Bill seeks to protect bases

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The state Senate is taking action to protect the Florida’s 20 military bases and $55 billion economic impact. Legislation introduced by Sens. Don Gaetz and Durell Peaden makes base closure and mission realignment a state issue. The bill establishes the Florida Council on Military Base and Mission Support and work groups to focus on intrastate activities, liaison with the Defense Department, competitive strategies, and public awareness. (Source: WMBB, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Northwest Florida is home to a half-dozen military bases.

Contract: Lockheed, $320M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded $320,000,000 not to exceed modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract. This modification provides for long lead materials and efforts associated with the Joint Strike Fighter Air System Low Rate Initial Production Lot III procurement of the required special tooling, special test equipment and technical assistance. Work is expected to be completed in November 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is scheduled to become home to the JSF training center

Contract: L-3 Vertex, $15.6M

The Air Force is awarding a firm fixed contract to L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, Madison, Miss., for $15,563,895. This action will provide fleet maintenance and training support on twelve Cessna 173 aircraft and five Cessna 208B trainer aircraft owned by the Iraqi Government. 727 ACSG/PKB, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/25/09)

Lakotas pass milestone

The Army’s fleet of UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopters passed the 10,000 flight-hour milestone. Fifty-eight UH-72As have been delivered by EADS North America to the Army and Army National Guard for missions including homeland security, medical evacuation, logistics and VIP flights. The helicopters are built in Columbus, Miss. (Source: EADS North America, 03/25/09) Gulf Coast note: EADS also has an Airbus engineering center and EADS CASA operation in Mobile, Ala.

A-3 test stand work awarded

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Roy Anderson Corp. of Gulfport, Miss., was awarded a five-year contract for work on the A-3 test stand for the Constellation Program. The 300-foot tall stand will be used to test the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne J-2X engines, which will power the upper stage of Ares I and Earth departure stage of Ares V. The contract value is not to exceed $45 million. Contract work includes installation of the general mechanical and electrical support for the A-3 test stand. The first test at the stand is slated for 2012. (Source: NASA, 03/24/09)

V-22 temporarily grounded

Naval Air Systems Command temporarily grounded 84 Navy and Air Force V-22 Ospreys after an inspection of a V-22s in Iraq revealed loose bolts damaging components in the rotor assembly. More than 50 aircraft have now cleared inspections, though four of the 12 V-22s in Iraq required repair. Air Force Special Operations Command, based at Hurlburt Field, Fla., expected all 11 of its CV-22s to be cleared. (Source: InsideDefense, 03/24/09)

Contract: Tybrin, $16.8M

Tybrin Corp., of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an Air Force cost plus award fee contract for $16, 799,185. This action provides non-personal advisory and assistance services to fully support Aerospace Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Advisory and Assistance Services program. It focuses on robust systems engineering and technical assistance services. AFFTC/PKTJ, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/24/09)

Split tanker buy gains steam

Democratic lawmakers appear determined to push a bill splitting a $35 billion contract for aerial tankers between Boeing and the Northrop Grumman/EADS team. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., and other defense appropriators think it will get the program moving again. Defense Secretary Robert Gates sees the move as an expensive compromise, but defense analyst Loren Thompson says the split contract could save money by more quickly retiring the existing fleet of KC-135 tankers. (Source: Seattle Times, 03/23/09) Gulf Coast note: Northrop Grumman/EADS plans to assemble its tankers in Mobile, Ala.

Homeowners offered compensation

MOBILE, Ala. - Homeowners in the loudest places around Mobile Regional Airport are being offered compensation. A Federal Aviation Administration grant of a little more than $1.6 million will be used for a one-time payment that could equal 10 percent of the home’s fair market value for noise abatement. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/22/09)

Contract: Lockheed, $49.9M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems and Sensors, Integrated Defense Technologies, Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a fixed price contract not-to-exceed $49,877,689 for FY08 MK 41 Vertical Launching System production and delivery requirements. The MK41 VLS program is integral to the navies of nine allied and friendly foreign nations. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the governments of Turkey and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Fourteen percent of the work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., 64 percent in Baltimore, Md., 19 percent in Minneapolis, Minn., 2 percent in Eagan, Minn., and 1 percent in Virginia Beach, Va. Work is expected to be completed by December 2012. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 03/20/09)

UK announces F-35 purchases

FORT WORTH, Texas - The United Kingdom will buy three Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II operational test aircraft, a sign of the U.K.’s commitment to the Operational Test and Evaluation phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program. British Defense Secretary John Hutton made the announcement during a visit to Washington, D.C. The F-35B combines stealth with short takeoff/ vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. It will be flown from the two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The U.K. plans to bring 138 F-35s to the fleet. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center

ATK delivers Ares I-X hardware

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Four Alliant Techsystems' Ares I-X motor segments have arrived at Kennedy Space Center, bringing together all of the final hardware required for the upcoming test flight this summer, part of NASA’s Constellation Program. The segments were originally produced for the space shuttle and later transferred to the Ares I-X mission. (Source: ATK, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center in Mississippi are both involved in the Constellation program

Marine flies F-35 for first time

FORT WORTH, Texas - An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter took off Thursday for the first time with a Marine at the controls. Maj. Joseph Bachmann, a test pilot, flew an F-35A for an hour and 20 minutes at a Lockheed Martin facility. According to Bachman, the flight “was badass.” The F-35 he flew is not the vertical landing version the Marines will use. Bachmann will be a government test pilot with the Harrier-type version. (Source: Wired, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center

Airport sports new parking garage

GULFPORT, Miss. – Officials gathered Wednesday for a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $15 million parking structure at the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. Bruce Frallic, executive director of the airport, said the three-story, 800-car parking garage was no small undertaking. It was 10 years in the making. (Source: The Sun Herald, 03/18/09)

F-35 center groundbreaking set

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Groundbreaking for the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center is slated for Friday. The Washington-based assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics is scheduled to preside. Also attending will be the director of plans and programs from the Air Education and Training Command in Texas and the commander of the Air Armament Center at Eglin. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/18/09) All branches of the military will use the Eglin Air Force Base center for training in the three variants of the F-35 Lightning II.

United Space gets ATK contract

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Alliant Techsystems awarded United Space Alliance a $257 million contract to perform subcontractor support to ATK for the NASA's Ares I and Ares 1-X programs through the design, development, test and engineering phase. The contract, part of the Constellation Program to return astronauts to the moon and beyond, includes engineering, deceleration system development and technical operations support for Stage I activities. (Source: PRNewswire, 03/18/09) Gulf Coast note: Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and Stennis Space Center, Miss., are involved in the Constellation Program

Blue Angels back home

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team has returned home to Naval Air Station Pensacola. The team had been at the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron’s winter training grounds at El Centro, Calif. The team opened its show season Saturday in El Centro. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 03/1709)

Airport authority OKs spending

MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile Airport Authority approved $26.1 million in spending for the year that began Oct. 1. That includes $8.69 million in federal funds that will go for improvements at the agency's two airports. Projects include taxiway work and terminal work at the Mobile Regional Airport, as well as road and drainage work at Brookley Field Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 03/17/09)

Contract: Northrop, $59.6M

The Air Force is modifying a cost plus award fee contract with Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., of San Diego, Calif., for $59,608,897. This action will provide engineering, manufacturing and development infrastructure activities in support of the Global Hawk program. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (Source: DoD, 03/13/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.

Tyndall's F-15 drawdown set

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The Air Force plans to draw down Tyndall's two F-15 Eagle squadrons by the end of 2010. The drawdown, long rumored, was confirmed in an e-mail from the 325th Fighter Wing commander. Tyndall also has an F-22 Raptor squadron. Bay Defense Alliance president Tom Neubauer said that event without the F-15 training mission he's confident about the base's future. He says military officials have said that something "will fill that tarmac." (Source: Florida Freedom Newspapers, 03/13/09)