Week in review (9/13 to 9/19)

Hundreds of dignitaries, from corporate officials and three ambassadors, were on hand in Mobile, Ala., early in the week for the formal opening of the $600 million Airbus A320 assembly plant at the Mobile Aeroplex.

With partially built A321 jetliners flanking the assembled dignitaries and media representatives from around world, the crowd applauded when a sign was placed on one of the plane sections that said "This aircraft proudly made in the USA…"

The event closed with the sound of "Sweet Home Alabama" playing in the background. The first jetliner being built at the plant is an A321 for JetBlue, which will take delivery in 2016. (Post)

In another Airbus-related news story during the week, MAAS Aviation received tax abatements totaling nearly $2.2 million Wednesday for construction of a proposed $13 million second paint facility at Mobile Aeroplex.

Announced during the Paris Air Show in June 2015, the paint facility would target third-party original equipment manufacturers; maintenance, repair and overhaul providers; and potential military clients.

Ireland-based MAAS said in April 2014 that it was building a $13 million paint facility at the Mobile Aeroplex to service Airbus jets. In June at the 2015 Paris Air Show it said it would build a two-bay $39 million facility. That figure included several long-term investment proposals. (Post)


Airports
Sunil Harman is leaving as the director of Okaloosa County’s airports Sept. 30 to pursue other opportunities. It was announced during a meeting of the Okaloosa County commission Tuesday.

Harman, who was not at the meeting, was hired in July 2013 to oversee the county’s three airports. Prior to taking the Okaloosa job, Harman was director of the airport in Tallahassee. (Post)


F-35
Pratt & Whitney Military Engines of East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $10.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract to retrofit the F-35B F-135 propulsion system for the Navy/Marine Corps and the international partners, including the installation of a redesigned lift fan inter-stage vane.

Work will be done in Indianapolis, Ind., and is expected to be completed in December 2016. Fiscal 2015 aircraft procurement (Navy) and international partner funds in the amount of $10,642,496 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

The contract combines purchases for the Navy/Marine Corps (98 percent) and the international partners (2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center. (Post)


Contracts
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded two contracts of interest to this region during the week. The first was a $100 million contract for Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) production support. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. The company also was awarded a $10.8 million contract modification for the repair of legacy control sections for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) missile (AGM-88). Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be complete by April 30, 2017. For both contracts, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Summit Construction Inc., Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., was awarded a $6.9 million contract for the architectural and refrigeration upgrade to the commissary at Fort Myer, Va. The contracting activity is the Defense Commissary Agency, Enterprise Acquisition Division, Construction and Design Branch, Joint Base San Antionio Lackland, Texas.

RoboTeam, Gaithersburg, Md., was awarded a $25 million contract for an explosive ordnance disposal small robot. Work will be performed worldwide as necessary and is expected to be complete by Sept. 16, 2022. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … KTU+A, San Diego, Calif., was awarded a maximum amount $7.5 million contract for professional planning and engineering services in the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast area of responsibility (AOR). Task order 0001 is being awarded at $106,190 for developing basic facility requirements and Department of Defense 1391s for the Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Noble Supply and Logistics, Rockland, Mass., was awarded a $9 million contract for a contractor operated civil engineer supply store. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2016. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … Scientific Systems Co. Inc., Woburn, Mass., was awarded a $6.6 million SBIR III contract for advanced navigation common capability. Contractor will expand upon ANCC previous work by generalizing the process of integrating the technology into weapon systems. Work will be performed at Woburn and is expected to be complete by Sept. 14, 2017. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, was awarded a $20 million modification to exercise the option on previously awarded contract. One of the work sites is Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., is the contracting activity.