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) Previous story

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) Detailed stories: The Hill, Defense News, AFP.

Contract: Lockheed Martin, $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 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)

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)