Eglin reaches out to industry

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Air Force simulation experts are reaching out to industry to find companies able to develop simulations to help the Air Force evaluate concepts for new weapons. The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate at Eglin Air Force Base issued a sources-sought notice Tuesday for the Technology Research for Integrated Guidance Simulation (TRIGS) program. The Air Force is asking for research ideas and capabilities in hardware-in-the-loop simulation development, weapon engagement research, hardware-in-the-loop simulator technology development, and virtual environment phenomenology modeling. The Air Force expects to negotiate one five-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity research contract for the TRIGS weapons simulation program worth about $45 million. (Source: Military and Aerospace Electronics, 07/14/11)

F-35 arrives at Eglin

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The first F-35 Lightning II that will be used by the Integrated Training Center landed at Eglin Air Force Base today at 1:15 p.m. It took off earlier in the day from Fort Worth, Texas, for the 90-minute flight. The plane, known as AF-9, is a conventional takeoff and landing version of the fifth generation fighter. It's one of six that will be coming to the base in coming months. Eventually, Eglin will have 59 of the Lockheed Martin-built jets that will be used by the 33rd Fighter Wing to train pilots and maintainers from all branches of the military, as well as allied nations. The Eglin plane is the third production model delivered to the Air Force. The first two are assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (Source: Tcp, 07/14/11) Press release

Eglin ADC's DOD installation of year

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., was named Department of Defense Installation of the Year by the Association of Defense Communities. According to ADC, Eglin has forged partnerships with local governments and nonprofits to protect natural resources, enhance wildlife corridors and expand opportunities for biodiversity, while at the same time preserving its mission. As home to 19 federal and 95 state listed, rare or local endemic species, Eglin places a high priority on conserving its natural resources. The base occupies much of the Florida panhandle, controls 120,000 square miles of airspace over the Florida Gulf and provides a unique atmosphere for threatened and endangered species. The Defense Community Awards lunch is at the ADC 2011 Annual Conference in Norfolk on Tuesday, July 19. (Source: ADC, 07/13/11)

Nodjomian: Eglin future bright

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The commander of the 96th Air Base Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., reflects on his first year heading up the wing that provides support for the Air Force's largest base. "Eglin has an extremely bright future," said Col. Sal Nodjomian. "We will continue to integrate research, developmental and operational test, training and many other significant mission sets at Eglin." (Source: Team Eglin Public Affairs, 07/13/11)

Command change set for July 21

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. - Brig. Gen. Leonard Patrick, current commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, will become the new leader of the 2nd Air Force during a change of command at Keesler Air Force Base July 21. Patrick replaces Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog, who is going to the Pentagon to direct the Sexual Assault and Response Office for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. (Source: 81st Training Wing, 07/11/11)

Two schools launch aerospace program

Pre-engineering students at two high schools in Baldwin County, Ala., will get a chance to participate in a new aerospace curriculum this fall. Baldwin County High School and Foley High School are among four schools in Alabama to offer courses as part of the "Preparation for Tomorrow" aerospace engineering pilot program. The Alabama Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education section and the Atlanta-based Southern Regional Education Board last fall designed the aerospace curriculum to prepare high school students for aerospace technology and engineering careers. Alabama is among the first states selected to participate in the initiative. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/08/11)

F-35s to arrive at Eglin "shortly"

Eglin Air Force Base's first two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters have completed test flights and are in their final review to be accepted by the Department of Defense. Representatives from Lockheed Martin said last month that the first F-35s would arrive in June. They now say AF-8 and AF-9, the Florida base's first two JSFs, will "arrive shortly" but provided no time frame. Lockheed Martin is expected to deliver six F-35s to Eglin this fiscal year. The other four jets are in various stages of development, including some still on the production line. Lockheed Martin plans a ceremony for sometime in August after the first jets arrive. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/03/11)

Contract: MI Support Services, $13.9M

MI Support Services, Denton, Texas, is being awarded a $13,926,048 fixed-price-award-fee contract with cost reimbursable line items for program management, organizational and intermediate maintenance services for T-38 aircraft for the Companion Trainer Program for aircraft assigned to five locations. The locations of performance are Beale Air Force Base, Calif.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The Air Combat Command AMIC/PKCA, Newport News, Va., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/11)

Contract: Raytheon, $10.6M

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems Division, is being awarded a $10,573,352 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for the Processor Replacement Program Foreign Military Sales software extension probability of weapon effectiveness. The location of performance is Tucson, Ariz. AAC/EBAC, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/29/11)

Near collision being probed

GULFPORT, Miss. - The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Board are investigating an incident this month over Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport where a single-engine plane and airliner were at the same altitude and just 300 feet apart. The near-miss happened June 19 between a Continental Express jet carrying 50 passengers and three crew and a Cessna 172 with a student pilot and instructor. FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the controller who was working with the aircraft when the incident occurred has been restricted from working air traffic until the FAA investigation is complete. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/28/11)

Vision drops five cities

Vision Airlines is dropping service to five of the two dozen cities it serves, citing lower than expected demand. Service is ending July 17 to Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C., Columbia, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., Huntsville, Ala., and Baton Rouge, La. Vision’s hub is at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Source: Multiple, including USA Today, Cheapflights, Huntsville Times)

AFSOC gets new leader

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel took over leadership of the Air Force Special Operations Command on Friday with the retirment of Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presided over the ceremony at the Freedom Hangar. Wurster took command of AFSOC in November 2007. Fiel comes to Hurlburt after serving as vice commander at the U.S. Special Operations Command in Washington, D.C. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/11)

Eglin remembers Khobar

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - More than 100 people gathered Friday at the 33rd Fighter Wing Memorial at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to honor those killed in the 1996 attack at Khobar Towers at Dharan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The attach was on the evening of June 25, 1996. Just before 10 p.m., a car bomb exploded at the tower were members of Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing were wrapping up a three-month deployment. The blast killed 19 airmen and wounded 105. Twelve of the men who died were members of the 33rd. A total of seven airmen from Patrick, Offutt and Wright-Patterson air force bases also were killed. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/24/11)

Exports, STEM highlight Mississippi ranking

Among the states, Mississippi ranks No. 5 for export growth, according to the just-released Enterprising States 2011 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Mississippi is also ranked 10th in cost of living, 11th in per capita income growth and higher education efficiency, and 12th in productivity growth and business birth rate. Mississippi is also ranked 20th in science, technology, engineering and math job growth as well as 20th in entrepreneurial activity. (Source: Tcp, 06/23/11) Study: U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Crash victims identified

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The two victims of that plane crash today at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., have been identified. They are Col. (ret.) David A. Miles of Shalimar, Fla., and Thomas E. Lewis of Apalachicola, Fla. The Aero Club Beechcraft crashed around 4:30 a.m. into a grassy area next to the 46th Test Wing side of the runway at Eglin. The plane was owned by Eglin Air Force Base and rented to pilot through the base's Aero Club. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 06/23/11)

Fire damaged engine

An Aerojet AJ26 engine that will power the Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus II launch vehicle was badly damaged in a fuel fire June 9 at Stennis Space Center, Miss. NASA is counting on the Taurus II/Cygnus and the Space Exploration Technologies Falcon 9/Dragon combinations to help resupply the International Space Station when the space shuttle fleet retires after the upcoming final flight of shuttle Atlantis. The AJ26 engine shut down prematurely after a fuel leak developed during a hot-fire acceptance test, and the leaking kerosene fuel ignited. The test stand at Stennis Space Center suffered only minor damage. A team of experts from Aerojet, Orbital and NASA is investigating the cause of the mishap and the extent of the damage to the engine. (Source: Aviation Week, 06/23/11) Previous story

Two killed in Eglin crash

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - An Aero Club Beechcraft crashed around 4:30 a.m. into a grassy area next to the 46th Test Wing side of the runway at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. A civilian pilot and civilian passenger were killed, according to an Eglin Air Force Base press release. The plane was owned by Eglin Air Force Base and rented to the civilian pilot through the base's Aero Club. The names of the victims have not been released. (Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/23/11)

Eglin gets first F135 spare engine

Pratt and Whitney has delivered the first F135 spare engine to the U.S. Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to support F-35 Lightning II training operations to begin this summer. Eglin's 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint unit with Air Force, Navy and Marine squadrons that will conduct F-35 training for their respective services as well as the eight F-35 program international partners. Lockheed Martin is scheduled to deliver the first F-35A aircraft to Eglin in the coming weeks. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. (Source: PRNewswire, 06/20/11)

Fire Scout lost over Libya

A Northrop Grumman-built Fire Scout was lost over the central coastal area of Libya while conducting surveillance operations, according to NATO officials. The MQ-8B lost contact with ground controllers Tuesday. The Fire Scout, built in part in Moss Point, Miss., is equipped with cameras and sensors and was monitoring pro-Kadafi forces when it was lost. The cause of the crash is not known. Last year Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., lost contract with a Fire Scout and it wandered into restricted airspace. Operators regained control. It was later blamed on a software problem. (Source: Multiple, including AFP via Space War, CNN, Los Angeles Times, 06/21/11)

Contract: Raytheon, $7.3M

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $7,318,143 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the High Speed Anti Radiation Missile Targeting System software upgrade two risk reduction study. Work will be performed at Tucson, Ariz. AAC/EBAS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/20/11)