Week in review (4/21 to 4/27)

How important is aerospace to the Gulf Coast region? Important enough that we produce a biennial reference book that highlights the industry that's continuing to grow in the region between South Louisiana and Northwest Florida.

We're in the process of compiling Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor 2019-2020, the seventh edition of our biennial reference book. While we do track aerospace and aviation developments in our daily news feed, this weekly column and our bimonthly newsletter, so much occurs that we need to put it all in focus every couple of years. That's the purpose of the book, a must-read for anyone interested in the field.

One chapter we're taking up this year is the growth of aircraft assembly in recent years. Jetliners are built by Airbus in Mobile, Ala., unmanned helicopters are built by Northrop Grumman in Moss Point, Miss., and in 2021 Kopter Group will assemble helicopters in Lafayette, La. In addition, if Bell wins a Navy contract, training helicopters will be built in Ozark, Ala. Why is this happening, and can we expect the growth to continue?

We'll also have updated chapters on space activities, military aviation, commercial airports, education and innovation. The book will be published in June as a 100-page PDF that will be available on our website. It will be free to readers, thanks to the support of our underwriters who back it because they recognize this is an important story to tell. A printed version will also be available at cost plus shipping from our print-on-demand provider.

Speaking of underwriters, if you're a company interested in having your name associated with this worthwhile, unique publication, give me a call or email me and I'll provide you with details. Just think of all the students and potential future workers this will reach.

Now for your week in review:

ST Engineering

ST Engineering secured around $959 million in new contracts in the aerospace sector. The Singapore group says that among the new contracts is a 10-year service agreement with a long-time, unidentified North American operator, to provide heavy maintenance checks for its fleet of Airbus A300s and Boeing 757s.

The contract will cover over 160 widebody and narrowbody aircraft, to be serviced at its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in San Antonio, Texas, and Pensacola, Fla., starting in 2020.

ST Engineering has one MRO hangar in Pensacola and plans are to build three more. ST Engineering also has an operation in Mobile, Ala. (Post)

Bell

Bell has announced that, if it is selected to build the U.S. Navy’s Advanced Helicopter Trainer, it will assemble the aircraft in Ozark, Ala., where it currently does some of the assembly work for the Fire Scout unmanned helicopter.

The company would build the Bell 407GXi, and final assembly would take place in Ozark, according to Bell’s parent company Textron. Ozarks is near Fort Rucker, where the Army trains its aviators.

The Navy wants about 130 aircraft for the program. Bell’s workforce at the Ozark site could grow by 25 percent to a total of 100 workers if the company wins the competition, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.

If selected, the Bell 407GXi would replace the Navy’s TH-57 Sea Ranger training helicopters, which Bell first introduced in the 1970s. A decision from the Navy is expected later this year. Bell is competing against Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters. (Post)

Contracts – F-35

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $117.1 million modification to a delivery order previously placed against a basic ordering agreement. This modification provides for air vehicle initial spares to include a deployment spares package, afloat spares package, and associated consumables to support air vehicle delivery schedules for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in support of the Air Force and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in a variety of locations in the United States and Europe. Work is expected to be completed in August 2023. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded $90.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification will stand up organic depot repair capabilities for the F-35 integrated core processor. Work will be performed in a variety of locations in the United States and is expected to be completed in October 2022. 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.

Contracts – other

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $127.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the B61-12 Life Extension Program. This modification provides for the initiation of an undefinitized contract action for Lot 1 and Lot 2 Long Lead items. Work will be performed in Saint Charles, Mo., and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2020. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Korte Construction Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $31.3 million contract to design and build an Integrated Training Center Academics Building at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Work will be performed in Okaloosa County, Fla., with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (4/14 to 4/20)

As the editor of several Gulf Coast aerospace publications, I’m never sure when I go to events that are not specifically focused on aerospace what, if anything, I’ll come back with.

That was the case with the 22nd Gulf Power Economic Symposium, held Wednesday and Thursday at the Sandestin Resort in Miramar Beach. I go every year – there were 638 participants this year – because the event is always interesting and informative, with good speakers. And I usually get something out of it that’s aerospace-related.

Besides, I get to see folks I know who I don't get a chance to see on a regular basis.

I went Wednesday for just part of the day, then returned Thursday for the entire half-day event, where there were talks about innovation, public/private partnerships and what factors might make a company pick one site over another.

Thursday also included remarks by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who talked about the trend of people, businesses and wealth moving from highly taxed, highly regulated states to places like Florida. He said Florida has low taxes, reasonable regulations and conservative spending. "I think we're seeing more and more people who want to come and invest in Florida for those reasons," he said.

DeSantis also talked about the state's approach to preparing workers for the future. He said that while Florida's university system is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report, the university path is not the only road to success.

"We set a goal to make Florida No. 1 in workforce education by 2030," he said, noting that the state is now in the middle of the pack. (Post)

After his talk, DeSantis spent a few minutes with reporters to answer questions. Needless to say, I took the opportunity to focus on aerospace, and asked him how the state is doing compared to other states as an aerospace power.

"I think that in many respects we're leading the way," he said. He pointed out that the growth in commercial space activity is "a very big deal," and said many of those companies have chosen Florida to set up operations. They use Florida not only for launches, but for manufacturing.

And he’s also interested in getting Florida on the radar for the Space Force – should that happen.

“I've been talking with the president about locating the combatant command for U.S. Space Force in Florida. He is definitely considering it ... I think Florida is uniquely positioned for that. We already have three combatant commands,” he said.

Getting the space force would not only be good substantively, but symbolically. “That would kind of show, hey, Florida is the place to be for space.”

I also asked him how Florida does compared to other states in K-12 education. After all, he said in his talk that the state’s higher education system ranks high, and that he intends to make it No. 1 in workforce training.

The governor pointed out that Florida is a diverse state, and K-12 education varies, but pointed out that the state’s NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores have improved in the last 20 years, and recently made the top 10.

The need as he sees it is to focus on the basics, and to put more emphasis on vocational training at the high school level. One of his concerns is civics education, a very important part of schooling that ensure youth understand the basics and the nation’s foundation.

I couldn’t agree with him more. A 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that only 26 percent of Americans can name all three branches of government, a significant decline from previous years. And that's just one part of a host of basics that any good citizen should know.

Without an understanding of the structure of government, our rights and responsibilities, and the different methods of public engagement, civic literacy will continue to plague our nation. Schools have a responsibility to ensure that young people become knowledgeable citizens. The increased focus on math and reading in K–12 education, while important, shouldn’t push out civics and other important subjects.

And while we're at it, how about more history, which should go hand-in-hand with civics. An educated public is the best way to ensure our future.

The next Gulf Power Symposium will be held in February 2020, again at Sandestin.

Corporate

ST Engineering has been given approval by regulators in the United States to acquire GE Aviation’s nacelle unit. The Singapore group is acquiring Middle River Aircraft Systems (MRAS) in a deal worth an estimated net price of $440 million.

ST Engineering’s U.S. subsidiary, Vision Technologies Aerospace, is acquiring all the shares of Baltimore, Md.-based MRAS, the sole supplier of certain nacelle equipment for GE engines powering the Airbus A330, Boeing 747-8, 767, Comac ARJ21 and Embraer 190.

It specializes in the development, production and aftermarket support of nacelles, thrust reversers and aerostructures and employs around 800 staff. ST Engineering has maintenance, repair and overhaul operations in Mobile, Ala., and Pensacola, Fla. (Post)

Contracts

Pratt and Whitney Engines, East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $201.9 million modification to the previously awarded advance acquisition contract. This modification provides for long-lead materials, parts, and components for Lot 14 F135 Propulsion systems for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in support of the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (non-U.S. DoD) participants; and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in East Hartford; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Bristol, United Kingdom, and is expected to be completed in April 2022. 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. … The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $65 million contract for Small Diameter Bomb Increment I miniature munitions. This contract provides for integration, sustainment and support of the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I miniature munition and carriage system on various Foreign Military Sales aircraft platforms. This support includes all testing, engineering, management, technical, and logistical activities associated with Small Diameter Bomb Increment I weapon system with various aircraft and associated systems. Work will be performed in St. Louis, various Air Force test ranges, and in each respective country. Work is expected to be complete by April 15, 2029. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $19.1 million modification to a previously awarded contract for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) production program. This modification provides for upgrade and commonality of AMRAAM production test equipment being produced and utilized
under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be complete by April 15, 2022. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (4/7 to 4/13)

Alabamians voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, and are probably among his most ardent supporters. That’s unlikely to change, but that support may come more grudgingly, at least in Southwest Alabama, if the president’s plan to impose $11.2 billion in tariffs on imports from the European Union comes to pass.

That’s because the targeted items include the aircraft sections that are shipped from Europe and used in Mobile to assemble the A320 series of jetliners. What it might do to the Mobile operation should the tariffs happen is unclear, but it will no doubt benefit Airbus rival Boeing.

The call for tariffs comes at a time when Boeing is under a spotlight over the crash of two 737 Max jetliners within a five-month span that killed more than 350 people. Both crashes were traced to a problem with sensors on the nose of the planes.

Pilots for years have relied on sensors to warn them of dangerous stalls. But in the Boeing Max the sensors go beyond warning and force the nose down automatically. A review of public databases by Bloomberg News shows that since the early 1990s, there are at least 140 instances of sensors on U.S. planes being damaged by equipment on the ground or bird strikes.

While Boeing is working on a fix, its Max planes have been grounded. So the tariffs are, for Boeing, a bit of good news. At least for the time being, because the EU is planning its own retaliation.

Airbus and Boeing compete for industry dominance. Both sides have been judged by the World Trade Organization to have paid billions in subsidies to gain advantage, and have been asked to stop or face potential sanctions.

In Brussels during the week, European Union countries gave initial clearance to start formal trade talks with the United States. Both sides have won partial victories at the WTO but disagree on the amount involved and whether each has complied with earlier WTO rulings.

According to Reuters, the European Commission has drawn up a list of U.S. imports worth around $22.6 billion that it could hit with tariffs over the transatlantic aircraft subsidy dispute, EU diplomats said Friday.

The final amount decided by the WTO arbitrator could also be lower. The EU had also initially requested that the WTO authorize countermeasures of $12 billion.

The arbitrator’s decision may not come before March 2020. In the U.S. case a WTO decision could come in June or July this year.

Military

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, the last living member of the WWII bombing mission by the Doolittle Radiers, died April 9 in Texas at the age of 103. Cole was one of 80 Army Air Corps personnel that volunteered for the mission, a team led by then-Lt. Col. James Doolittle to strike Japan on April 18, 1942, after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

Sixteen B-25 bombers launched from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. The team trained at Eglin Field in Florida for two weeks. Damage from the raid was slight, but showed that Japan was not beyond the reach of American air power. Seven of the raiders lost their lives in the mission. Cole bailed out of the B-25 after the raid while trying to reach a landing site in China.

He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. (Post)

-- Air Force Maj. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as commander, Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region; and commander, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Sasseville is currently serving as deputy director, Air National Guard, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. (Post)

Space

NASA conducted a successful hot fire test of an RS-25 engine during the week, the culmination of four-plus years of testing for the RS-25 engines that will send the first four Space Launch System (SLS) rockets into space.

The RS-25 rocket engine test era began Jan. 9, 2015, with a 500-second hot fire of RS-25 developmental engine No. 0525 on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis. NASA tested the first SLS flight engine on March 10, 2016.

Altogether, the agency has conducted 32 developmental and flight engine tests for a total of 14,754 seconds, all on the A-1 stand at Stennis. Having launched 135 space shuttle missions, these main engines are considered the most tested engines in the world. When the Space Shuttle Program ended in 2011, NASA still had 16 engines that ultimately were modified for SLS. (Post)

Newsletter

The Gulf Coast Reporters League/Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter for April is available at the website Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor for download.

There's a story about the National Flight Academy in Pensacola, which is piquing the interest of young people in the aerospace and aviation fields at a time that the industry is facing shortages of workers. There's also a story about the new helicopter simulators at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, near Milton, Fla., as well as an analysis on the growth of the region's aircraft assembly footprint. (Post)

Contract

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., has been awarded a $21.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract for GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator sustainment. Work will be performed in St. Louis and is expected to be complete by July 18, 2023. This modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $26.4 million. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (3/31 to 4/6)

The April edition of the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor/Gulf Coast Reporters League newsletter will publish this coming Tuesday.

This issue will fill you in on the importance of the National Flight Academy at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., at a time when the aerospace industry is concerned about getting the next generation of aviation workers. For the immediate Mobile-Pensacola area, some 2,000 new jobs will have to be filled in the next few years.

We also have a story on the new high-tech simulators that are going to Naval Air Station Whiting Field near Milton, Fla., plus additional stories about the Navy’s search for a new training helicopter and an update on Santa Rosa County’s work to create Whiting Aviation Park.

There’s also a piece on the new SHO9 helicopters that will be assembled in Lafayette, La., by the Kopter Group of Switzerland. It adds another layer to the aircraft assembly operation in the region. Included in that story is an update on happenings at the Mobile Aeroplex in Mobile, Ala.

The eight-page publication will be sent to the inbox of subscribers – it’s free – and others can grab it at our website. Now for your week in review:

Education - attraction

What’s it like to be launched in space?

The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., has a new Apollo 11 virtual reality (VR) attraction designed to let visitors walk in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

The 5-minute, $10 experience includes climbing aboard the rocket, actually a row of a dozen seats facing a replica Houston Mission Control.

The seats move, by the way, shaking and pitching, like you might experience in a spacecraft. After launch, riders get a 360 degree view of earth and space while heading to the moon.

Animation of the historic 1969 landing allows guests to see what the astronauts might have witnessed and felt. This year is the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. (Post)

Many of us who are, uh, old timers, remember the landing, watching it on television. Some of us even made younger siblings look at the historic landing – even though they had other things they’d rather do.

Military

Cmdr. Brian Kesselring will be the Blue Angels flight leader and commanding officer for the 2020 and 2021 show seasons. Kesselring will replace current Blue Angels commanding officer Capt. Eric Doyle in November 2019, when the show season ends.

Kesselring will lead the Pensacola, Fla.-based team during its 75th anniversary season in 2021, and will likely oversee the transition from the F/A-18 Hornet to the Super Hornet. The Navy expects the change to happen in 2021.

It will mark the first time in 35 years the Blue Angels have changed aircraft. (Post)

If you haven’t seen the Blue Angels perform, you’re missing something special. A few years ago we took a visitor to see the team practice at Naval Air Station Pensacola. If you’ve never seen a practice session, it’s quite enjoyable – especially hearing the volunteers who give a play-by-play in front of the visitors sitting in the stands.

Contracts - NASA
NASA has awarded a task order to CenturyLink, of Va., to provide support of NASA’s core backbone services including Optical Wavelength Service (OWS) and ethernet interfaces. The task order has a performance period consisting of an 18-month base period plus four two-year option periods, for a total order value of $11.4 million. … NASA also has awarded a contract to Seventh Sense Consulting LLC, of Woodbridge, Va., to provide Agency Wide Acquisition Support Services (AWASS) to all NASA centers. The $24.6 million contract has a one-year base period beginning July 1, and four one-year options which run through June 30, 2024 if all options are exercised. Both contracts will be administered by the NASA Shared Services Center at the agency’s Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Contracts - DoD
Boeing Defense Space and Security, St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $250 million contract for Joint Direct Attack Munition/Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM/LJDAM) technical services, aircraft integration, and sustainment. This contract provides for JDAM/LJDAM-specific activities including, but not limited to, technical services, aircraft integration, and sustainment. Work will be performed in St. Louis, and is expected to be complete by March 2029. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $151.3 million modification to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract. This modification provides for the procurement of long-lead items for the manufacture and delivery of 21 F-35 Lightning II Lot 14 low-rate initial production aircraft for the governments of Australia (15) and Norway (6). 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. … Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $12.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification upgrades three MQ-4C Triton aircraft from a baseline Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 3 software configuration to a Multi-IFC 4 software configuration. Fourteen percent of the work will be performed in Moss Point, Miss., and is expected to be completed in October 2021. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $7.2 million advance acquisition contract modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification extends the period of performance and provides additional funding to procure long lead components, material, parts and associated efforts required to maintain the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System planned low rate initial production, lot 4 production schedule. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. Fuselage work on the Tritons is done in Moss Point, Miss. … AECOM Management Services Inc., Germantown, Md., was awarded $30.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides for the procurement of aviation support equipment in support of the Fleet Readiness Centers. New Orleans is one of the work locations with five percent. Work is expected to be completed in April 2022. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, N.J., is the contracting activity. … Peerless Technologies Corp., Fairborn, Ohio, was awarded $47.2 million for advisory and assistance services to support the Air Force Civil Engineering Center energy directorate. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by April 10, 2024. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity.