and explosives, concealed beneath a passenger’s clothes. Rapiscan is
part of OSI Systems of Hawthorne, Calif. The federal government is buying a total of 450
advanced imaging systems with stimulus money, split between Rapiscan and a competing
technology built by L-3 Communications. (Source: Sun Herald, Mobile Press-Register,
06/18/10)
Tanker decision delayed
It will be mid-November before the Pentagon awards a contract for Air Force refueling
tankers. That word came Friday from Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, the Air Force’s top
uniformed acquisition official, during a briefing with reporters. The Pentagon had earlier
claimed the award date would not change from “early fall” despite granting a 60-day
extension to EADS to prepare a bid. EADS needed the extra time after partner Northrop
Grumman dropped out of the competition. The original deadline for EADS and rival Boeing
to submit their bids was May 10, but is now July 9. EADS is offering a tanker version of its
Airbus A330 jetliner and Boeing is offering the 767 jetliner. (Source: Defense News,
06/18/10; HeraldNet, 06/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala.
Water survival course moves
Because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Air Force water survival courses have
temporarily relocated to Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. Training at Naval Air Station
Pensacola, Fla., was suspended June 4 when oil was discovered inside the training area
used by Detachment 2 of the 66th Training Squadron. The instructors at Det. 2 teach
students how to survive in cases where the aircrew has to abandon their aircraft over water.
The course covers a variety of open-water scenarios. Up to 55 students a week attend the
three-day course, said Lt. Col. Christopher Tacheny, the 66th TRS commander. The
Pensacola facility is the fourth location the 66th TRS has used. Previously, water survival
was taught off the coast of Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle and at
Homestead Air Reserve Base, south of Miami. It's unclear how long training operations there
will be suspended. (Source: 92nd Air Refueling Wing, 06/17/10) The Deepwater Horizon
exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil from the well has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico
since then.
CNATTU command change set
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Cmdr. Cris Treharne turns over command of the
Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit to Cmdr. Angie Walker, 11 a.m. June 25 at
Welch Auditorium, followed by a reception at Vandenberg Community Center. Walker is
reporting from Stennis Space Center, Miss., where she served as the deputy assistant chief
of staff for operations for the Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography
Command. (Source: 81st Training Wing, 06/17/10)
STS-132 crew visits SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The STS-132 Atlantis space shuttle crew visited NASA’s
John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday to thank personnel for their role in the May mission
to the International Space Station. Crew members presented a video recap of their mission,
scheduled as the last flight for the Atlantis shuttle. Since the 1960s, Stennis has tested
every engine used in all crewed Apollo and space shuttle missions. Atlantis now is being
prepared to serve as a backup craft should an emergency arise during the final two
scheduled shuttle missions. (Source: NASA, 06/17/10)
Constellation gets new chief
Lawrence D. Thomas was appointed manager of NASA's Constellation Program, which
manages the effort to take humans beyond low-Earth orbit and develop the next generation
launch vehicle and spacecraft. Charles M. Stegemoeller was appointed deputy program
manager. They’ll be based at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Thomas most
recently served as the deputy program manager of the Constellation Program at NASA's
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. (Source: NASA, 06/14/10) The Orlando
Sentinel reported last month that lawmakers who support Constellation were upset the
agency reassigned the former head of the program, Jeff Hanley, to a deputy position at
Johnson Space Center. Hanley had opposed administration efforts to shut down the
program. Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New
Orleans, are both involved in the Constellation Program.
DoD vows to withhold payments
The Defense Department is threatening to withhold payments to Lockheed Martin starting as
early as next month if it doesn't submit a suitable plan for fixing problems for tracking
contract costs and schedules. The plan is due June 30 and a decision will come several
weeks later on whether Lockheed has demonstrated it can fix the problems within six to nine
months, according to Shay Assad, the Pentagon procurement director. It could impact
payments on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. (Source: Bloomberg, 06/15/10) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the JSF training center.
Orion spacecraft takes shape
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Orion crew exploration vehicle took shape as the two halves of
the crew module were fused together at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
The Lockheed Martin Orion team welded the forward cone assembly to the aft barrel
assembly using the next generation friction stir weld process. The 445-inch long weld is the
longest such weld of its kind. Prior to flight testing, this crew module will be tested on the
ground in flight-like environments, including static vibration, acoustic, and water landing
tests. The welds were done on a Universal Weld System II, which allows virtually unlimited
five-axis welding on fixture-mounted hardware. The UWS II is part of the National Center for
Advanced Manufacturing, managed by the University of New Orleans Foundation in
partnership with NASA and the State of Louisiana. (Source: PRNewswire, 06/15/10)
F-35B goes supersonic
The short-takeoff and vertical-landing version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter broke the
sound barrier June 10. It’s the first U.S. operational STOVL aircraft to exceed that milestone.
A Marine pilot flew BF-2 to a speed of Mach 1.07 during a test at 30,000 feet over an off-
shore range near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Two Air Force F-35A conventional
takeoff-and-landing test aircraft also have broken the sound barrier. (Source: Defense
News, 06/14/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of the JSF
training center.
Atlantis crew to visit SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Six members of space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-132 crew will
visit NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday to thank employees for their part in a
safe mission to the International Space Station in May. The mission was the last scheduled
flight for the Atlantis shuttle, which will be prepared to serve as an emergency backup craft
for the final two shuttle missions. Atlantis’12-day mission carried the Russian Rassvet Mini-
Research Module-1 to the ISS. Atlantis also was the first shuttle to dock to the Russian
Space Station Mir. It traveled to the ISS 11 times. (Source: NASA, 06/14/10)
Contract: McDonnell, $98M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $98,000,000 contract which will
provide a five-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity basic contract for the production of
the Small Diameter Bomb I weapon system for various Foreign Military Sales customers
aircraft platforms throughout the life of the contract. At this time, no money has been
obligated. 680 ARSSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 06/11/10)
Shuttle crew visits SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Members of the STS-134 space shuttle mission crew
addressed employees at the foot of the A-2 Test Stand during a visit to NASA’s John C.
Stennis Space Center today. The crew members were Commander Mark Kelly, Mission
Specialist Mike Fincke, Pilot Greg Johnson, Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff, European
Space Agency Mission Specialist Roberto Vittori and Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel. The
flight of Endeavour will be in November. (Source: NASA, 06/11/10)
EADS moving people to Mobile
EADS North America will transfer to Mobile, Ala., later this month 100 workers as it prepares
to bid on the Air Force tanker project. The Mobile Press-Register reports that the company
leased office space at Bel Air Mall to house employees now located in Arlington, Va., and
Melbourne, Fla. EADS and rival Boeing plan to bid on the $40 billion contract. EADS, which
already has operations in Mobile, wants to assemble the KC-45 at Brookley Industrial
Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 06/11/10)
NASA picks 18 projects
NASA picked 18 projects for Phase II funding under the Small Business Technology Transfer
program. Eighteen businesses are partnered with 15 universities in projects valued at $11
million. In a project of interest to NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss., Combustion
Research and Flow Technology of Pipersville, Pa., is teamed with the University of Florida to
develop simulation software to predict potential damage to a propulsion system and test
stands that can be caused by vibrations of liquid rockets. Mississippi State University is
involved in two winning projects. In one, it's working with Keystone Synergistic Enterprises of
Port Saint Lucie, Fla., on a process to solid-state weld high strength and temperature alloys
used to make engine nozzel skirts. MSU is also working with Streamline Numerics of
Gainesville, Fla., on an advanced simulation framework for design and analysis of space
propulsion systems. (Source: Tcp, based on NASA release, 06/09/10)
Contract: R.C. Construction, $37.6M
R.C. Construction Co. Inc., Greenwood, Miss., was awarded a $37,517,930 firm-fixed-price
contract to construct a new taxiway extension to include expansion joints, sealants, lighting,
etc.; a new aircraft parking apron to include expansion joints, lighting, electrical,
communications, etc.; and a new load area to include expansion joints, lighting, electrical,
communications, etc. The project will also include a load crew shelter, flare facility, and a
munitions holding area. Work is to be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an
estimated completion date of July 15, 2011. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District,
Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/09/10)
Contract: L3, $9.2M
L3 Communications Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $9,246,999 time-and-
material contract for logistical support in the areas of aircraft workers, aircraft painters, and
other areas. Work is to be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas, with an estimated completion
date of July 26, 2010. Corpus Christi Army Depot, Corpus, Christi, Texas, is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 06/09/10)
GRIP experiment on track
NASA's unmanned Global Hawk aircraft completed four science flights over the Pacific
Ocean in April in a joint project between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, and plans are on track to use the UAV later this year to track hurricanes in
the Atlantic. In the Global Hawk Pacific (GloPac) mission, a Global Hawk fitted with 11
science instruments acquired and transmitted data that has never before been accessible
through either manned flights or satellites. Flights reached up to 65,000 feet where
information was collected from the air as well as the water and polar ice below. Later this
year, NASA Global Hawk will examine hurricanes and their formation process to explore the
possibility of improving hurricane forecasts in the GRIP experiment. (Source: Northrop
Grumman via Globe Newswire, 06/09/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss. Background story on the GRIP experiment.
Put your face in space
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA is inviting members of the public to send an
electronic image of their faces into orbit aboard one of the final remaining space shuttle
missions. Visitors to the "Face in Space" Web site can upload their portrait to fly aboard
shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission or shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission. Participants
will receive special certificates once the mission is completed. Visit http://faceinspace.nasa.
gov/ to submit an image. Those without a picture can skip the image upload section, and
NASA will fly their name. (Source: NASA, 06/08/10)
Contract: Sunrise, $59.5M
Sunrise Beach Corp., Allen, Texas, was awarded a $59,471,900 fixed-price-labor hours for
aircraft paint and maintenance services for the 1108th Aviation Classification Repair Activity
Depot for the Mississippi Army National Guard at Gulfport, Miss. Fifty-seven percent of the
work will be done in Gulfport, with the remainder done in Birmingham, Ala., Salisbury, N.C.,
Eastover, S.C., Frankfort, Ky., Smyrna, Tenn., Brooksville, Fla., Jackson, Tenn., Saint Croix,
Virgin Islands, Dobbins, Ga., Fort Rucker, Ala., Hope Hull, Ala., and Mobile, Ala., with an
estimated completion date of May 31, 2015. National Guard Bureau, U.S. Property and
Fiscal Office for Mississippi, Jackson, Miss., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
06/08/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $17.6M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $17,619,018 contract which will provide for the
electronic protection improvement program. At this time, $2,114,605 has been obligated.
696 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/08/10)
STS-134 crew to visit SSC
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The six crew members of the last scheduled space
shuttle mission will visit NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center this week. The shuttle
Endeavour's STS-134 mission will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer to the
International Space Station, and is slated to launch in November. Visiting on Friday will be
Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg Johnson, Mission Specialists Greg Chamitoff, Drew
Feustel, Mike Fincke and European Space Agency Specialist Roberto Vittori. Shuttle crew
traditionally visit NASA centers instrumental to the missions. Stennis has tested all of the
main engines used on space shuttle missions. (Source: NASA, 06/08/10)
Navy F-35 makes first flight
FORT WORTH, Texas – The Navy version of the F-35 made its inaugural flight Sunday. The
carrier variant took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base and logged a
57-minute flight. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with principal industrial partners
Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire, 06/07/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the initial JSF training center.
Space-X rocket takes off
The Falcon 9, first of a new generation of private rockets, successfully launched from Cape
Canaveral, Fla., on Friday. The 180-foot rocket put a model of its Dragon capsule into orbit
about 160 miles up, setting the stage for possible flights to the international space station
early next year. The flight came after an initial abort right at ignition. The launch was
important to the Obama administration, which has proposed a far greater role for
commercial space companies in the future of NASA. SpaceX plans to send a fully
operational rocket and capsule into orbit later this summer and one to the space station next
year. (Source: Washington Post, 06/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in NASA programs.
AMDS gets F-35 school AV work
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Advanced Media Design Systems was recently awarded the audio visual
component of the Joint Strike Fighter Air Force/Navy/Marine Squad Ops at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. AMDS will be renovating a hanger including over 45 rooms with new AV control
systems and equipment. The Joint Strike Fighter School is expected to be completed in early
October 2010. The training facility is expected to instruct over 500 F-35 pilots a year from
the Air Force, Navy, Marines and at least eight other countries. (Source: PR.com, 06/04/10)
Name changes coming
Thirty-five units at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be getting name changes. Air Force
Materiel Command officials notified commanders last month that headquarters approved
converting the command structure from wings, groups and squadrons to directorates,
divisions and branches. The target date is June 30. At Eglin, the 308th Armament Systems
Wing will be impacted the most with all of its units undergoing a name change. The Air Force
decided to standardize the size of wings, groups and squadrons across the Air Force. Wings
now must contain 1,000 or more members, groups 400 and squadrons 35. As a result, many
wings, groups, and squadrons at AFMC Centers will be inactivated, and replaced by new
directorates, divisions and branches, which do not have mandatory minimum manning
thresholds. (Source: Materiel Command, 06/02/10)
First homeland defense ORI held
GULFPORT, Miss. - Three units representing each component of the Air Force made history
last month when they completed the first homeland defense operational readiness
inspection. Held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center, the ORI marked the first
time the Air Force validated a unit’s wartime capability to defend the homeland by fighting an
enemy on U.S. soil. Like other ORIs, this one tested the ability of each unit to mobilize, fly to
a remote site, defend against enemy attacks and redeploy back home. Unlike traditional
ORIs, in this one participants were tasked with supporting civil authorities while fighting an
unconventional foe. The 123rd Airlift Wing from Kentucky represented the Air National
Guard, the 317th Airlift Group from Texas provided active-duty forces and the 70th Aerial
Port Squadron from Florida contributed Air Force Reserve. The ORI was May 16 through
23. (Source: AFNS, 06/01/10)
A new way of training
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first F-35 mission rehearsal trainer recently arrived at
the 33rd Fighter Wing. It replicates the cockpit of an F-35, and is a containerized, forward-
deployable version of the full mission simulator slated to arrive late this year. The trainer is
one of many new technologies the three U.S. military services and eight partner nations
purchasing the Joint Strike Fighter will be using. From their arrival at the 33rd Academic
Training Center, students will interact with the latest technology, receiving laptops instead of
books. The training will be a far cry from the traditional training methods using chalk boards,
stacks of books, poster-sized visual aids and cockpit mock-ups. When the wing reaches full
strength in 2014, it will train Air Force, Marine, Navy and international partner operators and
maintainers of the F-35 Lightning II. (Source: Eglin PAO, 06/02/10)
Graduation ceremony marks recovery
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Thirty-two physicians and dentists graduate from 81st
Medical Group internship and residency training next week. It marks Keesler's first internal
medicine residency graduating class since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the culmination of five
years of dealing with infrastructure challenges and rebuilding teaching faculty in the wake of
the hurricane. Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Charles Green will deliver the
commencement address at the graduation, scheduled for 2 p.m. June 10 in Keesler
Hospital's Don Wylie Auditorium. (Source: 81stMG, 06/02/10)
Bases vie for F-35
The Lockheed-Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is behind schedule, billions over budget and
the roar of its jet engine could eclipse the older planes it will replace. Still, 11 bases in seven
states are hoping to convince the Pentagon to choose them to house the plane. The first
round of selections is slated for 2011. (Source: AP via Google, 05/31/10) Gulf Coast note:
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is already scheduled to become a joint training center. Tyndall Air
Force Base, near Panama City, Fla., hopes to get some of the jets.
MAY 2010
Contract: Lockheed, $6M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $5,986,457 contract which will sustain
systems engineering support for the production and fielded systems of the Joint Air-to-
Surface Standoff Missile and the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range. 308
ARSG/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contacting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/28/10)
Growing airport gets rescue facility
MOSS POINT, Miss. - Moss Point and Jackson County officials cut the grand-opening ribbon
at the new Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Facility at Trent Lott International Airport in Moss
Point on Thursday. The 3,910-square-foot-facility cost $609,000. The opening marks the
growth of the airport. Six years ago the air traffic control tower was built and flights increased
50 percent, said Carol Snapp, the airport director. She said once the rescue facility is
manned, flights will increase again. (Source: Mississippi Press, 05/28/10)
Measure a blow to EADS
The U.S. House on Thursday night adopted a measure to force the Pentagon to consider
the role of illegal subsidies in the contest between Boeing and EADS to sell refueling tankers
to the Air Force. A decision by the World Trade Organization in a dispute over large aircraft
found that the European company had received subsidies. The measure must pass several
other steps, including reconciliation with a companion defense bill in the Senate. The
Pentagon has resisted considering the ruling. (Source: Financial Times, 05/28/10) Gulf
Coast note: EADS wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
SSC names new associate director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA announced Ken Human is the associate director of
John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. He'll support Stennis Director Patrick Scheuermann
and Deputy Center Director Rick Gilbrech. Most recently, Human served as the deputy
manager of the External Integration Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston,
supporting the International Space Station Program, responsible for further development of
international partnerships and collaborations, particularly with the Russian, Japanese,
Canadian and European space agencies. Human began his NASA career at Stennis in 1978
as an attorney advisor in the legal office. Stennis is NASA's primary testing ground for rocket
engines and propulsion systems, and is the agency's systems engineering center for
applied science activities. (Source: NASA, 05/28/10)
Lawmakers irked program chief sacked
Lawmakers who support the Constellation Program, NASA’s bid to return astronauts to the
moon and beyond, were outraged the agency reassigned the head of the program. Jeff
Hanley, who was moved to a deputy position at Johnson Space Center in Houston, has
opposed administration efforts to shut down the program. NASA Administrator Charles
Bolden said Hanley had become "the focus of attention" and was "conflicted" over the
administration's updated mission for NASA. (Source: Orlando Sentinel, 05/26/10) Gulf Coast
note: Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both
involved in the Constellation Program.
Contract: Vertex, $18M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded an
$18,074,568 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide for additional logistics
services and materials for organizational, intermediate and depot-level maintenance of 13
T39N and 6 T-39G aircraft at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. In addition, 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.
Seventy-five percent of the work will be done in Pensacola and the rest in Corpus Christi
and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/26/10)
First F-35 production engines delivered
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Pratt & Whitney has delivered the final F135 flight test engine
and the first lot of F135 production engines for the F-35. The full complement of 29 test
engines delivered by Pratt & Whitney includes 11 ground test engines and 18 flight test
engines. The first lot of F135 production engines consists of four conventional take off and
landing engines, the variant of the F-35 that will be used by the Air Force. All the engines
are destined for aircraft that will support the flight training program at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. (Source: Pratt and Whitney
via PRNewswire, 05/26/10)
Boeing says EADS a security risk
Boeing is painting its rival in the Air Force tanker competition as a security risk, pointing out
that the company has courted Iran and others at odds with the United States. Boeing wants
lawmakers and the Pentagon to factor national-security into the competition. EADS North
America, which is the company competing in the competition, is a subsidiary of EADS NV,
headquartered in Germany and France. EADS North America accuses Boeing of mounting a
misinformation campaign and trying to make the competition about anything other than the
best tanker. (Sources: Reuters, The Hill, 05/25/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America
wants to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Dutch waffle on F-35 purchase
The Netherlands' involvement in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program will remain uncertain
for several more months. The lower house of the Dutch parliament voted to cancel the
purchase of an F-35 initial operational test and evaluation aircraft, but the caretaker
government now in place wants the decision left to the new government. General elections
are planned for June 9, but the situation could remain unresolved as new coalition
agreements are worked out. The F-35 purchase has been politically contentious in the
Netherlands, and the debate has become more heated because of the F-35's schedule and
cost overruns. (Source: Aerospace Daily and Defense Report via Military.com, 05/24/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home to the still-developing Joint Strike
Fighter training center.
Office opened for Global Hawk support
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Northrop Grumman opened an office here in a ceremony late last
week to provide support for the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems being
assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base. The office could eventually employ more than 100
people and attract suppliers and subcontractors as the number of aircraft increase at the
base. (Source: Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 05/24/10) Gulf Coast note: Global
Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
AEHF satellite set for July launch
Lockheed Martin delivered the first satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency
(AEHF) program to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will be prepared for a July 30
liftoff aboard an Atlas V. The multi-satellite AEHF system will provide the U.S. military with
global, protected, high capacity and secure communications. It's the successor to the five-
satellite Milstar constellation. The governments of Canada, The Netherlands, and the United
Kingdom participate in the AEHF program as international partners and will have access to
the communications capability of AEHF. (Source: Lockheed Martin via PRNewswire,
05/24/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center
personnel at Stennis Space Center, Miss., worked on the core propulsion modules for the
AEHF program.
New airport set to open
PANAMA CITY, Fla. - The nation's newest commercial airport, the 4,000-acre Northwest
Florida Beaches International Airport, will begin operation Sunday. The airport is replacing
the Panama City-Bay County International Airport and sits on land donated by the region's
largest landowner, St. Joe Co. The airport will be served by Southwest and Delta, and
initially will be using a 10,000-foot runway. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening is scheduled
for Saturday. (Source: Multiple, including Panama City News-Herald, 05/20/10, Dallas
Morning News, 05/21/10)
Tanker completes key test
Two A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft have successfully completed tanker-to-
tanker refueling missions. The two MRTTs are in certification flights for Australia. The plane
has also successfully refueled F-16 and F/A-18 fighters and E-3 AWACS. The MRTT is the
same design as the KC-45 that EADS North America plans to offer in the contest to build U.
S. tankers. If the KC-45 wins, the planes will be assembled in Mobile, Ala. The company also
plans to assemble freighter aircraft at the same facility. (Source: EADS North America,
05/19/10) Boeing, the other company that plans to compete for the U.S. tanker project, will
build its planes, a modified 767, in Washington state.
AirTran to launch new service
NEW ORLEANS, La. - AirTran Airways will launch a new nonstop flight between New Orleans
and Milwaukee Oct. 7. The additional flight increases the number of cities the airline flies to
from New Orleans to three. AirTran already operates daily flights to Atlanta and
Baltimore/Washington. (Source: Times-Picayune, 05/19/10)
Navy to trim back aviation pool
In a bid to reduce the current wait time for training, the Navy wants to decrease the number
of officers in the Aviation Preflight Indoctrination student pilot pre-load. Reductions in fleet
requirements and material challenges with training aircraft have caused the student pilot
population to exceed the pre-load by about 200 personnel, increasing the waiting period
from commissioning to API from three to six months. Navy officials plan to offer
redesignations to some who now hope to be aviators. Navy officials are also planning to
offer delays or deferments via internships, graduate education, and other temporary
additional duty options, prior to moving to Pensacola, Fla. (Source: NNS, 05/18/10) Gulf
Coast note: Naval Air Station Pensacola and Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., are initial
location for naval aviator training.
Contract: Lockheed, $85.5M, $58M
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being
awarded two contracts related to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. One is an $85,499,548
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive/award-fee contract in support of the
JSF low-rate initial production Lot II. This provides for the procurement of the additional
special tooling and special test equipment required under LRIP II to meet anticipated
production ramp. Work is expected to be completed in April 2012. The second contract is a
$58,000,000 modification to the previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for
technical services required to meet production ramp rates in support of the JSF low-rate
initial production Lot III aircraft. This work is expected to be completed in January 2011.
Work on both contracts will be done in Texas, California, the United Kingdom, Italy and other
locations inside and outside the U.S. The Naval Air Systems command, Patuxent River, Md.,
is the contracting activity for both contracts. (Source: DoD, 05/19/10) Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., will be home to the JSF training center.
Contract: R.C. Construction, $23.2M
R.C. Construction Co. Inc., Greenwood, Miss., was awarded a $23,160,074 firm-fixed-price
contract for the construction of short take off vertical landing simulated carrier practice
landing decks. Work is to be performed at Eglin Air Force Base and nearby Duke Field, Fla.,
with an estimated completion date of July 15, 2011. Bids were solicited on the Internet with
11 bids received. The U.S. Corps of Engineers Mobile Regional Contracting Center Mobile.,
Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/19/10)
New training aircraft takes to the air
WHITING FIELD, Fla. – Military flight students at Naval Air Station Whiting Field took to the
sky for the first time at the controls of a new training aircraft Tuesday. Over the next three
years the T-6B Texan II will be replacing the T-34 Turbo Mentor that’s served Whiting Field
for the last 30 years. The T-6B Texan is a single-engine, two-seat trainer that’s faster, twice
as powerful and includes an updated avionics package that displays flight instruments on a
digital display rather than gauges. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/19/10)
Contract: Tybrin, $241.5M
Tybrin Corp., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Information
Systems and Global Services, Gaithersburg, Md., and L-3 Services, Inc., Chantilly, Va., were
each awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for services
in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division's Combat Environment
Simulation Division. Services to be provided include the acquisition and deployment of
equipment or systems designed to provide a dense, realistic, and electromagnetic
environment to be used by the tri-service community for weapon systems development;
training; test and evaluation; test and evaluation of defense suppression systems; electronic
warfare systems; electronic countermeasures equipment; and electronic counter-
countermeasures equipment. Tybrin's ceiling is $241,540,417. Each company will have the
opportunity to bid on each individual task order. Work will be performed in China Lake and
Point Mugu, Calif., and is expected to be completed in May 2015. The Naval Air Warfare
Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/18/10)
Contract: Northrop, $30M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $30,000,000 contract
which will provide for congressionally mandated advance procurement long-lead associated
with two Block 30 and two Block 40 Global Hawk air vehicles; two in-line airborne signals
intelligence payloads; two multi-platform radar technology insertion program sensors; two in-
line sensors; and other items and activities required to protect the production schedule for
Lot 10. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 05/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Contract: Northrop, $303.3M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Integrated Systems Air Combat Systems, San Diego,
Calif., was awarded a $303,337,052 contract which will provide production of two Global
Hawk Block 30 air vehicles, two Global Hawk Block 40 air vehicles, and related program
sustaining support efforts. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part
in Moss Point, Miss.
Branson AirExpress lands
GULFPORT, Miss. – The first flight of Branson AirExpress landed at Gulfport-Biloxi
International Airport on Monday. Nonstop flights on 50-seat jets are Monday, Wednesday
and Saturday, with one-way fares starting at $59. Connecting flights are available to
Houston and Austin, Texas, starting at $99, said Jonathan Borges with Branson AirExpress.
(Source: Sun Herald, 05/17/10)
Threatened rocket has busy schedule
Although the president wants to kill the Constellation Program and the Ares I, NASA
managers in charge of the rocket have put together an ambitious testing program to speed
its development, including a flight in November 2014 with astronauts aboard. That would be
earlier than NASA's current schedule, which calls for the first manned flight in March 2015,
and much faster than the 2017 date predicted by a blue-ribbon panel that reviewed NASA's
human spaceflight program last year. (Source: New York Times, 05/16/10) Gulf Coast note:
Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both
involved in Constellation and other NASA programs.
Contract: Colsa, others, $28.5M
2020 Company LLC, Falls Church, Va., Colsa Corp., Huntsville, Ala., and Oasis Systems
Inc., Lexington, Mass., were awarded a $28.5 million contract which will provide a wide range
of diverse, non-engineering, technical and acquisition management support required in the
acquisition, development, production and support of various equipment and weapons
systems within the Air Armament Center and other organizations at Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla. AAC/PKES, Eglin, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/17/10)
Kiln airport has new role
KILN, Miss. - Stennis International Airport has been transformed into the staging area for the
eastern Gulf of Mexico for crews battling the oil spill. Flights have already dropped more
than 53,000 gallons of oil dispersant to try to break up the oil on the water’s surface.
Ground crews at the airport pump more than 23,000 gallons of jet fuel a day to keep the
aerial missions flying from dawn until dusk. Thousands of barrels of dispersant, trucks of
giant plastic barrels and other equipment are arriving at the airport’s hangars from all across
the world. Responders decided to use the Hancock County airport because it is strategically
located near the interstate and close to the Gulf. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/13/10)
EADS exec expects tanker win
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. – A senior vice president of government relations for EADS North
America told a dinner audience he has the utmost confidence his company will win the
contract to build tankers for the Air Force. Sam Adcock made the statement during the
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation dinner. “We're in this competition, and
we're going to build this aircraft in Mobile, Ala.," he said. "In 10 years, along the Gulf Coast
between Alabama and Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida, we're going to have well in
excess of 10,000 jobs." EADS announced in April that it would go for the contract alone after
Northrop Grumman dropped out of a deal to jointly pursue it. EADS is competing against
Boeing. (Source: Mississippi Press, 05/14/10)
Contract: Speegle, $11M
Speegle Construction Inc., Niceville, Fla., was awarded an $11,028,000 firm-fixed-price
contract for the construction of the 7th Special Forces Group backyard training ranges,
7SFG compound, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Work is to be performed in Eglin with an
estimated completion date of Aug. 1, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with
18 bids received. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile,
Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/13/10)
Bill would add cost to EADS bid
Lawmakers who support Boeing's bid to build tankers for the Air Force introduced legislation
today that would require the Pentagon to add the value of government subsidies to a
competing proposal from EADS. It would amount to $5 million per plane. Boeing wants to
build tankers based on the 767, and EADS wants to build modified A330s. The Pentagon
won't consider the WTO ruling in part because of the appeals process, in part because of a
counter complaint by the European Union against Boeing. The bill is co-authored by Rep.
Todd Tiahrt and Sen. Sam Brownback, both of Kansas, where Boeing has manufacturing
facilities. The legislation has about 20 supporters in the House and four in the Senate, the
two politicians said. (Source: Bloomberg, 05/13/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to
assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 wins design excellence award
The Lockheed Martin F-35 program has been recognized for its "cutting-edge design and
technology" with an award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The
award was presented May 12 in Washington, D.C. The citation recognizes the "cutting-edge
design and technology of – and global collaboration involved in – the Joint Strike Fighter,
enabling a unique battlespace capability for the future." Lockheed is developing the F-35
with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. AIAA is the world's largest
technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession. (Source: Lockheed Martin
via PRNewswire, 05/13/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home of
the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training center. Lockheed, Northrop and BAE Systems all have
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Aviation symposium underway
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Naval aviation is the topic of the 24th Naval Aviation Symposium being
held Thursday and Friday at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. Panel topics range from the birth of naval aviation to advancements in the field.
In connection with the symposium, Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon,
will be inducted into the Hall of Honor Friday in the Blue Angels Atrium at the museum.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 05/13/10)
Battle brews over shutdown costs
Two big NASA contractors could be on the hook for millions in program shutdown costs if the
Obama administration revamps manned space-exploration. ATK and Lockheed Martin are
waging battle with NASA's leadership over who will cover possibly more than $1 billion in
such expenses, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cites people familiar with the
situation. The Senate Commerce Committee expected on Wednesday to delve into the
termination-liability issues. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 05/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis
Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans are NASA facilities in
the Gulf Coast region.
Hotel planned for tech park
BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - Developers plan to build a "green" Holiday Inn at the Stennis
Technology Park that could bring more business to the 26-acre site at the intersection of
Interstate 10 and Mississippi 603, just outside Stennis Space Center. The total investment is
about $15 million. The hotel will have conference facilities, a business center, bar and
restaurant. Plans call for 143 rooms but that number could go up to 172, said MHR
Development's Kip Reddien. The hope is to begin construction in late summer. The park
houses a 30,000-square-foot building. Scott Bolton, the park's project manager, said the
Holiday Inn should benefit from its proximity to NASA's Stennis Space Center and Stennis
International Airport. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/11/10)
Bill would make Pentagon weigh WTO
A bill is being introduced that would force the Pentagon to consider World Trade
Organization rulings when deciding defense contracts. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., plans
to introduce the bill Thursday, according to an e-mail obtained by Reuters and verified by a
congressional aide. The immediate impact would be in the $40 billion competition between
Boeing and EADS to build tankers for the Air Force. Kevin Rozelsky, Boeing's director of
legislative affairs, has approached some senators about supporting the bill. (Source:
Reuters, 05/11/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS hopes to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Boeing wants to build them in Washington state.
Meetings held to prep troops for move
Representatives from Northwest Florida have scheduled a series of town hall meetings near
Fort Bragg, N.C., to provide information to thousands of military personnel who will be
relocating to Eglin Air Force base next year. The meetings are Tuesday and Wednesday.
About 30 organizations from Northwest Florida will be represented. The bed down of the 7th
Special Forces at Eglin will bring 2,200 new soldiers to the region by the middle of 2011.
When spouses and children are added, the total population increase in the region has been
estimated at more than 6,000. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/11/10)
Contract: A.E. New Jr., $16.1M
A. E. New Jr. Inc, Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $16,132,000 contract to design-build two
single-story sprinkler-equipped child development center facilities with core administration
area, staff support area, facility support area, and child care areas. Work is to be performed
at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Aug. 17, 2011. U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/10/10)
Contract: Vertex, $14M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$14,000,000 ceiling-priced undefinitized contract action to provide aircraft maintenance and
logistics services in support of the Navy's T-34 and T-44 aircraft. Services to be provided
include aircraft maintenance and logistics support, including labor, equipment, tools, and
material. Half the work will be performed at the Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., and half
at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, and is expected to be completed in November 2010. The
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
05/07/10)
Obama NASA plan in trouble
WASHINGTON - President Obama's plans for NASA appear in big trouble. Few Democrats
have publicly endorsed the entire plan, while opponents like Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
continue to blast the Obama plan as "unrealistic" and "destructive." NASA appears to be
hedging its bets that the president's vision might not pass muster with Congress. Kennedy
Space Center officials and contractors, under direction from Johnson Space Center and
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden, are pressing ahead with plans for test flights of a
multibillion-dollar Ares I rocket that Obama wants to cancel. (Source: Orlando Sentinel,
05/06/10) Gulf Coast note: NASA has operations at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
Huey set up at airport entrance
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A UH-1 Huey set up outside the terminal at Northwest
Florida Regional Airport was dedicated Wednesday in honor of the late Michael J. Novosel
Sr., who earned a Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. Hundreds of people, including
family members and soldiers from Fort Rucker, Ala., attended the ceremony. The Huey,
which arrived at the airport April 23, will greet visitors at the airport’s entrance. The display is
a tribute to all Vietnam veterans. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 05/05/10)
New CSO course opens in Pensacola
NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Air Force has launched a new training
program for Combat Systems Officer students with the inaugural class of the 479th Flying
Training Group. The year-long program combines navigator, electronic warfare and weapon
systems training into a single pipeline. The resulting CSOs - pronounced Sizzos - will be
trained in a common set of core skills to fill any of the roles once filled by navigators, WSOs
or EWOs. There will also be a significant increase in hands-on flying. The CSO course will
include 38 sorties in T-6 Texan II and modified T-1A Jayhawks, and 40 missions in
simulators. The 479th FTG became the 12th Flying Training Wing's newest group in
October, when it started operations in Florida as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and
Closure Committee directive to relocate Air Force navigator training from Randolph Air
Force Base to NAS Pensacola, where the Navy conducts its Naval Flight Officer training.
With stand-up of the new group, nearly 35 percent of the 12th FTW is now in Florida.
(Source: Air Education and Training Command, 05/05/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $96.7M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $96,744,354 contract which will provide
miniature air launched decoy low rate initial production contracts for a 24-month effort to
include operational test and evaluation. At this time, $89,817,202 has been obligated. 692
ARSS/PK Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/05/10)
Contract: Northrop, $79.2M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Ill., is being awarded a $79,239,035
contract for the procurement of 487 NexGen MWS sensors and 99 NexGen MWS
processors, including associated technical data, for the H-53 and H-46 helicopters. Under
two percent of the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The Naval Air Systems
Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/05/10)
Tanker start date now November
The Air Force changed its KC-X Request for Proposals to list a contract "start date" of Nov.
12. Previous Pentagon announcements said the award for the $40 billion contract to build
tankers for the U.S. Air Force would be made in the early fall. This comes a month after the
Defense Department announced that EADS would be granted an extra 60 days to put
together a solo bid on the tanker after Northrop Grumman, which said the RFP favored a
smaller Boeing plane, dropped out as EADS' partner. The original contract "award date"
listed in the amended RFP is Aug. 16. (Source: Air Force Times, 05/03/10) Meanwhile, in
Frankfurt, Germany, EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois said he's certain EADS would win
the tanker contract. "I would even bet that we will get the contract," Gallois told German
tabloid Bild. (Source: Reuters, 05/03/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to build the tankers
in Mobile, Ala.
Slick causes tank shipment problems
The oil slick floating in the Gulf of Mexico caused a few headaches in the effort to ship an
external fuel tank to Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The 15-story tank used in Space
Shuttle launches is made at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and it's sent in a
covered barge to Kennedy. But the slick blocked the usual deep-water access. The barge
was placed on a barge Saturday and was scheduled for a Monday night departure to
Gulfport, Miss. That's where the NASA retrieval ship, Freedom Star, will take over from the
commercial towers and bring it the rest of the way to Kennedy. The 900-mile trip takes six
days. (Sources: Multiple, including WLOX-TV, MSNBC, 05/03/10)
Northrop, Bell unveil new UAV
Northrop Grumman and Bell Helicopter have unveiled a new unmanned helicopter, Fire-X,
based on the four-blade, single engine Bell 407. The new drone borrows many of the
systems that are used in the successful Fire Scout. The new UAV will be able to keep tabs
on adversaries for longer periods of time and deliver more cargo to more remote locations.
The first flight of Fire-X is expected by the end of 2010. The new aircraft represents
Northrop Grumman's entry in an anticipated U.S. Navy competition in 2011 to demonstrate a
new medium-range unmanned system. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 05/03/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop's Fire Scout is built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
APRIL 2010
Contract: Boeing, $6.8M
Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $6,760,660 contract which will provide fiscal 2010
and fiscal 2011 option year sustaining support to the Lot 6 production contract. At this time,
$3,371,832 has been obligated. 681 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity (Source: DoD, 04/30/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $53.1M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $53,100,000 contract which will provide for the
engineering and manufacturing development for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer.
This includes the associated engineering, program management, supportability, mission
planning, modeling and simulation, hardware fabrication, production readiness, software and
testing. 692 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (Source: DoD,
04/30/10)
Joint F-35 EW squadron set up
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The squadron serving as the sole Department of Defense
provider of electronic warfare support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter activated April 23 in a
ceremony at Eglin. The 513th Electronic Warfare Squadron stood up as a first step toward
preparing airmen, sailors and Marines with the latest electronic warfare data for all three
variants on the F-35. The squadron, which currently has 32 technicians and engineers, will
grow to 130 personnel at full strength and will operate the $300 million United States
Reprogramming Laboratory, which tests all aspects of the Joint Strike Fighter's electronic
warfare capability. Half will be airmen and half Navy and Marine personnel. (Source: Eglin Air
Force Base, 04/29/10)
FEMA chief visits Hurricane Hunters
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Craig Fugate, who was appointed last year to head up
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, visited the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance
Squadron Hurricane Hunters at Keesler Air Force Base Thursday. He saw the C-130Js and
got an update of the squadron’s missions. The hurricane season begins June 1. (Source:
Sun Herald, 04/29/10)
Blue Angels name new 2011-12 leader
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team announced the
commanding officer for the 2011 and 2012 teams. Selected was Cmdr. David E. Koss,
chosen by a panel of admirals and former Blue Angels. He’s commanding officer of Strike
Fighter Squadron 14, the “Tophatters.” The Blue Angels are based at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. (Source: NNS, 04/29/10)
Keesler getting new medical group commander
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Brig. Gen. Dan Wyman passes leadership of the 81st
Medical Group to Brig. Gen. Kory Cornum during a change of command ceremony at 9 a.m.
Friday in front of Keesler Medical Center. Wyman will become the command surgeon for Air
Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. Cornum comes to Keesler after
serving as ACC command surgeon since 2007. Wyman assumed command of the 81st
Medical Group in June 2008 following a two-year tour of duty as command surgeon of
Pacific Air Forces and 13th Air Force surgeon at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. (Source: Sun Herald,
04/28/10)
Contract: Vertex, $10.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a
$10,300,000 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity
delivery order 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. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons
Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/10)
Contract: Satterfield, $22.5M
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Inc., Houston, Texas, is being awarded a $22,540,000
firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a 202-room combat systems officer bachelor
housing at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Work is expected to be completed by June
2012. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online
Web site, with 21 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command,
Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/27/10)
NG picks Virginia for HQ
Northrop Grumman will locate its new corporate office in Virginia, concluding a search that
also included the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Northrop Grumman is
negotiating with several building owners in the Falls Church/Arlington area. The company
expects to initiate operations in the new corporate office in the summer of 2011 with about
300 people. The move of corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the Washington area
is designed to let the company be closer to its primary customer, the Pentagon. Northrop
Grumman has 120,000 employees and is involved in the aerospace, electronics, information
systems, shipbuilding and technical services sectors. (Source: Northrop Grumman,
04/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman has a major presence on the Gulf Coast,
including shipyards and an unmanned systems center.
Italian military gets F-35 training update
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Representatives from the Italian air force and navy visited
the 33rd Fighter Wing recently to check the progress of the first F-35 integrated training
center and learn more about this new coalition venture. “A lot of work has been done. A lot
of work has to be done,” said Rear Adm. Paolo Treu, director of Naval Aviation Department
and commander of the Italian Fleet Air Arm. Italy is one of the partner nations that will be
training Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers at the 33rd FW. (Source: Eglin Public
Affairs Office, 4/23/2010)
EADS has new tanker site
EADS North America has launched www.kc-45now.com, a new website about the company’s
KC-45 aerial tanker that it’s proposing to build for the Air Force. The new site features video
and photography of the KC-45 tanker in flight conducting refueling operations, as well as
facts and information about the aerial refueling system. EADS North America announced last
week it’s re-entering the competition against Boeing, which is offering the 767. If selected,
the tanker will be built in Mobile, Ala. (Source: EADS, 04/23/10)
F-35 composite work leads to award
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lockheed Martin, Magestic Systems Inc. and Nikon Metrology jointly
won a first-place JEC Innovation Award in composites manufacturing for technology used in
the production of the F-35. The 2010 JEC Innovation Award was presented in Paris earlier
this month in recognition of the cured laminate compensation process, a composite
manufacturing process for achieving precision, as-built laminate thickness without post-cure
machining. This new process is used in the production of composite parts for the F-35 and
was developed to pre-measure and correct the thickness of cured composite wing skins for
the F-35. (Source: PRNewswire, 04/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to become home of the F-35 training center; fabrication and research into
advanced materials is a key sector in South Mississippi.
SSC said “critical” for NASA
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., says he's "gained assurances" that NASA's Stennis Space
Center in South Mississippi will have a robust future as a testing facility whether or not
Congress agrees to the sweeping changes proposed for NASA by the Obama
administration. Cochran questioned NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. about Stennis
during a hearing to review the FY2011 budget request for the space agency. Bolden
stressed the need for a "robust testing program," and and pointed to $312 million for
commercial space testing, some of which will take place at Stennis. "Stennis is critical,"
Bolden testified. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal, 04/26/10)
FWB helps design C-130H tanker
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – A new fuel tanker aircraft designed and engineered at the
Fort Walton Beach Boeing office has been delivered to the Japan Air Self-Defense Forces.
Boeing Fort Walton Beach partnered with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Cobham Mission
Systems to convert a C-130H into a flying refueling station. The project got its start with work
Boeing Fort Walton Beach completed for the Air Force Special Operations Command,
converting 20 C-130Hs into tankers. That caught the eye of the Japan, which needed
tankers for UH-60 rescue helicopters. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, McClatchy-
Tribune Information Services via COMTEX and TradingMarkets, 04/25/10)
Space UAV launched
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. - A Boeing-built unmanned orbital vehicle
called X-37B was successfully launched Thursday aboard an Atlas V rocket into low-earth
orbit. The Orbital Test Vehicle looks much like the space shuttle, and its mission is
classified. The X-37B is designed to return from space and land on its own. The vehicle will
be used to demonstrate a reliable, reusable unmanned space test platform for the Air Force.
The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine and a Pratt & Whitney
Rocketdyne RL10 upper-stage engine. (Sources: Boeing, PRNewswire, 04/22/10) Gulf
Coast note: Unmanned aerial systems are built in part in Moss Point, Miss; Pratt and
Whitney Rocketdyne has an operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
AF F-35 completes flight test
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Air Force version of the F-35A flew for an hour April 20 from
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, becoming the seventh F-35
Lightning II to fly. AF-2, the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, is the Air Force's
version of the Joint Strike Fighter. This fifth-generation fighter is the first one to carry an
internal GAU-22/A 25-millimeter Gatling gun weapon system. (Source: AFNS, 04/22/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to the Joint Strike
Fighter training center.
Building named for Doolittle Raider
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – A building at Eglin Air Force Base has been renamed to
honor one of the Doolittle Raiders. Building 68 was named the Horton J-Primes Test Facility
in honor of retired Master Sgt. Ed Horton, who passed away in 2008. Horton was a gunner
on one of the B-25s that launched from a carrier to bomb Japan after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. Horton was among the group that trained at Eglin for the risky mission. (Source:
Eglin Air Force Base, 04/21/10)
County won’t pay city’s legal fee
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - Okaloosa County rejected paying Valparaiso’s legal fees in a
lawsuit over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Valparaiso sought to be reimbursed $61,000. The
county sued Valparaiso in April 2009 to halt the city’s lawsuit against the Air Force over the
possibility of the F-35s coming to Eglin Air Force Base. The lawsuit was settled in February.
(Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/21/10)
SSC commemorates Apollo 13 mission
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center marked the 40th
anniversary of the Apollo 13 flight with exhibits and remembrances from Biloxi native Fred
Haise Jr., who served as lunar module pilot on the mission. During an afternoon of activities,
Stennis hosted employees and area senior citizens to tour Apollo 13 exhibits, take photos
with Haise, collect NASA-related items and offer their own remembrances of the mission.
Apollo 13 launched April 11, 1970 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two days into the
flight, the command module spacecraft was crippled by an oxygen tank explosion, forcing a
free-trajectory return to Earth. The astronauts were forced to power down the command
module and use the lunar module as a space "lifeboat." (Source: NASA, 04/21/10)
787 undergoing Eglin climatic testing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A Boeing 787 is at Eglin Air Force Base to undergo extreme
weather testing at the Air Force’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory. According to Boeing, the
787 flight-test fleet logged its 500th hour of flying April 16. The 787 at Eglin is designated
ZA003. (Source: Boeing, 04/20/10) The McKinley Climatic Lab is part of the 46th Test Wing.
In addition to Air Force testing, it can be used by other government agencies and private
industry. It can create any climatic environment in the world.
EADS to enter tanker battle
EADS North America announced today that it intends to submit a proposal by July 9 for the
U.S. Air Force's tanker program and will offer the KC-45. EADS is in discussions with
potential U.S. partners. Reuters first reported Monday that EADS would likely submit a bid,
and the company confirmed it today. EADS said that in addition to the tankers, it plans to
build and modify A330 commercial freighters at a site in Mobile, Ala. The tanker will be
competing against the Boeing 767, a smaller aircraft, for the $40 billion contract. EADS'
former partner, Northrop Grumman, dropped out of the competition on grounds the Air
Force request for proposals favored the smaller tanker. (Source: EADS, 04/20/10)
Pensacola getting new flights
United Airlines will start a daily nonstop flight from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport to
Chicago beginning Nov. 4. The new daily service was the result of United successful
weekend service to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport that began in February. United
recently entered the Pensacola market in February with two daily departures to Washington
Dulles International Airport. Service for the United Express flight will be operated by Express
Jet on a 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 jet. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/20/10)
Sources: EADS poised to go it alone
Reuters is reporting that EADS is poised to bid alone for a U.S. tanker after failing to recruit
L-3 Communications Holdings or another major company. The news service cites sources
familiar with the matter. Guy Hicks, spokesman for EADS' U.S. arm, said the company
continued to examine its options and declined further comment. EADS’ previous partner,
Northrop Grumman, bowed out after determining the request for proposals favored the
smaller Boeing aircraft. (Source: Reuters, 04/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS plans to
assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
City wants county to pay legal fees
VALPARAISO, Fla. - The city of Valparaiso has asked Okaloosa County to pay its legal fees
related to recent litigation over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The county sued Valparaiso
last April to halt the city’s lawsuit against the Air Force over the possibility of the aircraft
coming to Eglin Air Force Base. The county claimed Valparaiso officials violated the state’s
Government in the Sunshine law when they voted to sue the Air Force. The lawsuit was
settled last month. The legal fees come to $61,000. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News,
04/16/10)
Airports sign co-operative accord
GULFPORT, Miss. - Officials from the airports in Gulfport and Panama signed a cooperation
agreement Thursday to promote cargo trade in both countries. Bruce Frallic, director of
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, said several initiatives already are being implemented.
Rafael Flores, general manager of the Tocumen International Airport in Panama, said his
country is a transfer point of goods and the Coast also can become a hub for this trade.
(Source: Sun Herald, 04/15/10)
N.O. passenger count dips
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The number of passengers going through the Louis Armstrong New
Orleans International Airport dropped a bit in February. The airport reported 618,201
passengers boarded and left flights in February, down from 620,814 in February 2009. For
the first two months of the year, traffic is down 1.5 percent over the first two months of 2009.
(Source: AP via Times-Picayune, 04/16/10)
Victims of Navy plane crash identified
The four people aboard a Navy T-39N Sabreliner that crashed in a wooded area north of
Atlanta Monday have been identified. They are retired Lt. Cmdr. Charles McDaniel, 67, of
Cantonment, Fla., Marine Capt. Jason Paynter, 38, of Pensacola, Fla., Marine 1st Lt. Shawn
Nice, 26, of Levittown, Pa., and Navy Ensign Zachary Eckhart, 25, of Orefield, Pa. They were
on a routine training mission and assigned to Training Squadron 86 at Naval Air Station
Pensacola. The cause of the crash is under investigation. (Source: Pensacola News Journal,
04/15/10)
Fire Scout ends first deployment
MAYPORT, Fla. - The Fire Scout unmanned helicopter returned from its first operational
deployment April 15. The UAV was embarked aboard USS McInerney during its recent six-
month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility. Fire Scout can
reach speeds of up to 85 knots, altitudes of 20,000 feet and fly for more than six hours on
one tank of fuel. Fire Scout was kept up and running by Helicopter Anti-Submarine
Squadron Light 42 Det. 7, who served as McInerney's air support. According to Lt. Tobias
Walters of HSL-42 Det. 7, Fire Scout did well during its first deployment. He called it a
technology that will integrate well with today's Navy. Among other things, the Fire Scout was
used in drug bust. (Source: NNS, 04/15/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in
Moss Point, Miss.
Stennis awards construction contract
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA's Stennis Space Center in south Mississippi
awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to M&D Mechanical Contractors,
Inc. of Decatur, Ala., to provide general construction services at the center. The contract
value is not to exceed $25 million. The contract is for five years, with no option periods.
General construction activities performed under this contract will include maintenance,
repair, alteration, civil, mechanical, piping and structural steel fabrication and erection and
electrical work at Stennis. (Source: NASA, 04/12/10)
Gilbrech now Stennis deputy director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Rick Gilbrech is now deputy director of John C. Stennis
Space Center, the agency’s primary testing ground for rocket engines and propulsion
systems, and its systems engineering center for applied science activities. The appointment
of Gilbrech, who has served as the center's associate director, was effective immediately.
Gilbrech began his NASA career at Stennis in 1991 and is the former director. He was
associate administrator for the exploration systems mission directorate, retired, then
returned to NASA and was named associate director at SSC before being named deputy
director. (Source: NASA, 04/12/10)
Search continues for crash cause
A day after a Navy training jet crashed in rural Georgia, crews were searching the woods for
clues to determine the cause. Navy officials said four people were in the T-39N Sabreliner
when it crashed Monday into a wooded area two hours north of Atlanta. The aircraft was
assigned to Training Air Wing Six at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla., and was flying a
routine training mission. All four crew members are believed to have died in the crash.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/14/10)
Contract: Northrop Grumman, $10M
Northrop Grumman System Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $9,999,999 contract
which will provide for additional long-lead funding of two Global Hawk Block 30M systems
and two Global Hawk Block 40 systems. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/13/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are
built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Fire Scout scores its first drug bust
EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN - A Fire Scout unmanned helicopter in a routine flight supported
its first drug interdiction with the USS McInerney and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement
Detachment this past weekend. A test was being conducted on one of the ship's two Fire
Scouts when the UAV acquired a suspected narcotics "go-fast" on radar. The mission
payload operator received permission to pursue. Over three hours, Fire Scout monitored
the go-fast with its state-of-the-art optics. Due to its small profile, Fire Scout maintained a
covert posture while feeding real-time video back to McInerney. Fire Scout captured video of
the "go-fast" meeting with a fishing vessel. McInerney and its Coast Guard detachment
moved in and seized about 60 kilos of cocaine and caused the suspects to allegedly jettison
another 200 kilos of narcotics. (Source: NNS, 04/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are
built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
Eglin air show this weekend
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the 75th
Anniversary Eglin Air Force Base Air Show April 10-11. Gates open at 9 a.m. to the general
public and it's free for anyone attending this event. The gates will close to the general public
at 3 p.m. In addition to the air performances there will be a wide range of static displays.
(Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 04/05/10)
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $10.3M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $10,264,377 contract which
provided for the purchase of 89 carriage load crew trainers and 356 weapons load crew
trainers to support F-16 Block 40/50, F-35, and F-22 integrations and training requirements.
681 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/06/10)
Star Aviation wins contract
MOBILE, Ala. – Star Aviation said it won a contract to help install wireless Internet systems
on 105 planes owned by Alaska Airlines. Star, which has about 100 employees between its
Brookley Field Industrial Complex headquarters and an office in Everett, Wash., will design
and make wiring harnesses and the racks to hold them. The work is supposed to be
completed by the end of the year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 04/06/10)
Drone recovered by fishermen
A BQM-167 drone out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., was recovered by a fisherman in the
Gulf of Mexico. The drone had been lost March 10 due to an engine flame-out during a
routine training exercise. The drone, found in the Tampa area, belongs to the 82nd Aerial
Targets Squadron, a tenant unit at Tyndall. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 04/06/10)
Contract: Gulf Power, $5.6M
Gulf Power Co., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $5,586,210 firm-fixed-price contract for the
construction of Freedom Way substation and transmission line extension, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Work is to be performed in Hurlburt Field. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District,
Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 04/05/10)
Science center signing ceremony set
GULFPORT, Miss. - A signing ceremony for the contract to build a 72,000 square foot state-
of-the-art science center near NASA's Stennis Space Center will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m.
at the Hancock Bank Board Room in downtown Gulfport. Roy Anderson Corp. will start
construction May 1. The center to be located along Interstate 10 near the Louisiana-
Mississippi state line is expected to be a big tourist draw. Infinity is designed to highlight the
activities at Stennis Space Center and inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers
in the fields of earth, ocean and space science. (Source: Infinity Science Center Inc.,
04/05/10)
F-35 training remains on track
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Despite recent problems with the F-35 cost and
development schedule, establishment of a training pipeline for pilots and maintainers for the
Joint Strike Fighter remains on track. Navy Capt. Mike Saunders, deputy commander of the
33rd Operations Group at Eglin, told Navy Times the plan is to be ready with the first jet
arrives. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps plan to begin flying the F-35 within the next
two years. The first simulators arrived in late March. The Marine Corps' training squadron,
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, stood up Friday. The Air Force created the
58th Fighter Squadron last year. The Navy's Strike Fighter Squadron 101 will stand up next
year. (Source: Navy Times, 04/05/10)
MSU hosts unmanned systems conference
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State University this week will host a two-day national
symposium on unmanned aircraft systems. Titled “Academic Opportunities: Developing the
Future of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Remotely Piloted Aircraft,” it’s designed to identify
research opportunities in the growing UAV field, including airspace integration, autonomy,
swarming, signal processing and sense and avoid. The invitation-only symposium begins
Wednesday at Hunter Henry Center. Keynote speaker is Lt. Gen. David Deptula, deputy
chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The gathering brings
together some 200 military, government and academic leaders to help update the Air
Force's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan for 2009-47. (Source: MSU, 03/23/10 ) Gulf
Coast note: MSU is in the state’s Golden Triangle, home to a cluster of aerospace
companies, including those involved in UAVs. South Mississippi, home to Stennis Space
Center, is the state’s other hotspot for UAVs. Northrop Grumman builds portions of the
Global Hawk and Fire Scout in Moss Point.
Keesler chief assigned to Space Command
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Brig. Gen. Ian R. Dickinson, commander of the 81st
Training Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, will be the new communications director and chief
information officer for the Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Dickinson will
replace Brig. Gen. David B. Warner, who retires July 1. Dickinson’s replacement at Keesler
has not been announced. (Sources: AP via cbs4denver, WLOX-TV, 04/04/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $13.5M
Raytheon Co., Tuscon, Ariz., was awarded a $13,542,075 contract which provides support
for four months of AMRAAM system engineering and program management due to delay of
Lot 24. 695ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
04/02/10)
Marine unit reactivated for F-35 duties
PENSACOLA, Fla. - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 451 was reactivated this week after a
13-year absence to train Marines to pilot F-35 fighters. The ceremony was at the National
Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola. The unit, first activated in 1944, is
being redesignated Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. It will train at Eglin Air
Force Base, Fla., which will be used by all the services for initial training in the F-35. The
Marines will use the short-takeoff, vertical landing variant of the Lockheed Martin-built plane.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 04/02/10)
Gulfport gets new flights
GULFPORT, Miss. – A new air service between Gulfport and Branson, Mo., will get
underway beginning May 17. Startup airline Branson Air Express will use 50-seat Embraer
ERJ-145 regional planes operated under charter by ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Flights will be on
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Connecting flights will be available to Houston and
Austin, Texas. (Source: Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 04/01/10)
MARCH 2010
EADS gets 60-day deadline extension
The Pentagon said Wednesday it will extend the deadline by 60 days if EADS officially
decides to submit a bid to build Air Force tankers. Europe’s EADS had requested 90 days.
EADS had partnered with Northrop Grumman to for the $35 billion contract. But Northrop
dropped out in March, saying the government's requirements favored Boeing's smaller
aircraft. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the government would extend the
deadline from May 10 to July 9 if EADS expressed an interest in bidding. EADS spokesman
Guy Hicks said the company made it clear it needed 90 days as a minimum. "We will
consider the Department's decision to offer a 60 day extension." (Sources: Multiple,
including Washington Post, Bloomberg, 03/31/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS wants to assemble
the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if it submits a bid and wins.
Contract: Bell-Boeing, $55.2M
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $55,151,902
modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for non-recurring efforts
associated with Increment III of the CV-22 aircraft Block 20 upgrade program. Efforts to be
provided include concept definition, non-recurring engineering, drawings, and
installation/integration of brake performance enhancements and the helmet mounted display
upgrade. Four percent of the work will be done in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., but the majority,
91 percent, will be done in Philadelphia, Pa., and is expected to be completed in December
2015. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 03/31/10)
Contract: CSC, $31.5M
Computer Sciences Corp., Falls Church, Va., is being awarded a $31,547,535 cost-plus-
fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for information technology support
services to sustain the Naval Education Technology and Professional Development Training
Command, Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Education and Training Command; and Manpower,
Personnel, Training and Education Command. This contract includes four option terms
which, if exercised, bring the total estimated value of the contract to $220,842,902. Fifty-
seven percent of the work will be done in Pensacola, Fla. The rest will be done in Great
Lakes, Ill., Norfolk, Va., and various locations inside and outside the continental United
States. Work is expected to be completed by March 2011. The Fleet and Industrial Supply
Center Norfolk, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 03/31/10)
Raytheon meets decoy delivery goal
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Raytheon Co. has delivered an operationally significant
quantity of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy to the Air Force, allowing the service to reach
its "required assets available" as scheduled. The 300-pound MALD decoy is modular, air-
launched and programmable with a range of 575 miles. Currently integrated on the B-52
bomber and F-16 fighter aircraft, MALD can be certified on any aircraft with a 14-inch
suspension carriage. Raytheon is also developing a jamming variant of the MALD and
expects to deliver its first system in 2012. (Source: Raytheon via PRNewswire, 03/31/10)
Airports gets grant for runway work
Two airports in South Mississippi won federal grants for improvements. Trent Lott
International Airport in Moss Point will receive $809,753 for runway and taxiway lighting work.
Stennis International Airport in Bay St. Louis will get $104,500 for airport apron construction
and wildlife hazard assessment. The Department of Transportation grants are part of $8.6
million in funding through the Airport Improvement Program that will help 32 state airports in
infrastructure projects meant to improve operational safety and efficiency. (Source:
Mississippi Press, 03/26/10)
Contract: L-3, $6.3M
L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC, Madison, Miss., received a firm-fixed-price
modification of $6,260,514 for exercise of option periods one and two, providing an
additional six months of lease services of four helicopters for pilot training in support of U.S.
Special Operations Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, beginning on April
1, 2010, and ending Sept. 30, 2010. Work will be performed at Hurlburt Field, Fla. (Source:
DoD, 03/30/10)
Bill filed to stop threat to Constellation
Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker of Mississippi cosponsored a measure to prohibit
NASA from suspending work on the Constellation Program without justification. The
legislation reaffirms language in the FY2010 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that directs NASA
to continue moving forward with Constellation and prohibits termination or modification of
existing contracts unless separate legislation is passed by Congress. Constellation, the
program to take astronauts to the moon and beyond, was canceled in the proposed Obama
budget. The measure was introduced by Sen. George LeMieux of Florida and also
cosponsored by Alabama Sens. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions, and Utah's Orrin Hatch
and Bob Bennett. (Source: WLOX-TV, 03/26/10) Gulf Coast note: Stennis Space Center,
Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, are both involved in the Constellation
program.
Airline to lay off ground workers
Continental Airlines said Friday it will lay off 150 ground workers including bag handlers at
seven U.S. airports, including Pensacola, Fla., and hire contractors to do the work. The
other layoffs to occur June 1 are in Providence, R.I., Greensboro, N.C., Richmond and
Norfolk, Va., St. Louis and Kansas City. The company said the seven airports were the only
all-regional service airports where Continental still uses its own employees for ground
handling work. (Source: AP via Business Week, 03/26/10)
EADS nearing tanker bid decision
Europe's EADS is nearing a decision to compete directly with Boeing for a contract to supply
aerial tankers to the Air Force, according to a Reuters analysis. EADS now has prime
contractor status, and it hopes to get a 90-day extension on the bid deadline. EADS and its
former teammate, Northrop Grumman, won the $35 billion contest in February 2008, but it
was overturned on a Boeing protest. Northrop earlier this month dropped out of the battle on
grounds the new request for proposals favors the smaller Boeing tanker. (Source: Reuters,
03/26/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS, should it bid and win, would assemble the tankers in
Mobile, Ala.
Improved Paveway completes test series
Lockheed Martin's Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb completed a series of six flight tests
earlier this month at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The bomb uses an enhanced laser guidance
package, improving precision when compared to existing Paveway II LGBs. The weapons
were launched from altitudes between 10,000 and 30,000 feet against a billboard target
angled at 45 degrees. Two GBU-10s and four GBU-12s were released from a pair of F-16D
Viper aircraft from Eglin's 40th Flight Test Squadron. Each successfully initiated laser
acquisition at the expected time and guided to the intended target. (Source: Lockheed
Martin, 03/24/10)
Contracts awarded for science center
GULFPORT, Miss. – Contracts were awarded Thursday to two firms to oversee construction
of the Infinity Science Center, south of Stennis Space Center. Roy Anderson Corp. of
Gulfport submitted the low bid of $15.6 million to construct the building and Eley Guild Hardy
of Biloxi was named executive architect. Work will begin May 3 and the building will be
complete in 16 months. John Wilson, the education program development director at Infinity,
said it could be August 2011 before money is raised to pay for the exhibits and open the
science center. The science center will provide a fun way for visitors to learn about the
Earth, oceans and space. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/25/10)
NASA awards lab contract for Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center has awarded a
$26 million contract to A2 Research, JV, of Huntsville, Ala., to provide technical laboratory
services at the center. The firm, fixed-priced contract includes a one-year base contract
period, plus a one-year option and one three-year option period. Laboratory services by A2
Research, JV, include gas, materials and environmental laboratory analysis; maintenance of
measurement standards and the calibration and repair of instrumentation; and specialized
technical, business and administrative systems and related operations to support mission
requirements for Stennis. (Source: NASA, 03/25/10)
Shuttle crew visits Stennis
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Four members of the STS-130 Endeavor space shuttle
crew thanked employees at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center Thursday for their role in
a successful mission to the International Space Station. The STS-130 crew delivered a third
connecting nodule to the space station, which will increase the interior space for crew
members and many life support and environmental control systems. Four more shuttle
missions are scheduled. The next is planned for April 5. (Source: Sun Herald, 03/25/10)
Biofuel passes test at Eglin
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - An A-10 using a 50-50 mixture of biofuel and conventional
JP-8 aviation fuel was tested Thursday at Eglin Air Force Base. It was the first time the
mixture was tested in both engines. The fuel is derived in part from camelina, a common
plant that's been used for lamp fuel and ointments. The military is testing new fuels to
diversify its fuel sources. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base officials, who are overseeing the
biofuels research, were on hand for the test, one of many that will be conducted. (Sources:
WEAR-TV, Dayton Daily News, 03/25/10)
WTO affirms improper subsidies
The World Trade Organization said Tuesday that Airbus received improper subsidies for the
A380 jet and several other airplanes. The ruling affirmed interim findings last September on
the U.S. complaint. According to multiple published reports, the WTO found most of the
loans from European governments to develop the A380 were at below market rates and
amounted to prohibited subsidies. The WTO also found that Europe had provided improper
subsidies for the A300, A310, A320, A330 and A340. (Sources: Multiple, including New York
Times, AP via Google, 03/23/10) Gulf Coast note: Airbus parent, EADS, may still compete in
the contest to build tankers for the Air Force. It wants to assemble the planes, based on an
A330, in Mobile, Ala.
Deadline extension decision expected soon
MOBILE, Ala. – EADS could find out as early as this week whether it will get more time to bid
on the tanker project. That’s the word from EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe, who
was in Mobile to help prepare an aid shipment to Haiti. Boeing appears in line to be the only
bidder for the $40 billion contract. EADS North America’s former partner, Northrop
Grumman, opted out because it felt the requirements favor the smaller Boeing tanker. EADS
feels the same, but has asked for a 90-day extension of the May 10 deadline to consider its
options. EADS still plans to build the tankers in Mobile should it win the contract. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 03/23/10)
Russia company chief denies tanker bid plan
Russia's United Aircraft Corp. isn't planning to bid for the tanker program, Chief Executive
Officer Alexei Fyodorov told Bloomberg. Both the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post
reported the maker of Ilyushin transports planned to bid, citing John Kirkland, an attorney in
Los Angeles who represents the group. Fyodorov said he wasn't familiar with Kirkland. For
his part, Kirkland said it's either a huge misunderstanding or the Russians not wanting to
confirm a plan until something is officially announced. Kirkland had said something would be
announced Monday. He provided the Mobile Press-Register with copies of correspondence
between his firm and United Aircraft in addition to incorporation papers for a U.S. subsidiary,
UAC America Inc., formed to pursue the tanker contract. (Source: Bloomberg via
BusinessWeek, Mobile Press-Register, 03/21/10)
F-35 school impact study updated
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – An updated study of the impact of the Joint Strike Fighter
training school at Eglin Air Force Base shows 59 planes will have an impact of $613 million,
down from the $2.15 billion that would have occurred between 2010 and 2016 with all 107
planes originally planned. Though the other 48 planes may still come to Eglin, the Air Force
is looking at other bases as well. The study by the University of West Florida, originally done
in 2005 and updated since, was commissioned by the Economic Development Council of
Okaloosa County. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/20/10)
Russian aerospace company eyes tanker
Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. is planning to bid on the contract to build tankers for the Air
Force. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the plans, said the company will
offer the Ilyushin Il-96 wide-body jet. The plane would be largely built in Russia and
assembled in the United States. United Aircraft, a consortium owned by the Russian
government, is planning to partner with an unnamed “small” U.S. defense contractor.
(Source: Wall Street Journal, 03/19/10) Gulf Coast note: EADS’ plans are to assemble its
tankers in Mobile, Ala.
EADS seeks 3 months to bid on tanker
EADS is seeking three more months to prepare a bid for the multibillion-dollar refueling
tanker, the Defense Department said today. "We're considering that request," Bryan
Whitman, a department spokesman, told reporters. The current deadline is May 10. EADS
said it could rejoin the competition if it decides there's a chance to win. EADS' North
American, which partnered with Northrop Grumman until that company opted out last week,
may wind up as prime contractor. EADS North America is a prime contractor for the
Mississippi-built UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters. (Source: Reuters, 03/19/10)
NG making market play in D.C.
Northrop Grumman, which plans to move corporate headquarters from Los Angeles to the
Washington D.C. area by next year, has plastered the Capitol South metro stop with more
than 25 banners and signs boasting its weapons capabilities. Among the images: close-up
photos of Fire Scouts and Global Hawks, two unmanned aerial systems built in part in Moss
Point, Miss. (Source: Forbes, 03/19/10)
EADS reconsidering tanker contest
EADS may be interested in having the Pentagon extend the deadline for bids for the Air
Force tanker competition. Defense News reported Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell
saying DoD "has received notification from EADS North America indicating possible interest
in competing for the Air Force's KC-X tanker and we would welcome that." The Mobile Press-
Register said EADS, in a statement Friday morning, said it was "assessing this new
situation." Last week EADS and partner Northrop Grumman said they were dropping out of
the competition on grounds the rules favor the smaller tanker from rival Boeing. May 10 is
the deadline for bids. (Sources: Defense News, 03/18/10; Mobile Press-Register, 03/19/10)
Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman, Alabama and Mobile-area governments have ended
their incentives agreements on a site at Brookley Field where the companies planned to
build an assembly plant.
F-35 notches first vertical landing
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - An F-35B made a vertical landing for the
first time Thursday. The Joint Strike Fighter performed a 93 miles per hour short takeoff
from Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Some 13 minutes into the flight, the pilot positioned
the aircraft 150 feet above the airfield, where the F-35 hovered for a minute then descend
to the runway. The aircraft, BF-1, is one of three F-35B STOVL jets undergoing flight trials
at the Patuxent River test site. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Tanker incentives agreements end
MOBILE, Ala. – Northrop Grumman, Alabama and Mobile-area governments formally ended
their incentives agreements after the company opted to drop out of the competition to build
tankers for the Air Force. Northrop Grumman had planned to build a $600 million assembly
plant at Brookley Field, should it win the contract. It did, in 2008, but the contract was
overturned on a protest from Boeing. Northrop and bidding partner EADS, which said the
terms of the new competition favored the smaller Boeing plane, decided last week not to bid.
The two companies received a $110 million package of cash and tax breaks tied to the
creation of 1,500 job. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/18/10)
Admiral picked to head F-35 program
Defense Secretary Robert Gates picked Vice Adm. David Venlet to run the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter program. The three-star officer will need Senate confirmation. Gates said in early
February that he would remove Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David Heinz as manager of the JSF
and replace him with a three-star officer. The nomination comes as the Pentagon prepares
to formally tell Congress that the cost of the F-35 has increased by more than 50 percent.
(Source: The Hill, 03/16/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to
become home of the JSF training center.
Commander picked for NAS
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Navy has selected Capt. Christopher Plummer to take over as
commander of Naval Air Station Pensacola. Plummer, a naval aviator, is attending Joint
Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Va., and will assume command in mid-April. Capt. William
Reavey was relieved of command earlier this month after allegations of inappropriate
conduct. Cmdr. Greg Thomas is serving as commanding officer until Plummer arrives.
(Source: WEAR-TV, WKRG-TV, 03/16/10)
Blue Angels return from California
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Blue Angels flight demonstration team returned home to Sherman
Field at Naval Air Station Pensacola Monday. The team just wrapped up its off-season
training program in El Centro, Calif. The team is scheduled to perform 67 shows at 35
locations across the country in the upcoming season. (Source: WEAR-TV, 03/15/10)
Contract: Rockwell Collins, $11.1M
Rockwell Collins Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was awarded an $11,111,767 contract
modification which will provide for systems development, integration, and
verification phase of the P5 range instrumentation waveform. This waveform is in
support of the F-22 and F-35 aircraft. 689 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Contract: Kaman Precision, $46.3M
Kaman Precision Products Inc., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $46,253,422.83 contract
modification which will provide a quantity of 12,994 joint programmable fuze systems. At this
time, entire amount has been obligated. 679 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $19.5M
Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19,505,458 contract which provides an
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air-Missile system improvement program. At this time,
$2,770,000 has been obligated. 696 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/15/10)
Airbus hopes to sell A400Ms in U.S.
Airbus said it plans to sell about 210 of its A400M military airlifters in the United States,
according to the AP and BBC. Domingo Urena, chief of Airbus Military, said it’s too early to
tell if Airbus would seek a U.S. partner. Airbus parent EADS partnered with Northrop
Grumman in the competition to build tankers for the Air Force. Just last week both
companies bowed out of the competition when they said the request for proposals from the
Pentagon favored the smaller Boeing plane. (Source: AP, BBC, 03/15/10) Gulf Coast note:
Northrop/EADS had planned to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 cost up dramatically
The projected cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has increased 60 to 90 percent in real
terms since 2001, well past a level requiring the program to be revamped, Pentagon officials
said Thursday. The estimated price of each F-35 jumped to $80 million to $95 million, as
measured in 2002 dollars, from $50 million when Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract
in 2001. (Source: New York Times, 03/11/10). Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is slated to be the
location for the Joint Strike Fighter Training School. More than 100 of the initial cadre at
33rd Fighter Wing have arrived, said Ashley Wright, a spokeswoman for Eglin. Training is
still expected to begin this year. However, that training could be on simulators only. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 03/12/10)
Keesler impact $1.1B
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – South Mississippi's Keesler Air Force Base's total
economic impact for fiscal year 2009 has been calculated at more than $1.1 billion. "We're
proud that Keesler continues to have a significant positive impact on the Mississippi Gulf
Coast's economy," said Brig. Gen. Ian Dickinson, commander, 81st Training Wing. In
addition to employee payroll figures and construction and purchases, the total impact
includes military retiree pay and the value of volunteer services as well as jobs indirectly
created on the Gulf Coast. Keesler, in Biloxi, is where the Air Force does training in
electronics. It's also home to the 403rd Reserve Wing. (Source: Keesler Air Force Base,
03/10/10)
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $8.8M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded an $8,823,078 contract which
purchase 100 focused lethality munitions-small diameter bomb I variant. At this time, the
entire amount has been obligated. 681 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 03/10/10)
Contract: BAE Systems, $23.2M
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Md., is being awarded a
$23,237,133 modification to a previously awarded contract 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. Other locations
are in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, California, Texas, the District of Columbia
and Germany. Work is expected to be completed in March 2011. The Naval Air Warfare
Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
03/09/10)
Despite tanker loss, opportunity calls
PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Despite the Northrop Grumman/EADS decision to drop out of the
$40 billion competition to build tankers for the Air Force, two local leaders say Jackson
County is still ripe for aerospace development. George Freeland, executive director of the
Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, said the Gulf Coast region “still
possesses all the ingredients necessary to support new aerospace and technical
development and job creation." Jerry St. Pé, former president of Ingalls Shipbuilding,
agreed, saying that there are "other opportunities in this whole sphere of aerospace
technology that this region is ideally positioned to take advantage of." Northrop and EADS
planned to build the tankers in nearby Mobile, Ala. (Source: Mississippi Press, 03/09/10)
Forum set to discuss NASA future
President Obama will spell out his vision for the future of American astronauts in space at a
conference in Florida on April 15. The president has been criticized over his plans to kill the
Constellation Program, designed to return astronauts to the moon and beyond. NASA has
spent $9 billion on the program. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said he hopes Obama will use the
meeting to lay out a goal and a timetable for sending astronauts to Mars. Nelson has
suggested continuing parts of Constellation, including the Orion crew capsule and the Ares I
rocket as a test vehicle for a future heavy-lift rocket. Although Constellation is under the
gun, the program passed a two-day preliminary design review last week. (Source: New York
Times, 03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis
Space Center, Miss., are both involved in Constellation.
EADS, like Northrop, scraps bidding on tanker
The parent company of Airbus, EADS, has dropped out of the contest to build the next
generation of tankers for the U.S. Air Force, leaving Boeing as the sole bidder. EADS
accused the U.S. government of skewing the competition in rival Boeing's favor. Ralph
Crosby, chairman of EADS North America, said the methodology for the contest "would
heavily weigh in the favor of the smaller, less capable Boeing tanker." EADS and Northrop
planned to offer a military version of the A330, while Boeing has opted for the 767. Northrop
earlier announced it would drop out. Northrop and EADS had complained that the RFP was
changed from the previous competition. Northrop and EADS won the last competition in
February 2008, but it was overturned after a protest by Boeing. (Source: Telegraph,
03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS wanted to assemble the tankers in Mobile,
Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex, creating at least 1,500 jobs.
Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $148.7M
McDonnell Douglas Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $148,668,470 contract which will
provide for 6,565 Lot 14 guided vehicle kits procured for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
purposes. 678 ARSS/PK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 03/08/10)
Contract: Boeing, $69.7M
Boeing Co., St Louis, Mo., was awarded a $69,702,919 contract which will provide for the
QF-16 full scale aerial target basic contract. 691 ARSS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the
contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/08/10)
Northrop won’t bid on tanker or protest RFP
Northrop Grumman says it won't compete for the U.S. Air Force's multibillion-dollar aerial
tanker contract, and furthermore will not protest the request for proposals. The decision
forces Airbus parent EADS to decide whether it will submit a solo bid. Northrop had
complained that the RFP was changed from the previous competition, and that this one
favors the smaller tanker being proposed by Boeing. Northrop and its partner EADS won the
last competition in February 2008, but it was overturned after a protest by Boeing. In a
statement from Northrop CEO Wes Bush, he said the company "will not protest," even
though it feels it has substantial grounds to support a GAO or court ruling to overturn the
revised source selection process. Bush said America's warfighters have waited too long for
a tanker. Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., said he was "deeply disappointed" Northrop won't be
bidding. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said the Air Force had a chance to provide the most
capable plane for warfighters and “blew it.” (Sources: Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Seattle
Times, Mobile Press-Register, Tcp, 03/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS wanted
to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., at Brookley Industrial Complex, creating at least
1,500 jobs.
F-35 carrier variant engine gets ISR
The Pratt and Whitney F135 conventional takeoff and landing/carrier variant engine for the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has received approval for operational use. Called initial service
release, it indicates the engine, with more than 13,000 test hours, meets all requirements for
safety, reliability and performance. It’s now approved for low-rate initial production. Pratt and
Whitney has delivered 17 flight test engines and the first production F135 engine, and
expects to deliver the final short take off and vertical landing flight test engine early this
year. The F-35 will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marines, as well as the military from
eight foreign partners. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/05/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla., will be the joint strike fighter training center.
Michoud working on final external tank
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Lockheed Martin workers at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility expect
to finish the last of 134 space shuttle external tanks by the end of June before shutting down
the production line for the aluminum-lithium structures. Completion of the tank for shipment
to Kennedy Space Center, Fla., is scheduled for June 29, to support the scheduled Sept. 16
launch of the shuttle Discovery on the final mission of the space shuttle era before the three-
orbiter fleet is retired. The government-owned fabrication facility was scheduled for
assembly by Boeing of the upper stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, but the Obama
administration has proposed canceling the program of post-shuttle vehicles. (Source:
Aviation Week, 03/04/10)
State money for Michoud on “hold”
A project that won a commitment of state dollars is now in a "holding pattern" because of the
uncertainty of federal support. Louisiana allocated $102 million to help Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans transition from making external fuel tanks for the space shuttle to
helping with NASA's Constellation program. President Obama's 2011 budget proposal
canceled Constellation, so the state put an "informal hold" on the remaining $46 million for
Michoud, according to Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret. On
another matter, Moret told legislators his agency is shifting resources from out-of-state
recruiting to retaining existing businesses and helping them expand. He said the business-
retention program has proven popular. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 03/04/10)
Boeing to offer 767
Boeing said today that it will offer a 767-based aerial refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force's
multibillion-dollar competition, according to Reuters. The 767 will have an updated digital
flight deck and a fly-by-wire refueling boom. Boeing said the tanker would meet all the Air
Force's 372 requirements and offered a low-risk manufacturing option. Dow Jones
Newswires reports Boeing will present a proposal by May. 10. There's no word yet on
whether the Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which said the current rules favor the smaller
Boeing plane, will bid. (Sources: Reuters, 03/04/10) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop/EADS
team wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Commander permanently removed
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The commanding officer of Naval Air Station Pensacola has been
permanently relieved of command following an inquiry into alleged “inappropriate conduct.”
Capt. William P. Reavey was relieved by Rear Adm. Tim Alexander, commander of Navy
Region Southeast, Wednesday due to loss of confidence in Reavey’s judgment and ability to
command. Reavey was temporarily removed from his command at NAS Pensacola last week.
(Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/03/10)
NO airport ranked low in satisfaction
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louis Armstrong International Airport ranks next-to-last among 24
small American airports in customer satisfaction. That’s according to a biennial survey
released by J.D. Power and Associates. At least 100 passengers provided ratings for 27
attributes in six major categories: airport accessibility, baggage claim, check-in process,
terminal facilities, security check and food and retail services. (Source: Times-Picayune,
03/02/10)
Contract: Vertex, $7.9M
L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $7,869,228 contract
to provide for aircraft flight line maintenance for F-16 aircraft and add sharpshooter
targeting pod maintenance in support of Taiwan's F-16 program at Luke Air Force Base,
Ariz. AETC/CONS/LGCI, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 03/02/10)
EADS still wants to bid on tanker?
Northrop Grumman said Tuesday it's getting closer to a decision on whether to bid on a
multibillion-dollar aerial tanker contract. But a European source told Reuters that partner
EADS wants to bid. The Northrop Grumman/EADS team won the contract in February 2008,
but it was overturned following a Boeing protest. Northrop said in December that the new
contest's rules favor Boeing's smaller plane, and it threatened not to bid. A European
source said EADS remains interested in gaining a bigger foothold in the United States.
(Source: Reuters, 03/02/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS want to
assemble the tanker in Mobile, Ala.
F-35 suit settled
VALPARAISO, Fla. - Valparaiso and the Air Force reached a settlement in the legal battle
over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. City residents have been concerned over the noise
expected when Eglin opens the F-35 joint training center. The suit was filed over use of a
runway close to the city of Valparaiso. The agreement has the Air Force using it only when
necessary. The Air Force also agreed to pay Valparaiso attorney fees of $60,000, and will
set up a committee to address any future noise issues. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily
News, 03/01/10)
Stennis gets new director
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Patrick Scheuermann, deputy director of Stennis Space
Center, has been named the new director of the NASA facility. He replaces Arthur “Gene”
Goldman, who will become deputy director of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
The announcements, effective immediately, were made today by NASA Administrator
Charles Bolden. Before being named deputy director of Stennis, Scheuermann was
associate director at the center and previously served as chief operating officer of NASA's
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. (Source: NASA, 03/01/10)
Orion marks milestone with heat shield
The Lockheed Martin-led team developing the Orion crew exploration vehicle completed
fabrication of the world’s largest heat shield structure. The shield is 16.4 feet in diameter
and protects the spacecraft and its crew from the extreme temperatures experienced during
re-entry. The work was completed at Lockheed Martin’s composite development facility in
Denver, Colo. The heat shield will be applied to the Orion ground test article, which is the
first full-sized, flight-like test article for Orion being built at the Michoud Assembly Facility in
New Orleans. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/01/10)
FEBRUARY 2010
Brookley gets new aerospace company
MOBILE, Ala. – Regent Aerospace of Valencia, Calif., will open a facility at Brookley
Industrial Complex adjacent to ST Aerospace Mobile. The company plans a two-phase entry
into the Mobile market, first with 90 people at the former DHL building to perform aircraft
interior refurbishing work, then later with the purchase, lease or construction of a larger
facility to double the workforce. Regent has seven facilities in the United States and one
each in China and France. The company performs aircraft refurbishments for airlines and
manufactures aircraft parts and survival equipment. (Source: Mobile Airport Authority,
Mobile Press-Register, 02/26/10)
Contract: Northrop Grumman, $49M
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Annapolis, Md., is being awarded a $49,099,073 cost-
plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for services and materials for
depot level repair and maintenance of airborne mine countermeasures systems. Systems
include: AN/AQS-14A sonar detecting set; AN/AQS-24 mine hunting system; AN/ALQ-141
acoustic minehunting/minesweeping system; CP-2614/T common post mission analysis; and
USM-668 intermediate level test equipment and swivel slip-ring assembly. Work will be
performed in Panama City, Fla., and is expected to be completed by February 2015. The
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Panama City, Fla., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/25/10)
Delta to add flights at new airport
Delta Air Lines will add two additional flights per day with larger aircraft when the new
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport near Panama City, Fla., opens in late May.
The airport executive director said the new jets will be 140-seat MD-88s. Delta currently
uses Atlantic Southeast Airlines and its regional Bombardier Canadair jets in the 50- and 70-
seat range. The new airport has a 10,000-foot runway. (Source: Panama City News Herald,
02/24/10)
Suit may be near end
The city of Valparaiso, Fla., and the Air Force may be close to settling a lawsuit filed almost
a year ago, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. Nearby Eglin Air Force Base is
slated to become home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center, but Valparaiso has been
concerned about noise from the F-35. The city sued the Air Force in March 2009 over use
of a runway near the city without consideration of other options. But the Valparaiso city
attorney, without providing details, indicated a settlement may be near and discussions
would end soon. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 02/25/10)
Stennis discusses AJ26 testing
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Stennis Director Gene Goldman today confirmed the
center will test Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines for Orbital Sciences Corp. as part of a NASA
partnership with the companies. Stennis operators have been modifying their E-1 Test
Stand since last April for the AJ26 engines. Work has included construction of a 27-foot-
deep flame deflector trench. The AJ26 Aerojet engines will power Orbital’s Taurus II space
launch vehicle for missions to supply the International Space Station. (Source: NASA,
02/24/10) See previous story.
Lawmakers briefed on tanker rules
WASHINGTON - Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn and other top officials briefed
senior lawmakers today about the final terms for a $35 billion aerial tanker competition.
Among the first were Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin and Sen. John
McCain. Rep. Norm Dicks said the changes in the RFP are “rather minimal,” and that the Air
Force reduced requirements for the contract from 373 to 372. Sen. Jeff Session of Alabama
said he’s “disappointed,” and Rep. Mike Rogers, also from Alabama, said, “I don’t think it
looks promising.” (Source: Reuters, Bloomberg, New York Times, 02/24/10) Gulf Coast note:
Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team both want to build the tankers.
Northrop/EADS would assemble them in Mobile, Ala.
Stennis awards contract
NASA's Stennis Space Center has awarded a contract to ASRC Research and Technology
Solutions LLC, a small business in Greenbelt, Md., to provide information and technical
services at the center. The two-year contract, which includes three one-year options, is
valued at $54.5 million. The company will supply a broad range of information, technical,
technology and applied science services. (Sources: Article Ant, UPI, 02/24/10)
RFP to be released Wednesday
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers were told today that the Air Force will release final terms for the
$35 billion tanker competition on Wednesday. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, Deputy
Defense Secretary William Lynn, and Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter will brief
lawmakers then hold a news conference at the Pentagon. Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team both want to build the tankers. (Source: Reuters, 02/23/10) Gulf
Coast note: Northrop Grumman and EADS want to assemble tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Gates expects two tanker bids
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday that he expects two parties to bid on
the Air Force tanker project, according to Reuters. The final tanker requirements
will be released as soon as Tuesday, but no later than the end of the month. The
Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which sees the draft request for proposals as
favoring the smaller Boeing plane, has threatened not to bid. Meanwhile, Gov.
Chris Gregoire of Washington state and the governors of eight other states that
stand to gain with a Boeing win were in Washington D.C., Monday pulling for a
Boeing win. They announced the formation of "U.S. Tanker 2010" at the National
Press Club. While that was going on, a new effort was launched to push for
awarding the contract to both Boeing and Northrop. It's called BuildThemBoth.com,
which claims 100,000 U.S. jobs would be created by building two different tankers.
(Sources: Reuters, Everett Herald, Seattle Times, 02/22/10). Gulf Coast note: The
tankers would be assembled in Washington state with a Boeing win and Mobile,
Ala., with a Northrop/EADS win.
Airport traffic declines
MOBILE, Ala. - Passenger traffic at Mobile Regional Airport in 2009 almost broke
even compared to 2008. Nearby neighbors did not fare as well as Mobile, with
Mississippi’s Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and Florida’s Pensacola Gulf
Coast Regional Airport both suffering declines steeper than the national average.
(Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/21/10)
F-35 operational date re-evaluated
The Air Force is re-evaluating when the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be ready for
service. That's what Air Combat Command chief Gen. William Fraser told reporters
Friday at an Air Force Association-sponsored conference in Orlando, Fla. Fraser
said the program restructuring announced Feb. 1 will extend the plane's system
design and development phase until 2015, two years after the Air Force had
planned to begin operating the aircraft. (Source: Defense News, 02/19/10)
Meanwhile, a Lockheed Martin vice president said at the symposium that the U.S.
Air Force officially becomes the first F-35 customer later this year when the first of
the stealth fighters is delivered to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Steve O'Bryan,
Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 Business Development and Customer
Engagement, said the first two production F-35s are in final assembly at
Lockheed's plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The Air Force plans to operate 1,763 F-35As.
(Source: PRNewswire, 02/19/10)
Contract: Hansel Phelps, $37.6M
Hensel Phelps Construction, Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $37,583,000 firm-fixed-
price contract for Special Forces complex Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. This project
will require construction of the primary facilities. Work is to be performed at Eglin
Air Force Base, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 8, 2011. U.S. Corps of
Engineers, Mobile Regional Contracting Center, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting
activity. (Source: DoD, 02/19/10)
ST Engineering profits down
Singapore Technologies Engineering said profit fell 6 percent for the year as the
firm's aerospace division struggled with the worldwide recession. Profit fell to
$314.5 million while revenue grew 4 percent for the year to $3.93 billion. The
company is the parent of ST Aerospace Mobile, which employs 1,300 at Mobile's
Brookley Field Industrial Complex in Alabama, and VT Halter Marine, which employs
1,100-plus at shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, Miss. (Source:
Mobile Press-Register, 02/19/10)
New tanker battleground
A Northrop Grumman team was in North Carolina Wednesday to enlist the state as
an ally in the battle to build Air Force tankers. Boeing and Northrop both want to
win a $40 billion contract to build tankers. Northrop won the contract two years
ago, but Boeing successfully had it overturned. Northrop has said it won't submit a
bid if the current draft for proposal, which it says favors the smaller Boeing plane,
isn't changed. The Northrop team told state officials a Northrop/EADS win would
mean 1,500 jobs in the state. Rep. Pryor Gibson said that if Northrop's numbers are
true, he'll write to the Pentagon and White House in support. (Source: Raleigh
News Observer, 02/18/10) Meanwhile, the Air Force is bracing for a possible sole-
source bid from Boeing. Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, military deputy in charge of
acquisition for the Air Force, said the Pentagon is following a policy of "don't
change anything that potentially favors one competitor over another." The
Pentagon expects to release the final terms for the competition between Feb. 23
and the end of the month. (Source: Reuters, 02/18/10) Gulf Coast note: The
Northrop and EADS plans to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala., if they win the
contract.
Global Hawk sets flight mark
The RQ-4 Global Hawk surpassed 30,000 combat flying hours and 1,500 combat
sorties Feb. 10 during deployment in Southwest Asia. The Global Hawks are
assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing from Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and
provide a broad spectrum of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
collection capability to support joint combatant forces. The 380th AEW Global
Hawks reached their 1,500th combat sortie on Feb. 10. The RQ-4 arrived to this
deployed location in October 2001 as a test platform and was never intended to fly
as many sorties as it has. (Source: AFNS, 02/18/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks
are built in part at the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center in Moss
Point, Miss.
Third test F-35B now at Patuxent River
A third F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River,
Md., to begin testing. The short takeoff/vertical landing joins two other F-35B
aircraft at the naval base. The jet, known as BF-3, took off from Fort Worth, Texas
Wednesday and arrived at NAS Patuxent River three hours and 10 minutes later.
The plane will be used to evaluate vehicle systems and will also focus on weapons
testing. It will carry and release most of the weapons the F-35B will use in combat.
(Source: Lockheed Martin, 02/17/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will
be the Joint Strike Fighter training center.
SBIRS hits milestone
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - Lockheed Martin said it’s achieved a key integrated test
milestone on the second Space-Based Infrared System geosynchronous orbit
satellite. SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches and
support other missions. The GEO-2 satellite completed its first phase of Baseline
Integrated System Test (BIST-1), which establishes a performance baseline for the
remainder of the test program. The spacecraft is planned for launch aboard an
Atlas V in 2012. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 02/16/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed
Martin Mississippi Space & Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
builds subsystems for the SBIRS.
Fire Scout shows resupply capability
Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated that its MQ-8B Fire Scout
unmanned helicopter can resupply troops deployed on a combat mission. The
company conducted the autonomous proof-of-principle resupply capability during
the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, Ga. The Fire Scout had
two ruggedized containers attached to external pylons. Fire Scout flew
autonomously from take-off to the cargo drop to landing. The VUAS also used its
electro-optical/infrared optical payload during the mission to practice
reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition techniques. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 02/15/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss Point,
Miss.; the Army recently dropped plans to buy Fire Scouts.
Airborne laser downs missile
Boeing and Northrop Grumman may be locked in battle over the Air Force tanker
project, but they were both cheering a test where a Boeing 747 equipped with a
Northrop Grumman laser gun shot down a missile over the Pacific late Thursday
night. It was a major milestone in the development of the nation's missile defense
system. (Sources: Multiple, including Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Boeing,
Northrop Grumman, 02/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Both companies have operations
along the Gulf Coast region.
Global Hawk continues Haiti work
An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft has flown six missions
and provided more than 3,600 images of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and other areas
damaged by the Jan. 12 earthquake and aftershocks. The day after the quake, an
Air Force Block 10 Global Hawk was diverted by the 12th Reconnaissance
Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., from its trip en-route to support wartime
operations in Afghanistan to assist in relief efforts. Since then it’s been operating
out of Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/12/10)
Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
AGT one of two NASA award winners
NASA presented its highest honor for quality and performance, the George M. Low
Award, to two companies during NASA's seventh annual Project Management
Challenge in Galveston, Texas. The winners were United Space Alliance of
Houston and Applied Geo Technologies of Choctaw, Miss. Tribally owned AGT
provides scientific, laboratory and geographic analysis services, maintains
measurement standards and calibrates and repairs instrumentation at NASA's
Stennis Space Center, Miss. AGT received the award in the small business service
category. United Space Alliance provides a variety of services at Kennedy Space
Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center. (Source:
PRNewswire, 02/10/10)
Certification testing of RS-68A begins
Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne has completed the initial step in certifying the RS-
68A rocket engine by successfully hot-fire testing the first certification engine. The
RS-68A is an upgrade of the RS-68, a liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen booster engine
that will provide increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency for the Delta IV
family of launch vehicles. During the hot-fire test at Stennis Space Center, Miss.,
the first RS-68A certification engine successfully burned for 190 seconds, with
operating time split between 102 percent and 55 percent power levels. Pratt and
Whitney Rocketdyne will hot-fire test the first RS-68A certification engine a
minimum of 12 times through February and follow that with a similar series of hot-
fire tests on its second certification engine in March and April. (Source: Pratt and
Whitney, 02/10/10)
Work continues on air show
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Work is continuing on Eglin's 2010 Open House and
Air Show. The event, scheduled for April 10 and 11, is the first since 2007. This
year's theme is "75 Years of Eglin Pride." The Air Force Thunderbirds, a precision
flying team, and the Army's Black Daggers, a parachute demonstration team, are
already confirmed performers for both days. The show will also include static
displays. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 02/10/10)
Dutch training in Hancock County
HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – Pilots from the Netherlands have been doing some
training at Stennis International Airport this week. They are training to become part
of the Dutch F-16 flight demonstration team. The pilots are training in Hancock
County in part because of the less-crowded air space. (Source: WLOX-TV, 02/09/10)
AeroMexico reduces flights
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The first international airline to offer direct service to New
Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is reducing service to the city next month.
AeroMexico has offered nonstop flights to Mexico City that continued on to San
Pedro Sula, Honduras, from New Orleans since July. The flights operated six times
a week. According to AeroMexico's Web site, flights will be available in March only
on Mondays and Fridays. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 02/10/10)
Shelby lifts many holds
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., lifted many of his holds on President Obama's
nominations to administration posts. The move may temper a threat by Democratic
leaders in the Senate that the administration would make recess appointments
during next week's Presidents' Day break. Last week Shelby placed a hold on
nominees over concerns about an Air Force tanker project that could benefit
Mobile and funding for a counterterrorism center that would benefit Huntsville.
Shelby still has holds on nominees directly related to the tanker project. (Source:
New York Times, 02/08/10)
Rep. John Murtha dies
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., died Monday at 77. Murtha, chairman of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee on defense, was elected to Congress in 1974 and
was among the most hawkish of Democrats. He was one of the first to advocate
buying Air Force tankers from both the Northrop Grumman/EADS team and Boeing.
Murtha had been suffering from complications from gallbladder surgery. (Source:
Multiple, including New York Times, USA Today, 02/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop
and EADS plan to build the tankers in Mobile, Ala., if they end up bidding on and
winning all or a portion of the $40 billion contract.
France wants chance to compete
PARIS - French Defense Minister Hervé Morin said he told U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates that he hoped EADS and Northrop Grumman would get a fair chance
to compete for the U.S. Air Force refueling tanker. He said at a joint news
conference he reminded Gates "that when one is a country that stands up for the
market economy, it can't be a one-way street." Northrop Grumman says the draft
request for proposals favors the smaller Boeing offering and has threatened to
withdraw from the competition if the RFP is not modified. The final RFP is expected
this month. (Source: Defense News, 02/08/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and EADS
hope to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala.
Tanker, center cause Shelby’s hold
In the latest twist of the Air Force tanker competition, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.,
placed a hold on dozens of President Obama's nominees. A spokesman said
Shelby's concerned about the tanker request for proposal and funding for a
counterterrorism center. On the tanker issue, Boeing is competing against the
Northrop Grumman/EADS team, which wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile,
Ala. Northrop sees the draft RFP as tilted towards the smaller Boeing plane and
won't bid if the RFP isn't changed. On the center, Shelby is concerned the
president's proposed 2011 budget rescinds funds to build the FBI Terrorist
Explosives Devices Analytical Center in Huntsville. Robert Gibbs, the White House
press secretary, called the hold an example of a broken Washington. (Sources:
Multiple, including New York Times, Mobile Press-Register, TPM, 02/05/10)
Hurlburt group wins award
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The Air Force has awarded the 720th Special Tactics Group
with the Gallant Unit Citation for heroism in combat. The award was given for the
unit’s work during Operation MEDUSA, which lasted through all of 2006 and 2007 in
Afghanistan. The 720th was the only Air Force unit to receive a Gallant Unit Citation
during that period. Combat controllers act as air traffic controllers for fighter jets.
A tactical control party helps them aim air strikes at enemy targets. (Source:
Northwest Florida Daily News, 02/04/10)
Northrop Grumman 4Q report
Northrop Grumman Corp. reported Thursday it posted a fourth-quarter net
earnings of $413 million, and 2009 net earnings of $1.7 billion. Last year the
company reported a fourth quarter net loss of $2.5 billion and net loss for the year
of $1.3 billion. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Los Angeles-
based Northrop Grumman has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region.
First F-35 production engine delivered
Pratt and Whitney delivered the first F135 production engine for the F-35 Joint
Strike Fighter. The engine has accrued more than 13,000 hours in testing during
the development program. (Source: Pratt and Whitney, 02/02/10) In another F-35
development, Wyle air crew personnel became the first aviators to aerially refuel
the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the F-35 using a probe-and-
drogue refueling system during a recent mission at Lockheed Martin’s Ft. Worth,
Texas, manufacturing facility. (Source: PRNewswire, 02/03/10) Gulf Coast note: The
F-35 training center will be at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Contract: NW Florida Contractors, $8M
NorthWest Florida Contractors Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an
$8,096,083 contract to provide all plant, materials, labor, equipment, and all
operations in connection with the construction of various reinforced concrete
targets on specified test areas as shown on contract drawings, at Eglin Air Force
Base, Fla. 96 CONS/PKA, Eglin Air Force Base is the contracting activity. (Source:
DoD, 02/03/10)
Services to get F-35s on time
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday said the services will receive F-35
Joint Strike Fighters on time but in smaller numbers. Gates, who testified before
the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon's fiscal 2011 budget
request, said fewer F-35s will be produced during the initial years of production
than originally anticipated. The first training squadron of JSFs will still arrive at
Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in 2011. The Marine Corps will start receiving its version
of the F-35 in 2012, the Air Force in 2013 and the Navy in 2014. (Source: The Hill,
02/02/10)
Work to continue on A-3
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Work will continue on the A-3 rocket test stand
regardless of President Obama's budget plans to kill the Constellation program
and the Ares I rocket. Stennis Director Gene Goldman told the Sun Herald Tuesday
that construction could take another year and a half on the $300 million project.
Goldman said $157 million has been spent already, with about $43 million more
contracted. Goldman also doesn't expect the president's plan to create a loss of
civil service employees, but he won't know the status on contract labor for several
months. Stennis has more than 400 civil servants and more than 1,800 contractors.
(Source: Sun Herald, 02/02/10)
Tanker refuels AWACS
An Airbus A330 tanker transport marked a new milestone with the aerial refueling
of a French Air Force E-3F AWACS radar aircraft. The plane transferred more than
65,000 pounds of fuel during two missions. The latest refueling missions were part
of the flight test and military certification program for the Royal Australian Air
Force’s A330. Australia has ordered five aircraft, the first of which will be delivered
later this year. The military A330 is the basis of Northrop Grumman's KC-45 tanker
offered for the U.S. Air Force. (Source: EADS North America, 02/02/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop and EADS North America plan to assemble Air Force tankers in
Mobile, Ala., if they win all or a part of the Pentagon contract.
NASA awards $50M
NASA awarded $50 million in stimulus money to five teams in support of the
transportation of crew to and from low Earth orbit. The award came the same day
the president's budget was submitted to Congress. It provided no money for the
Constellation Program, which aimed to return astronauts to the moon, and instead
favors investing in a commercial space taxi to ferry astronauts to the International
Space Station. In awarding the money, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the
agency is "pleased to be able to quickly move forward to advance this exciting
plan for NASA." The money is the result of open competition for funds from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Sierra Nevada Corp. of Louisville, Colo.,
was awarded $20 million and Boeing in Houston was awarded $18 million. United
Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colo., Blue Origin of Kent, Wash., and Paragon
Space Development Corp., Tucson, Ariz., will get $6.7 million, $3.7 million and $1.4
million, respectively. (Source: NASA, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the
Constellation Program.
Marketing group backs dual tanker buy
The Aerospace Alliance, a marketing partnership of Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Northwest Florida, said Monday that it now supports buying aerial
tankers from both Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. In a story on the
group's Web site, it said buying from both competitors would mean 36 tankers a
year rather than 12 and create up to 100,000 jobs nationwide. When the group
formed in October 2009, it said its priority was to support Northrop/EADS' effort to
win the competition to replace the Air Force's tanker fleet. Northrop/EADS wants to
assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala. But in December Northrop threatened to drop
out of the bidding on grounds the draft request for proposal favors the smaller
Boeing plane. The Pentagon has said it does not want to buy planes from both
manufacturers, and it will only make minor RFP modifications. (Source: Tcp,
02/01/10)
Budget: $12B for five years for tanker
The Pentagon expects to award a contract for the new refueling tanker this
summer and allocated $12 billion to pay for the program over the next five fiscal
years. Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers, the Air Force’s budget official, said the final
request for bids will be issued this month. There is no guarantee Congress won’t
interject itself into the decision. Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team,
which wants to assemble the tankers in Mobile, Ala., are locked in an intense
lobbying battle over the $35 billion contract. (Source: The Hill, 02/01/10)
Gates replaces F-35 chief
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is replacing the general in charge
of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and withholding $614 million in award fees
from contractor Lockheed Martin. The F-35 program manager, Air Force Maj. Gen.
David Heinz, will be replaced by a yet-to-be-announced higher-ranking general.
The Pentagon plans to buy more than 2,400 F-35s over the next 25 years for the Air
Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Gates disclosed the changes as he released the
Pentagon’s proposed $708.3 billion spending package for fiscal 2011. (Source: New
York Times, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be the home
of the JSF training center.
Battle brewing over NASA budget
U.S. astronauts won't return to the moon as planned if Congress passes President
Obama's proposed $19 billion NASA budget. But the commitment to the
International Space Station will extend to 2020, and $6 billion will be invested in a
plan to have commercial companies get more involved in space flight. The budget
will now be sliced and diced by Congress. Some predict a major battle. Sen.
Richard Shelby, R-Ala., says the budget "begins the death march for the future of U.
S. human space flight." The Constellation Program, which sought to send
astronauts to the moon by 2020, also envisioned establishing a moon colony. But
the White House Budget Office says it's behind schedule, over budget and overall
less important than other space investments. (Sources: Multiple, including CNN,
Space Daily, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Washington Post, 02/01/10)
UAV market to total $80B in 10 years
WASHINGTON - While the rate of growth may decline somewhat, unmanned aerial
vehicles continue to be the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace
industry, report Teal analysts in their latest integrated market analysis. Teal
Group's 2010 market study estimates that UAV spending will more than double
over the next decade from current worldwide UAV expenditures of $4.9 billion
annually to $11.5 billion, totaling just over $80 billion in the next ten years. (Source:
PRNewswire, 02/01/10) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawk and Fire Scout unmanned
systems are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.
JANUARY 2010
Contract: Kachemak, $9.8M
Kachemak Research Development, Inc., Logan, Utah, was awarded a $9,774,048
contract which will provide for robotics research in support of AutoScan 31G for
robotic perimeter security applications. 325 CONS/LGCB, Tyndall Air Force Base,
Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/10)
Contract: Raytheon, $23.7M
Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $23,684,516 contract
which will replace obsolete parts within the guidance section data processor
module and modify the supporting missile hardware and software architecture as
required to continue production of the existing missile systems. 695 ARSS, Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/29/10)
Budget has $11 billion for JSF, boosts SOF
The Pentagon's 2011 budget will seek nearly $11 billion for the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter, boosts funds special operations forces and puts the Air Force on track to
award a tanker contract in the summer of 2010, according to a draft overview
obtained by Defense News. The budget is due to be sent to Congress Feb. 1.
(Source: Defense News, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base will be
home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center; Northwest Florida and South
Mississippi are home to several special operations organizations; if Northrop
Grumman/EADS compete for and win the tanker contract, the planes will be
assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Margin focus may play role in tanker bidding
Northrop Grumman’s threat to pull out of bidding for the tanker program, which
would leave Boeing as the sole bidder, may resonate with investors who want new
Chief Executive Officer Wes Bush to ensure profitability at the third largest U.S.
defense contractor. Bloomberg writes about some of the factors, including profit
margins, that will come into play when the Pentagon releases final requirements
for the $35 billion contract next month. (Source: Bloomberg, 01/29/10) Gulf Coast
note: Northrop Grumman and teammate EADS want to build the tankers in Mobile,
Ala.
Goodrich 4Q report
Goodrich Corp. earned a $105 million profit in the fourth quarter, down 38 percent
from $168.7 million in the last three months of 2008. Quarterly sales fell 3 percent
to $1.64 billion. For the year, Goodrich earned $597.3 million, down 12.3 percent
from $681.2 million in 2008. Goodrich, based in Charlotte, N.C., employs about 720
people at its service center in Foley, Ala. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/29/10)
Contract: Dyncorp, $6.7M
Dyncorp International, LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,745,095
contract for continued contractor logistics support for 12 U.S. Navy UC-35C/D
aircraft. Seventeen percent of the work will be done at Naval Air Station New
Orleans, La. Other work sites are Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Marine Corps Air
Station Futenma, Japan, MCAS Miramar, Calif., and MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. Work is
expected to be completed in November 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command,
Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/28/10)
Lockheed Martin 4Q report
Lockheed Martin Corp. reported fourth quarter 2009 net earnings of $827 million
compared to $823 million in 2008. Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2009 were
$12.5 billion, a 13 percent increase over the $11.1 billion in 2008. For the year
ended Dec. 31, 2009, net earnings were $3 billion compared to $3.2 billion in 2008.
Net sales for 2009 were $45.2 billion, a 6 percent increase over the $42.7 billion in
2008. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Lockheed Martin has
multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Raytheon 4Q report
Raytheon Co. reported fourth quarter 2009 income from continuing operations of
$517 million, up 21 percent compared to $428 million in the fourth quarter 2008.
EPS from continuing operations for the fourth quarter 2009 was $1.30, up 29
percent compared to $1.01 in the fourth quarter 2008. (Source: Raytheon via
PRNewswire, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast note: Massachusetts-based Raytheon has
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Teledyne 4Q report
Teledyne Technologies reported fourth quarter 2009 sales of $454.4 million,
compared with sales of $464.8 million for the same period of 2008. Net income for
the fourth quarter of 2009 was $32.2 million compared with net income of $19.9
million in the fourth quarter of 2008. (Source: Business Wire, 01/28/10) Gulf Coast
note: Teledyne Continental Motors of Mobile, Ala., is a subsidiary of California-
based Teledyne Technologies.
Return to moon dead?
Louisiana's U.S. senators are concerned about reports that President Barack
Obama is planning to provide the space agency with no money in his 2011 budget
for a NASA rocket program to replace the space shuttle. A Florida newspaper has
reported that Obama is dropping plans by the Bush administration to return
astronauts to the moon through the Constellation Program, and wants NASA to
focus on earth science projects like research on global warming. (Source: New
Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: NASA's Michoud Assembly
Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are both involved in the
Constellation Program.
First UK pilot flies F-35
PATUXENT RIVER, Md - A Royal Air Force officer on Tuesday became the first active-
duty service pilot from the United Kingdom to fly an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. RAF
Squadron Leader Steve Long piloted BF-2, the second short takeoff/vertical
landing F-35B, over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., logging the aircraft's
18th mission. He flew the aircraft to 20,000 feet before landing 1.3 hours later. Both
the RAF and the Royal Navy plan to operate the F-35B. Long said he was
particularly pleased with the sensors and the level of situational awareness. He
was the third active-duty service member to fly the F-35. It’s also been flown by U.
S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps pilots. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 01/27/10) Gulf
Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter
training center.
Michoud preps for Ares I production
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Work is well underway to prepare Michoud Assembly Facility
for the work it will do on the Ares I upper stage and avionics. The Constellation
Program’s Ares I rocket is being developed to launch the next generation of
astronauts into space. The rocket had a successful test Oct. 28 at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., the first time in more than a generation that NASA tested a new
rocket. Boeing is the production and design partner for the Ares I upper stage,
also called the second stage, and instrument unit avionics, the “brains.” Tooling to
produce the upper stage requires a nearly three-story building, and work is
underway to reinforce floors in the Boeing Ares areas. Once reinforced, a robotic
weld tool and a machining center will be installed. Construction has begun on a
Vertical Assembly Building where the upper stages will be assembled. Currently 15
Boeing employees work at Michoud but that number is expected to grow to 120 by
the end of 2010. Boeing also built the first stage of the Saturn V at Michoud.
(Source: Michoud Messenger, January 2010)
Pilot’s remains recovered
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The body of Lt. Clinton Wermers, a Navy pilot whose training
plane crashed Saturday in Lake Pontchartrain, has been recovered by divers.
Wermers and a student aviator were in a T-34 assigned to Naval Air Station Whiting
Field in Milton, Fla., when they crashed on approach to the New Orleans Lakefront
Airport. The student was rescued Saturday. Wermer’s remains were recovered
Wednesday around 1 a.m. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/27/10)
United Technologies 4Q report
United Technologies Corp. reported fourth quarter 2009 net income of $1.1 billion,
down 6 percent over the year ago quarter. Results for the current quarter include
an $0.08 per share charge for restructuring costs net of one time items. (Source:
UTC via PRNewswire, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Connecticut-based United
Technologies has activities in the Gulf Coast region, in part through subsidiary
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
General Dynamics 4Q report
General Dynamics reported 2009 fourth-quarter earnings from continuing
operations of $618 million compared to 2008 fourth-quarter earnings from
continuing operations of $630 million. Full-year 2009 earnings from continuing
operations were $2.41 billion compared to $2.48 billion for 2008. (Source: GD via
PRNewswire, 01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Virginia-based General Dynamics has
activities in the Gulf Coast region.
Boeing 4Q report
The Boeing Co.reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.3 billion as revenue rose
42 percent to $17.9 billion. Current period results reflect solid performance across
core businesses and represent a significant improvement over the year-ago
quarter, which included a labor strike and a charge on the 747 program. Revenue
for the full year reached a record $68.3 billion. (Source: Boeing via PRNewswire,
01/27/10) Gulf Coast note: Chicago-based Boeing has activities in the Gulf Coast
region.
Contract: CSC, $29.5M
CSC Applied Technologies LLC of Fort Worth, Texas was awarded a $29,513,871
contract which will provide for base operating support service at Keesler Air
Force Base, Miss. 81 CONS, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity.
(Source: DoD, 01/26/10)
Cyber AF earns initial operating capability
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The commander of Air Force Space Command
certified 24th Air Force for its initial operational capability Jan. 22. The 24th Air
Force, activated in August 2009 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is a component
numbered Air Force subordinate to Air Force Space Command located at Peterson.
"Cyberspace operations represent one of the critical and major areas of growth
within the Air Force today," said Maj. Gen. Richard Webber, the 24th Air Force
commander. (Source: AFNS, 01/25/10) Gulf Coast note: Air Force cyber training is
done at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
Hurlburt works to save lives
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Medics from the 1st Special Operations Support Squadron
have performed dozens of surgeries, evacuated scores of citizens and delivered
tons of supplies as part of the ongoing relief effort in Haiti after the Jan. 12
earthquake. The squadron's special operations surgical teams, special operations
critical care evacuation teams, and special operations forces medical elements
arrived in Haiti Jan. 13. "Up until a few days ago, our medics were the only military
surgical capability in the country and the only surgical presence at the embassy,"
said Lt. Col. Jeremy Kokenes, the 1st SOSS operations director, who is in frequent
contact with his personnel in Haiti. (Source: AFNS, 01/26/10)
EU complains about WTO ruling gap
A 10-month gap between World Trade Organization rulings on cases involving
government subsidies to Boeing and Airbus could hinder the ability of the EU and
U.S. to arrive at a settlement. An EU spokeswoman said the two cases are so
similar that the WTO appeals body should rule on both at the same time. The WTO
in September said Airbus was receiving subsidies, but won’t rule on the alleged
subsidies to Boeing until June. (Source: Business Week, 01/25/10) Gulf Coast note:
Airbus parent EADS is teamed with Northrop Grumman and competing against
Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. EADS plans to assemble the planes in
Mobile, Ala.
Pilot presumed dead
NEW ORLEANS, La.-- A Navy pilot whose training airplane crashed Saturday into
Lake Pontchartrain is presumed dead, and the search is now a recovery mission.
The pilot has been identified as Navy Lt. Clinton Wermers, a native of South
Dakota. He was the instructor aboard a T-34C that also carried a student aviator.
They were assigned to Training Squadron 6 at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, in
Milton, Fla. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/25/10)
Search to continue for missing pilot
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The search will continue Monday for a missing pilot whose
Navy trainer crashed into Lake Pontchartrain, just outside New Orleans, Saturday
around 7 p.m. The T-34C Turbomentor training plane from Naval Air Station Whiting
Field, Fla., had two pilots on board. One pilot was rescued Saturday, reportedly
with minor injuries. The plane was conducting a routine training mission. (Sources:
CNN, Mississippi Press, Pensacola News Journal, 01/24/10)
Oceanographers help in Haiti
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – Oceanographers from the Naval Meteorology and
Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center are heavily involved in relief
efforts in Haiti. Stennis-based personnel are conducting hydrographic surveys of
ports of interest around Haiti to determine navigational hazards for ships bringing
aid to Haiti. Personnel from the command’s Naval Oceanographic Office have
conducted airborne lidar surveys of Port-au-Prince using the CHARTS system
aboard a Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft. Other NAVO personnel are aboard the
naval oceanographic 329-foot survey ship USNS Henson. (Source: NNS, 01/22/10)
Taurus test now expected in April
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – First stage engine testing for the Taurus 2 rocket
at Stennis Space Center is expected in April or May. Orbital Sciences is still hoping
for a March 2011 debut of the company’s medium-lift Taurus 2 rocket, according to
Frank Culbertson, Orbital senior vice president. Orbital is building the Taurus 2 to
launch the company's Cygnus cargo freighter to the International Space Station.
The Taurus 2 rocket first stage will use a pair of kerosene-fueled AJ26 main
engines provided by Aerojet Corp. The first batch of AJ26 engines is slated to
arrive at Stennis no earlier than March, nearly a year later than expected in
schedules announced in late 2008. (Source: Spaceflight Now, 01/20/10)
Mayor urges split tanker buy to Obama
WASHINGTON - Mobile Mayor Sam Jones wants President Barack Obama to
reverse the Pentagon's plan and buy aerial tankers both Boeing and the Northrop
Grumman/EADS team as a major job creation program. Jones, in a letter to Obama,
said that would create nearly 100,000 jobs nationwide and help retire the existing
fleet seven years earlier. He delivered the letter Thursday during a meeting at the
White House with other city mayors. (Source: Reuters, 01/22/10). The
Northrop/EADS team wants to assemble the planes in Mobile, Ala.
Contract: Sikorsky, $7M
Sikorsky Support Services Inc., Pensacola, Fla., is being awarded a $7,035,212
modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract to
provide aircraft maintenance and logistics support for the T-34C, as well as
manage the aircraft's service life extension and service life maintenance
management programs. Additionally, the contractor will provide all required
support to enter T-6 aircraft flight data into the Training Information Management
System and Organizational Optimized Maintenance Activity software systems. Work
will be performed at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas and NAS Whiting
Field, Fla., and is expected to be completed in September 2010. The Naval Air
Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD,
01/21/10)
F-35 testing, acquisition will slow
The Pentagon is slowing testing and acquisition of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Air
Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said Wednesday during a briefing with
reporters in Washington. He said the path had been too aggressive, and there’s
an effort underway to lengthen the test period, increase test assets and make the
production rate less ambitious. The F-35 will be ready for initial operational
capability with the Air Force in 2013, Schwartz said. (Source: Navy Times, 01/21/10)
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to be home to the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter training center.
Pentagon may budge on fixed-price
The Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, says changes to the request for
proposals for the aerial tanker will “lessen the financial risk” for bidders. But he
characterizes the changes as “modest.” Schwartz says the final RFP will be issued
within a month of the fiscal 2011 budget release scheduled for Feb. 1. Boeing and
the Northrop Grumman/EADS team are expected to bid for the work, though
Northrop has threatened not to bid if the RFP is not changed. (Source: Aviation
Week, 01/20/10)
Astronauts thank Stennis workers
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – NASA astronauts were at Stennis Space Center
Tuesday afternoon to thank employees for their work. Five of the six members of
the Space Shuttle Crew Atlantis flew to Stennis, where space shuttle engines are
tested. The Atlantis returned to earth in late November. The crew's 13 day mission
included a trip to the International Space Station to deliver supplies and bring one
of the astronauts back home. The trip also involved three successful space walks.
(Source: WLOX-TV, 01/19/10)
Lockheed lands contract extension
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA has awarded Lockheed Martin of Bethesda,
Md., a contract extension to continue the Outsourcing Desktop Initiative for NASA,
or ODIN, services to support the agency. The contract extension has a value of
about $230 million and will continue through Oct. 31, 2011. Agency-wide services
under the ODIN master contract and center delivery orders include desktop
hardware and software, personal digital assistants, telephone operations, network
services, information technology security and other services. The contract will be
managed by the NASA Shared Services Center. (Source: PRNewswire, 01/19/10)
Boeing: France protectionist
PARIS - Boeing's representative in France on Tuesday accused the European
nation of shielding its defense market behind a wall of "extreme protectionism."
Yves Galland said Paris had few lessons to give America on opening up to foreign
suppliers. Boeing is in a battle with Europe’s EADS/Airbus to supply tankers to the
U.S. Air Force. Airbus and U.S. partner Northrop Grumman have called the draft
request for proposal tilted in Boeing’s favor. But Galland, president of Boeing
France, said the U.S. had ordered hundreds of helicopters from EADS’ Eurocopter,
while it’s been 30 years since France bought any defense equipment from Boeing.
(Source: Reuters, 01/19/10) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop Grumman/EADS team
wants to assemble the aerial tankers in Mobile, Ala.; Eurocopters are built in
Columbus, Miss.
NASA Global Hawk readies for GloPac
SAN DIEGO – The NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system completed 10.4
hours for pilot training and flight characterization in preparation for the Global
Hawk Pacific Campaign set to start this spring. Five flights have been completed
since the first flight of Air Vehicle Six (AV-6) on Oct. 23. Prior to this, the aircraft
had not flown in more than 6 years. AV-6 is being modified to carry eleven earth
science sensors in preparation for GloPac. (Source: Globe Newswire, 01/18/10)
Gulf Coast note: Plans are still on track to use Global Hawks in August and
September 2010 to track hurricanes for the Genesis and Rapid Intensification
Process Experiment.
Flying Jennies back home
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – The Flying Jennies of the 403rd Wing at Keesler
have returned home from four months in Southeast Asia. The Reservists of the
403rd's 815th Airlift Squadron set a record by airdropping 801 bundles in 24
missions over a one-week period. They logged 2,500 hours in just three months.
Flying the C-130J-30 model aircraft, the 815th airdropped nearly 5,000 tons of
cargo, including ammunition, medical supplies, food and water – and “care
packages” with comfort items. They also flew more than 20,000 passengers and
500 aeromedical evacuation passengers during the deployment. (Source: Sun
Herald, 01/17/10; 403rd Wing Public Affairs, 01/12/10)
Coast Guard Mobile sends aircraft
MOBILE, Ala. - The U.S. Coast Guard has assigned the new HU-144A Ocean Sentry
aircraft based out of Mobile's Coast Guard Aviation Training Center to help with
relief efforts in Haiti. The Ocean Sentry is the new medium-range fixed-wing
search and rescue aircraft, replacing the HU-25A Falcon jets that have been used
by the Coast Guard for about 30 years. The Ocean Sentry is powered by two
turboprop engines and has a longer range than the Falcon and normally carry a
crew of five. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/15/10)
ADS-B operational in Gulf of Mexico
A next-generation air traffic system is now in place covering the Gulf of Mexico.
Houston air traffic controllers are now using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-
Broadcast, a GPS-based technology, to separate and monitor aircraft flying over
the Gulf of Mexico. The milestone announced this week by FAA Administrator
Randy Babbitt came as the Coast Guard prepared to shut down the U.S. Loran-C
chains that for decades provided long-range position-fixing capability to mariners
and aviators. Previously, there was virtually no radar coverage over the Gulf,
which required 120-mile in-trail separation of high-altitude IFR traffic. Similarly,
individual helicopters flying under IFR at low altitudes to and from oil platforms
were encased in 20x20-mile “boxes” to ensure safe separation from other
helicopters. ADS-B now permits five-mile separation. Philadelphia will roll out its
ADB-B system next month, and the system will be available nationwide by 2013.
(Source: Aviation Week, 01/14/10; AIA, 01/14/10)
Eglin EOD school growing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The demand for training in explosive ordnance
disposal is on the rise. The Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin will
be at maximum capacity in fiscal 2010, with 1,786 students – up from 1,705 students
in 2009 and 1,283 in 2008. The executive officer of the school said this year’s
increase will be the last one until additional facilities are built. (Source: Northwest
Florida Daily News, 01/13/10)
Remote training with virtual reality
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – Air Force officials are testing the waters to see
if training with avatars in a virtual environment is effective. It would allow students
who are assigned on temporary duty to Keesler to use computers at their home
base for training. Keesler officials say if TDY students are able to complete the
training from their home base, the savings to the military could be as high as
$700,000 a year in housing, food, and transportation costs. Avatars are computer-
generated figures that represent the computer user. (Source: WLOX-TV, 01/14/10)
County OKs money for aviation park
MILTON, Fla. – Nearly a half-million dollars will be used to begin work on Whiting
Aviation Park, a 269-acre facility near Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The Santa
Rosa County Commission voted to seek bids for infrastructure work. The
commission discussed having county road crews do the work for some $315,000,
but decided to seek bids to see if a private contractor can do it for less.
Commissioners also approved $175,000 for a consultant to develop a master plan.
The park, which will have access to one of Whiting's runways, is intended to attract
aviation-related businesses. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 01/14/10)
Spec ops deploy to Haiti
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Two MC-130H Combat Talon IIs from the 15th Special
Operations Squadron and multiple teams from the 720th Special Tactics Group
deployed to Haiti in support of humanitarian operations. These teams bring an
array of capabilities with them to the country devastated by a 7.0 magnitude
earthquake Jan. 12. In addition to opening up the airport at Port-au-Prince, combat
controllers are trained to survey other areas to look for potential airdrop and
landing zones so other cargo and personnel can be accepted into the country if
required. (Source: AFNS, 01/14/10)
Drilling would hurt Eglin mission
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The commander of Eglin Air Force Base told lawmakers
Wednesday that oil and gas drilling in Florida waters could threaten military
operations. Col. Bruce McClintock told the House Military Affairs and Local Policy
Committee that when Eglin fires missiles at drones, the drones and the spent
missiles “have to fall somewhere.” Drilling supports say the entire Gulf is not a
military training area, and exclusion zones can be set up. (Source: Florida Today,
01/13/10)
Army to end two robotic programs
The Army told Congress it’s terminating a robotic vehicle and unmanned aircraft
program that were once part of the Army’s Future Combat Systems. It comes as the
Pentagon prepares its 2011 budget request, and highlights the need to focus on
technologies military planners see as key to supporting soldiers in Afghanistan
and Iraq. The terminated unmanned ground vehicle is the Multifunction
Utility/Logistics and Equipment Countermine and Transport, and the UAV is the Fire
Scout. The Army said the Shadow UAV can meet the Army needs with some
technology improvements. The Navy, however, is still involved in Fire Scout.
(Source: The Hill, 01/12/10) Gulf Coast note: Fire Scouts are built in part in Moss
Point, Miss.
Ex NASA official faces fraud charges
GULFPORT, Miss. – A former high-ranking NASA official who’s on federal probation
faces fraud charges over a $600,000 contract awarded to Mississippi State
University by Stennis Space Center. Courtney A. Stadd pleaded not guilty Monday
to a nine-count indictment that alleges he conspired to have MSU subcontract
$450,000 of work on a remote-sensing study to his consulting business, Capitol
Solutions. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/11/10)
Tanker specs won’t be tech improvement
European Aeronautic Defense and Space said Tuesday that the Air Force’s latest
specifications for an aerial tanker will not yield significant technological
improvements over the current tanker fleet. Sean O’Keefe, head of EADS North
America, says the current draft request for proposals is not a modernization
program, just a replacement program. (Source: New York Times, 01/12/10)
Meanwhile, the CEO of Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security Systems Division,
said the company is well positioned to meet the demands of a fixed-price contract,
even though the company doesn’t like a fixed-price contract. (Source: Defense
News, 01/11/10) EADS and partner Northrop Grumman, which want to assemble the
planes in Mobile, Ala., have threatened to withdraw from the contest if the RFP is
not changed from the current version, which they say favors the smaller plane
being offered by Boeing.
Guard gets Lakotas
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Two Alabama Army National Guard UH-72A Lakota Light Utility
Helicopters were unveiled during a ceremony last week. The guard is getting four
of the helicopters from EADS North America, which will be based at the Army
Aviation Support Facility #2 in Birmingham. The Alabama Army National Guard’s
Lakotas are assigned to Detachment 1, Co. C, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation
Regiment. The UH-72As will replace Detachment 1’s OH-58 Kiowas. EADS North
America has delivered 93 Lakotas to the Army and five to the Navy. The UH-72As
are built in Columbus, Miss., by the American Eurocopter business unit of EADS
North America. (Source: EADS, 01/09/10)
STOVL F-35 has flight test
The short takeoff/vertical landing version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 engaged its
STOVL propulsion system in flight for the first time this week during testing at
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. Tests to come include short takeoffs, hovers
and vertical landings. The F-35 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine
driving a Rolls-Royce LiftFan. In the test, the pilot from BAE Systems engaged the
LiftFan propulsion system at 5,000 feet and 210 knots, then slowed to 180 knots
with the system still engaged before accelerating to 210 knots and converting
back to conventional-flight mode. The F135 system development and
demonstration program has completed 164 hours of flight time, including cross-
country flights to and from Edwards and Eglin Air Force Bases and Patuxent River
Naval Air Station. (Sources: Pratt & Whitney, 01/08/10; Lockheed Martin, 01/07/10).
Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base is scheduled to become home of the JSF
training center; Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems all have
operations in the Gulf Coast region.
Airbus picks Kansas for project
Airbus Americas said Thursday it will add 80 jobs to its 210-worker engineering
facility in Wichita, Kan., a project that Wichita officials had said they were
competing against Mobile to land. Airbus has a 150-worker engineering facility at
the Brookley Field Industrial Complex. Airbus said the company's new engineering
work is related to wings, already the primary focus in Wichita. Engineers in Mobile
work on cabin interiors, cargo systems and escape systems. (Source: Mobile Press-
Register, 01/08/10)
Gates wants delay of F-35 purchases
Bloomberg reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered a delay in
the Lockheed Martin F-35 program, cutting the Pentagon’s planned purchases by
10 aircraft in fiscal 2011 and a total of 122 through 2015, according to a budget
document. More than $2.8 billion that was budgeted earlier to buy the military’s
next-generation fighter would instead be used to continue its development.
(Source: Bloomberg, 01/07/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is
scheduled to be home of the Joint Strike Fighter training center; Lockheed Martin
has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast.
Airport has good year
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport topped its 2008 figures
for departures and posted its third-highest count in the past eight years for
incoming passengers. The airport averaged 758 passengers per month between
January and April, outgoing traffic picked up, topping the 1,000 mark in May for the
first time since August 2008. After that, outgoing traffic never fell below 1,145 in
any of the following seven months. The airport finished 2009 with 12,365
boardings, a couple hundred departures more than 2008. (Source: Hattiesburg
American, 01/07/10)
Guardrail moves toward certification
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Northrop Grumman and the Army recently completed
electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility testing on the first RC-
12X Guardrail, bringing the signals intelligence system one step closer to
providing mission-critical capability to the warfighter this year. The RC-12X is the
Army's airborne SIGINT sensor and ground processing system. The EMI/EMC
testing validates operation of the aircraft's electronic systems in a large,
electromagnetically shielded chamber. EMI/EMC testing is required before an
airworthiness certificate can be issued. Delivery to the Army is scheduled for
summer 2010. (Source: Global Newswire, 01/05/10)
PW delivers F-35 demo engine
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Pratt & Whitney has delivered its final conventional take
off and landing/carrier variant F135 flight test engine to the F-35 Joint Program
Office as the program transitions from development and demonstration to
production. Pratt & Whitney has delivered 17 flight test engines and expects to
deliver the final short take off and vertical landing flight test engine early this
year. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. (Source:
PRNewswire, 01/05/09) Gulf Coast note: The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter training
center will be at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne has an
operation at Stennis Space Center, Miss.
Notice of intent for F-35 basing issued
Air Force officials at Langley Air Force Base, Va., published the notice of intent in
the Federal Register to prepare an environmental impact statement to assess the
impacts of establishing operational F-35 units at existing Air Force and Air National
Guard installations. The candidate bases are Mountain Home Air Force Base,
Idaho; Hill AFB, Utah; Burlington Air Guard Station, Vt.; Shaw AFB/McEntire Joint
National Guard Base, S.C.; and Jacksonville AGS, Fla. The analysis will examine
issues relating to land use, airspace and safety, air and water quality, noise,
socioeconomics, biological and cultural resources and cumulative actions. Air
Force officials expect to complete the environmental impact analysis process in
about one year. (Source: AFNS, 01/05/10) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base,
Fla., will be home to the Joint Strike Fighter training center. The city of Valparaiso
has raised concerns over the potential noise associated with the fighter.
Airport looking into security lapse
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport is looking into how a
college student from Korea ended up spending the night at the airport
undetected. The Pensacola Christian College student was found asleep at a Delta
airlines gate at 4:15 a.m. Sunday when an agent of the airline arrived to open the
gate for business. The student told airport officials he spent the night sleeping in
the concourse waiting for friends, also college students, scheduled to arrive
Sunday. The concourse is closed when the final flight arrives and several sweeps
failed to find the student. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 01/05/10)
Northrop moving HQ to DC
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman said it plans to move its headquarters from
Los Angeles to the Washington D.C. area by 2011. It plans to identify a site by this
spring and is looking at the District, Maryland and Virginia. The company plans to
move about 300 people to the headquarters. Wes Bush, the company’s chief
executive, says Northrop has a lot of customers in the Washington, D.C., region
and the move will help the company better serve customers. (Source: Northrop
Grumman, 01/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Northrop and partner EADS are competing
against Boeing to build tankers for the Air Force. If the Northrop/EADS team wins
the tankers will be assembled in Mobile, Ala.
Work continues on Stennis A-3 stand
STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – This year will bring several milestones in the
construction of the A-3 stand that will be used to test the next generation of rocket
engines. Lonnie Dutreix, A-3 project manager, said some of the deadlines are
tentative as the future direction of NASA’s exploration program is decided. A-3 will
be used to test the J-2X engine, a key propulsion system for NASA’s Constellation
Program. This year workers will install the stand’s test cell and diffuser, which let
operators simulate altitudes of up to 100,000 feet using a series of chemical steam
generators to create a vacuum. The test cell and diffuser is being manufactured by
American Tank and Vessel Inc. at its facility in Lucedale, Miss. The stand is slated
to be finished in late 2011. (Source: NASA, 01/04/10)
Airport expects good 2010
GULFPORT, Miss. – The head of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport predicts an 8
to 10 percent passenger growth in 2010 compared to the previous year. Bruce
Frallic, the airport’s director, says the last two years have been tough on the
industry, but he sees signs of recovery. AirTran returns Jan. 8 after a year’s
absence from the airport, with flights to Atlanta and Tampa three days a week.
Millions have been spent on improvements at the airport, and millions more will be
spent this year. (Source: Sun Herald, 01/01/10)