Week in review (12/24 to 12/30)

This is the time of year when folks are inclined to reflect on the year that's wrapping up, and I'm no different. We certainly had a lot of noteworthy aerospace-related events along the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, all underscoring that this region is a hot spot for aerospace and aviation.

Of course, we have a long history in the field, but it's been getting more attention in recent years. Aerospace and aviation are two of the most research-intensive fields, and the folks who toil away in the field are paid well. It includes a wide range of jobs, from scientists and engineers to janitors and ticketing agents. It involves the government and commercial companies, and involves some of the hottest fields anywhere, including unmanned systems and commercial space exploration.

In this rather cursory look at the highlights of 2017, keep in mind I'm not touching on everything – not by a long shot. If you have the time and inclination, go to the aerospace news feed and in the left column you'll see "blog archive." There were 403 news items posted in 2017. Click on each month and you'll be able to see every headline for the brief posted during the year – as well as previous years going back to 2008.

Interested in what happened before this news blog was launched in 2008? On the home page of Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, click on "news" and then go to "archives." You can find news items going back to 2005.

So, here are the highlights of 2017:

The 50th Alabama-built passenger jet was delivered in December to Delta Air Lines, and orders continue to come in for popular A320 family of Airbus jets. What might have been the most stunning news was word that a new assembly line might be coming to Mobile to build Bombardier C Series jets. A lot of hurdles are still in front of the project, but what an endorsement for the work being done in Mobile. By the way, in January the Airbus Engineering Center marked 10 years in Mobile.

Over in Mississippi, NASA's Stennis Space Center has made it clear it's interested in creating a research park near the center. Some of what's being called Enterprise Park will be inside SSC and some will be outside, a feature that will make it easier for companies that want to be near SSC but don't want to go through the tight security requirements within the gates.

Anyone who knows me knows I've been a big advocate of research/technology parks. It's a magnet that draws the best and the brightest. There are plenty of examples of the benefit of this kind of approach - just look at Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Ala.

SSC during the year also continued testing the RS-25 engine that will power the first stage of NASA's Space Launch System, which will take astronauts into deep space. And it's not just NASA that's involved in the field. Several commercial space companies during 2017 decided to use SSC for rocket engine development. Relativity Space started testing its liquid oxygen/liquid methane engine at SSC. In addition, Stratolaunch signed an agreement with NASA to use the E1 test stand at SSC to test rocket engines.

Before all that, in May, Aerojet Rocketdyne was selected to build the main propulsion system for a reusable hypersonic aircraft, the XS-1, being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency and Boeing. Aerojet Rocketdyne will conduct assembly and ground testing work at SSC for the XS-1, part of DARPA’s Experimental Spaceplane program. Aerojet Rocketdyne also is using SSC to conduct testing for its AR1 rocket engine, being developed to replace the Russian-made RD-180.

Companies not involved in space were also expanding in the Gulf Coast region during the year. In Alabama's Baldwin County, UTC Foley opened a new nacelles assembly facility. Across the bay in Mobile County, Safran is opening at new facility at the Mobile Aeroplex for its nacelles work.

Global aircraft supplier GKN Aerospace decided during the year to locate an assembly plant near Panama City, Fla., at the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Earlier, in May, Northrop Grumman said its Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., is expanding its workload to include subassembly work for the F-35.

At Eglin Air Force Base, the 96th Cyberspace Test Group was activated late in the year. To the east of Eglin near Panama City, Tyndall Air Force Base was chosen for an MQ-9 Wing, also late in the year.

Speaking of drones, Mississippi State University in Starkville was chosen by the Department of Homeland Security as a base of operations for drone research. Much of the work on how to best to use the devices will be done in South Mississippi, including Camp Shelby, Stennis Space Center, and Singing River Island in Jackson County.

That's a quick look at the highlights. If you want to read beyond the headlines and briefs, you can read more in-depth stories in our bimonthly aerospace newsletter. You can look at all the stories from 2017 in our newsletter archive. The 2017 newsletters begin with Vol. IV (February) and end with Vol. V (December).

Now for your week in review:

Bases
Chief Master Sgt. Michael West, a Special Tactics operator with the 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the nation's third highest medal for valor against an enemy of the United States.

West was awarded the medal on Dec. 15 for his actions during the five-day Operation MEDUSA in 2006. West utilized 58 coalition aircraft to deliver 24,000 pounds of precision ordnance to eliminate more than 500 enemy forces, securing the safety of 51 U.S. Spec Ops forces, and 33 coalition partners.

West was originally awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in May 2007, but due to a recent DOD-wide review, his package was resubmitted for an upgrade. (Post)

Contracts

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded $255.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the Lot 3 low-rate initial production of three MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, trade studies and tooling in support of the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office. Moss Point, Miss., will do 4.2 percent of the work. Work is expected to be completed in December 2021. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … Raytheon Missile Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $25.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract for special tooling and test equipment, for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Lots 28-30 production. Work will be performed in Tucson with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Raytheon Missile Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $634.2 million contract for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) production Lot 31. The contract is for the production of the AMRAAM missile and other AMRAAM system items. Work will be performed at Tucson with an expected completion date of Jan. 31, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (12/17 to 12/23)

With everybody running around trying to get last-minute shopping completed, this is one of the weekly columns that likely slips by unnoticed. But here it is anyway, a day later than normal because I was among those running around like crazy on Saturday.

Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Now for your week in review:


F-35
The Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in Montgomery, Ala. has been selected for a site for a new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter mission. The 187th was one of five ANG units on the short list being considered. In choosing Montgomery as one of two bases for the F-35A, it means 1,000 jobs over the next few years, a $70 million up-front investment, and a $24 million annual economic impact to the region. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center. (Post)

Bases

Naval Air Station Whiting Field is the recipient of the Installation Excellence Award, the third win over the last four years for NAS Whiting. The award recognizes top Navy commands at shore for their excellence across several categories, including installation management, program excellence, environmental stewardship, mission successes and community outreach. NAS Whiting Field, in Milton, was selected as the winner in the small base category from a field of 32 installations. (Post)

Space

Joan Higginbotham wanted to be an engineer, and thought she might work for IBM. What she didn’t expect was to travel in space, she told University of New Orleans graduates at their recent commencement. She shared her journey from a college graduate with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering to one of only three African-American women to travel into space. She traveled on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station in 2006. “The sky is absolutely no longer the limit,” Higginbotham told graduates. “I am challenging you to aim high.” (Post)

Contracts

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded $7 billion for F-22 sustainment. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., four other operation bases and six support locations, as well as at other potential stateside and overseas locations, combat deployment and enroute support bases, potential locations through depot partnering agreements, and system program office locations. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity. … Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., was awarded a $25 million modification to a previously awarded contract for weapons planning software. Work will be performed in Bethpage, with an expected completion date of Sept. 28, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Silicon Graphics Federal LLC, Annapolis Junction, Md., was awarded a $22.6 million contract for Department of Defense high-performance computing modernization program’s technology insertion. Work will be performed in Stennis Space Center, Miss., with an estimated completion date of July 20, 2023. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity. … Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $33.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the Increment V production and delivery of three Fire Scout MQ-8C unmanned air systems. Work will be performed in Moss Point, Miss., Ozark, Ala., and other locations and is expected to be completed in March 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … JPATS Logistics Services LLC, Cape Canaveral, Fla., was awarded a single award contract with a five-year ordering period and a maximum value of $2.2 billion for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System T-6 contractor operated and maintained base supply services, which will provide a full spectrum of transparent supply chain management services to support safe, flyable T-6 aircraft to meet users’ daily flight schedules, consistent with Department of Defense and commercial sector best practices in procuring, producing and delivering products and services to customers. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and other locations. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2022. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. … Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, Calif., was awarded an $110 million contract for the gray wolf science and technology demonstration effort. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, with an expected completion date of Dec. 17, 2024. Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. Infinite Energy Construction Inc., Kansas City, Mo., was awarded a $9.2 million contract for simplified acquisition of base engineering requirements. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an expected completion date of Jan. 1, 2023. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity.

Week in review (12/10 to 12/16)

The December issue of the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor newsletter will be published Tuesday and available for download at our website. Subscribers will receive it via email to their inbox.

The cover story highlights Mississippi's considerable aerospace and aviation activities, from training military pilots to building unmanned aircraft and testing huge rocket engines. It’s the second of a four-part series where we focus on the aerospace footprint of the four states that make up the Aerospace Alliance.

We also have a story about the Airbus Mobile assembly facility, which just delivered its 50th jetliner to Delta Air Lines. The plant at the Mobile Aeroplex is on a roll. It recently learned it will be building more jetliners for Delta. We'll also tell you what we know about the Bombardier C Series that officials plan to build in Mobile.

Finally, we'll tell you about the aerospace summit that was held in New Orleans just after our October issue was published. The summit attracted the movers and shakers from the Gulf Coast region, and we’ll provide you with some of the highlights, including what's in the works to create a research park in and around Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Now for your week in review:

Airbus
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines has placed an order with Airbus for 100 of the A321neo aircraft, most of which will be built at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Ala. The planes will be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1133G-JM geared turbofan engines.

Delta's announcement on the A321neo follows several orders in recent years for the current engine option (ceo) version of the A321. Delta has ordered a total of 117 A321ceos, each powered by CFM56 engines from CFM International.

With more than 5,300 orders received from 96 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo family has captured some 60 percent share of the market. The Delta has taken delivery of 13 U.S.-manufactured Airbus aircraft since last year.

In addition, less than two years after Airbus delivered the first A320 family aircraft built in Mobile, the 50th aircraft built in Mobile was delivered to Delta this week. The milestone was celebrated by the facility’s employees, as well as Airbus Americas Chairman Allan McArtor and members of the Delta Air Lines delivery team. (Post)

The Mobile factory produces four aircraft per month for delivery to Airbus’ U.S. customers. Plans for further production ramp up are currently being discussed. (Post)

Space

NASA engineers wrapped up a year of Space Launch System testing with a final RS-25 rocket engine hot fire on Dec. 13 at Stennis Space Center in South Mississippi.

The 400-second test on the A-1 Test Stand was a "green run" test of an RS-25 flight controller. It marked the eighth RS-25 test of the year and the sixth flight controller to be tested for use on NASA's Space Launch System vehicle.

The engine tested also included a large 3D-printed part scheduled for use on future RS-25 flight engines. The part, a beach ball-sized pogo accumulator assembly, is a complex piece of hardware that acts as a shock absorber to dampen vibrations, or oscillations, caused by propellants as they flow between the vehicle and the engine.

Initial reports show the 3D-printed hardware performed as expected, opening the door for more components scheduled for future tests. (Post)

Contracts

The Boeing Co., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an $18.1 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the integrated sustainment support of the AC-130U gunships. This modification provides for the continuation of services for the development, modification, sustainment and maintenance of the AC-130U gunship. Work will be performed in Fort Walton Beach; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan; and Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2018. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity. … Raytheon Missile Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded an $8.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract to provide form-fit-function replace hardware assets to include guidance sections and integrated test vehicles under the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile lots 28-30 production. Work will be performed in Tucson with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a ceiling $6.7 million contract for F119 engine sustainment. Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is among the work locations. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. … L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a
$79.4 million contract for contractor operated and maintained base supply of the Air Education and Training Command fleet of 178 T-1A trainer aircraft. Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., is among the work sites. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity … L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., also was awarded a $10.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract for logistics support of the T-1A aircraft. Services include contractor-operated maintained supply, over and above, on-equipment maintenance, data and field service representatives. Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., is among the work sites. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (11/26 to 12/2)

A new wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, an award for a Hurlburt Field gunship crew and the installation of a pathfinder RS-25 on the SLS core stage at Michoud were among the news items during the week of interest to the Gulf Coast aerospace corridor.

Here's your week in review:

Bases The Air Force picked Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., as the preferred location for hosting a new MQ-9 Reaper Wing with 24 remotely piloted aircraft. Vandenberg AFB, Calif., is considered a reasonable alternative.

The wing will be composed of an operations group with mission control elements as well as a launch and recovery capability, and a maintenance group. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said Tyndall best meets the requirements for the Reaper, including fewer aircraft competing for air space, nearby training ranges, great weather and lower up-front costs.

Based on current projections, airmen are expected to begin arriving at the new location as early as 2020. The first aircraft are expected to arrive in 2022. (Post)

-- Fourteen AC-130U gunship crewmembers provided close-air-support to a U.S. Special Forces team and 43 Afghan soldiers near Kunduz, Afghanistan Nov. 2, 2016. The crew's persistent fire support, presence of mind and courage during two hours of intense combat ultimately saved 50 lives.

For their actions the aircrew of the AC-130U gunship known as "Spooky 43" were presented the 2016 Mackay Trophy by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen W. Wilson at an awards ceremony in Arlington Nov. 29. The crew is based at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

The Mackay Trophy was first awarded in 1912 and honors the most meritorious Air Force flight of the previous year. (Post)

Space

Engineers at the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans are using a pathfinder RS-25 engine to practice the installation of engines on the Core Stage of the Space Launch System (SLS).

Each core will receive four RS-25s, currently undergoing test firings at the Stennis Space Center, Miss., ahead of a path that will see them being shipped to MAF. The installation of all four RS-25s on the Core Stage will be a major milestone on the path to Exploration Mission-1, the first launch of SLS.

Test firings at the Stennis Space Center (SSC) continue to serve toward the readiness of that milestone, with the first four flight engines now closing in on shipping to MAF to be installed on Core Stage -1 (CS-1). Those engines, all Space Shuttle veterans, are E2045 in position 1, E2056 in position 2, E2058 in position 3, and E2060 in position 4.

All four of these RS-25s will remain at SSC until MAF engineers have completed the work on CS-1. The latest schedule shows the four engines will make the journey to New Orleans in May of next year. (Post)

F-35 contracts

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $353.2 million modification to a previously awarded contract that provides for performance based logistics sustainment in support of the F-135 propulsion system in support of the F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants and foreign military Sales (FMS) customers.

This modification provides for maintenance of support equipment, common program activities, unique and common base recurring sustainment, repair of repairable, field service representatives, common replenishment spares, conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant F-135 unique maintenance services, and short take-off and landing F-135 unique services.

Among the work sites is Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and work at all locations is expected to be completed in November 2018. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Post)

In addition, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $37.7 million modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise an option for software conversions for structure and systems datasets in support of Lot 10 production for the F-35 joint strike fighter.

Work will be performed in Texas and the United Kingdom, and is expected to be completed in June 2020. 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)

Other contracts

Bering Sea Environmental LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded an $8.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract for Air Combat Command's air combat training system operations and maintenance. Among the bases where work will be done are Eglin Air Force Base and Tyndall Air Force Base, both in Northwest Florida. The expected completion date is Dec. 31, 2020. ACC, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Hampton, Va., is the contracting activity. … Cubic Defense Applications Inc., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $14.8 million multiyear contract for contractor logistics support. It provides for comprehensive, effective, and quality contractor logistics support for the Saudi Arabian P5 combat training system to sustain operational tempos currently located at several bases in Saudi. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia, with an expected completion date of Feb 28, 2022. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Kaman Precision Products, Orlando, Fla., and Middletown, Conn., has been awarded a $85.2 million contract for delivery of lot 13 of the joint programmable fuze, FMU-52 and corresponding production, test and engineering support. Work will be performed in Orlando and Middletown with an expected completion date of Feb. 28, 2019. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.