Two crashes of 737 Max passenger jets, one in Indonesia and the other in Ethiopia some five months later, caused more than 300 deaths have the company under the spotlight. In both crashes, the planes pitched up then down shortly after takeoff. At issue is the autonomous flight control system, and flaws in the certification process. The FAA ordered the 737s grounded March 13 while investigations continue.
For a detailed story about the problems, take a look at a March 17 story, updated March 21, in the Seattle Times by aerospace reporter Dominic Gates. You can read it here. But I would urge you to read any number of stories about the case. Yes, it’s a software problem, but it’s also a certification problem, training problem and a problem of what can happen rushing to get a product into service.
It also makes me wonder what all of this means for autonomous road vehicles. Will they learn a lesson?
Now for your week in review:
Military
A request from a weapons office at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., has resulted in some new testing that hasn’t been done in 20 years involving the B-1B Lancer aircraft. The testing is being done at Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.
This long absence ended earlier this year as a 10 percent model of the bomber began conducting a series of store separation tests in the 16-foot transonic wind tunnel at Arnold. The tests were requested by an AEDC testing partner, the Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO) of Eglin.
A new targeting pod design has been introduced for the aircraft, and officials in the SEEK EAGLE Office will examine the effects of the new pod on the B-1B Lancer. Tests will be conducted on five store models at Arnold to determine whether the full-size munitions will cleanly release from the bomber in flight. (Post)
-- The Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering and researchers and engineers from Eglin Air Force Base have begun a new partnership to train graduate and undergraduate students in areas critical to the Air Force.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Eglin will fund a $400,000 grant to create the Air Force Research Laboratory Scholars program at the College of Engineering. The summer STEM-related intern program will bring students into the laboratory environment where they can directly benefit from working with faculty researchers on Air Force-related research. (Post)
Contract - munitions
General Dynamics, Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Niceville, Fla., was awarded a
$27.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the BLU-134/B Improved Lethality Warhead. Work will be performed in Niceville, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, King of Prussia, Pa., was awarded a $9.1 million contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Enterprise Management System 8.0. This contract provides for enhancements to the software package known as the JASSM Enterprise Management System. Work will be performed in King of Prussia, and is expected to be complete by March 21, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin, Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity for both munitions contract. … Scientific Applications Research Associates Inc., Cypress, Calif., was awarded a $100 million contract for the Golden Horde Science and Technology demonstration effort. This contract provides for support research and development of emerging munition technologies, as well as integrated weapon demonstrations. The effort is conceptualized as a fast-paced Air Force Research Laboratory-led demonstration project executed under the auspices of the Team Eglin Weapon Consortium. Work will be performed in Cypress, and is expected to be complete by December 2021. Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics, Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Niceville, Fla., was awarded a
$27.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the BLU-134/B Improved Lethality Warhead. Work will be performed in Niceville, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, King of Prussia, Pa., was awarded a $9.1 million contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Enterprise Management System 8.0. This contract provides for enhancements to the software package known as the JASSM Enterprise Management System. Work will be performed in King of Prussia, and is expected to be complete by March 21, 2020. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin, Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity for both munitions contract. … Scientific Applications Research Associates Inc., Cypress, Calif., was awarded a $100 million contract for the Golden Horde Science and Technology demonstration effort. This contract provides for support research and development of emerging munition technologies, as well as integrated weapon demonstrations. The effort is conceptualized as a fast-paced Air Force Research Laboratory-led demonstration project executed under the auspices of the Team Eglin Weapon Consortium. Work will be performed in Cypress, and is expected to be complete by December 2021. Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Contracts – MQ-9
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded a $123.3 million contract action for MQ-9 Block 5 procurement. This contract provides for four MQ-9 unmanned air vehicles, four Mobile Ground Control Stations, spares, and support equipment. Work will be performed predominately in Poway, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2020. … General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, Calif., also was awarded a contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 1 Weapons integration effort. This contract provides for the production and integration of weapons kits onto the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Poway, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. … MAG Aerospace, Newport News, Va., has been awarded an $11.4 million contract for the UK MQ-9 Reaper Operations Center. This contract provides for ongoing sustainment, management, development and network administration of the United Kingdom MQ-9 Reaper Operations Centers. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nev.; and Royal Air Force Waddington, United Kingdom, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2021. Air Force Life Cycle Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity for all three MQ-9 contracts. Gulf Coast note: Hurlburt Field, Fla., is getting an MQ-9 squadron in late 2019.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded a $123.3 million contract action for MQ-9 Block 5 procurement. This contract provides for four MQ-9 unmanned air vehicles, four Mobile Ground Control Stations, spares, and support equipment. Work will be performed predominately in Poway, and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2020. … General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, Calif., also was awarded a contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 1 Weapons integration effort. This contract provides for the production and integration of weapons kits onto the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 1 aircraft. Work will be performed in Poway, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. … MAG Aerospace, Newport News, Va., has been awarded an $11.4 million contract for the UK MQ-9 Reaper Operations Center. This contract provides for ongoing sustainment, management, development and network administration of the United Kingdom MQ-9 Reaper Operations Centers. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nev.; and Royal Air Force Waddington, United Kingdom, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2021. Air Force Life Cycle Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity for all three MQ-9 contracts. Gulf Coast note: Hurlburt Field, Fla., is getting an MQ-9 squadron in late 2019.
Contract – F-35
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $264.7 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides for additional operation and technical services in support of the government of Korea’s F-35 Lightning II program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in June 2020. …United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Engines, Hartford, Conn., was awarded $18.4 million for a modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides additional funding for F-135 long lead items in support of non-U.S. Department of Defense (U.S. DoD) participants. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Conn. (67 percent); Indianapolis, Ind. (26.5 percent); and Bristol, United Kingdom (6.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. … Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded $14.6 million modification to a previously issued delivery order placed against a basic ordering agreement. This order procures 62 low-rate initial production Organic Light Emitting Diode Helmet Display Units and spares in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, and is expected to be completed in February 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity for all three contracts. Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.
Contracts - construction
Whitesell-Green Inc., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $26.4 million contract to design and build student dorms. Work will be performed in Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an estimated completion date of March 21, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. … URS Group Inc., Morrisville, N.C., was awarded a $9.8 million modification under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract for phase one of Hurricane Michael repairs for stabilization and repairs to multiple buildings at Naval Support Activity Panama City, Fla. Work will be performed in Panama City and is expected to be completed by September 2019. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
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