Week in review (11/23 to 11/29)

Major contracts were awarded during the week in connection with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Three were awarded to Lockheed Martin and two to engine-maker Pratt and Whitney. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting authority for all five of the contracts.

A $492 million contract modification was awarded to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., of Fort Worth, Texas, to provide non-air vehicle spares, support equipment, Autonomic Logistics Information System hardware and software upgrades, supply chain management, mission simulators and non-recurring engineering services to support Low Rate Initial Production Lot VII F-35 aircraft for the Air Force, Marines, Navy and international partners. Work will be done in Orlando, Fla.; El Segundo, Calif.; Fort Worth, Texas; Owego, N.Y.; and Samlesbury, United Kingdom. (Post)

Lockheed Martin also was awarded a $64.3 million contract for the modification of 13 F-35A air vehicles for the Air Force and one for the Netherlands, as well as 13 F-35B air vehicles for the Marines and two for the United Kingdom. It includes procurement for 528 modification kits, installation, and labor. Three percent of the work will be done at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Other work sites are in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, California, Iowa, New Hampshire, Utah, South Carolina, Arizona, United Kingdom, Maryland and New York. (Post)

Lockheed Martin also was awarded a third contract, this one for $7 million. It's a modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for interim contractor support for the F-35 Low-Rate Initial Production Lot VII air systems. Work will be performed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. (Post)

Two contracts were awarded to United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt and Whitney Military Engines of East Hartford, Conn. One is a $105.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract. It exercises an option for sustainment efforts and operations and maintenance services in support of Low Rate Initial Production Lot VIII F135 propulsion systems, including hardware, training materials and equipment. Work will be done in Connecticut, California, Oklahoma, and various other locations throughout the continental United States. This contract combines purchase for the Marines, Air Force, Navy and international partners. (Post)

Pratt and Whitney also was awarded an $11.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract for annualized sustainment, procuring operations and maintenance services for Low Rate Initial Production VIII F-135 propulsion systems. It includes supply chain management, inventory optimization, flight service representatives at operational sites, oversight and planning of training activities, and aircraft retrofit activities. The contract combines purchases for the Air Force, Navy and international partners. (Post)


Engines
Speaking of engines, Rolls-Royce won a $5 billion order for Trent engines to power 50 new Airbus planes ordered by Delta Air Lines. Trent XWB engines will power 25 Airbus A350s and Trent 7000 engines will power 25 Airbus A330neo aircraft. Rolls Royce is the only supplier of engines for both aircraft. Rolls-Royce tests Trent engines at its outdoor test facility at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Post)


Bases
The 801st Special operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., received the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award for superior aircraft maintenance during the period of Oct.1, 2012 through Sept. 30, 2013. The squadron, comprised of more than 480 Air Commandos, maintained 16 CV-22 Osprey and nine MC-130H Talon II aircraft during that period. (Post)


Contracts
Bering Sea Environmental LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $7.1 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract to provide program support for Air Combat Command's Air Combat Training System Operations and Maintenance support services. Among the work locations is Eglin Air Force Base and Tyndall Air Force Base, both in Florida. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2015.