Week in review (10/20 to 10/26)

American Airlines and Spirit Airlines executives are working with Airbus to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on European-made aircraft, including having more planes delivered from its aircraft plant in Mobile, Ala.

Planes built there are not subject to a 10 percent tariff announced by Washington in the wake of the World Trade Organization ruling. American, one of the largest customers of the A320 series, expects 21 deliveries over the next two years, with nine already scheduled out of Airbus’ plant in Mobile. (Post)

Airbus and Spirit Airlines have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding for the U.S.-based airline to acquire up to 100 A320neo series aircraft. Spirit announced its intention to place firm orders for a mix of A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo to meet its future fleet requirements.

Spirit is based in South Florida. At the end of September 2019, the A320neo series had received more than 6,650 firm orders from nearly 110 customers worldwide. Airbus builds the A320 series in Mobile, Ala., as well as in Germany, France and China. (Post)

Contracts

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded a $148.4 million order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This order procures durability testing support for the certification of the F-35B aircraft variant to a minimum of 8,000 flight hours/30 year service life in support of the Marine Corps and non-Department of Defense participants. The effort includes the test article configuration, the test article build, the test plan, the testing itself, and teardown and analysis. Work will be performed in Texas, California and the United Kingdom and is expected to be completed in July 2032. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of an F-35 training center. … Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded an $18.3 million modification to a delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement in support of the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. This order procures material kits and retrofit labor to incorporate the Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 4.0 configuration into one retrofit ground segment and fully fund the IFC 4.0 retrofit install labor for aircraft B10. Work will be performed in California, Texas, Utah, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Virginia and various locations inside and outside the continental U.S. Work is expected to be completed in February 2021. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman in Moss Point, Miss., does fuselage work on Tritons. … FlightSafety Services Corp., Centennial, Colo., was awarded a $13.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract for aircrew training services in support of the TH-57B/C community, including instruction, operation and curriculum support. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station, Whiting Field, Fla., and is expected to be completed in October 2020. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Week in review (10/6 to 10/19)

Is the Airbus jetliner plant in Mobile, Ala., safe now from the threat of tariffs being placed on major components that are shipped there?

Yes, for now at least.

The cover story of the October issue of the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter focuses on the Airbus operation in Mobile, and details what led up to the decision earlier this month by the World Trade Organization that allowed the United States to impose tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of goods from Europe.

As the story points out, major parts from Europe that are used to build the jetliners in Mobile are not on the list of goods subjected to tariffs. But that doesn’t mean it’s free and clear. The list can change.

The newsletter also has a story about the Navy's plans to replace the TH-57 training helicopter at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla. Three companies – Leonardo, Airbus and Bell – are competing for the right to build the trainers. All are modified versions of commercially available helicopters.

Depending on which company wins, the trainers will be assembled in Philadelphia, Ozark, Ala., or Columbus, Miss. And one of the companies, Leonardo, has already said that if it wins, it will set up a support operation at Milton’s new Whiting Aviation Park, just outside Naval Air Station Whiting Field.

There’s also a story about the Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, Miss., an operation that was launched in 2006 and has slowly grown satisfying the needs of the nation’s military for unmanned systems.

Subscribers found the October issue in their inboxes, but non-subscribers can visit our website and download a copy of the eight-page newsletter. It’s free of charge, thanks to the support of our underwriters. (Post)

Speaking of NAS Whiting Field, Training Air Wing Five at the base will host portions of the Naval Helicopter Association Gulf Coast 2019 Fleet Fly In next week. It's designed to provide a week of training and knowledge sharing with student aviators so they can make informed decisions as they move forward in their aviation careers.

A number of aircraft including helicopters and fixed wing airframes such as the MH-60R and S, MH-53, AH-1Z, H-65, MV-22, and several civil aircraft are expected to participate. (Post)

We’re nearing the end of 2019 and we have just one more issue before we start the new year of 2020. Our final issue of the year will take a look at some of the key aerospace events that occurred in the Gulf Coast region.

But we’ll also take a look at what we can expect in 2020. We are pretty sure about some of the things that will occur – the test of the core stage of the Space Launch System at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and the first A220 built in Mobile, Ala., will be finished.

But those are the obvious things. We’ll tell you a lot more to expect. We’ll be right with some, wrong with others. And there’s also the stuff that will come down the pike that we won’t see coming.

If you have any thoughts on what might happen in 2020, drop me a line and we’ll work it into our story.

Week in review (9/22 to 10/5)

Airbus in Mobile escaping a problem with tariffs, the arrival of the Space Launch System pathfinder at Kennedy Space Center and Leonard’s announcement it would place a facility in Milton, Fla., if it wins the contract to provide new training helicopters to the Navy were some of the key stories over the past two weeks. And there were also a lot of contracts awarded.

Here’s your week – actually two – in review:

Airbus

The World Trade Organization said the U.S. can move forward with plans to impose some $7.5 billion in tariffs on EU goods annually, to counteract years of European loans and illegal subsidies to Airbus. Fortunately for this region, major parts shipped from Europe to build Airbus jetliners in Mobile, Ala., escaped the tariffs.

The WTO decision comes after a 15-year dispute over European Union countries' roles in building Airbus into a global player that competes head-to-head with Boeing. But the clash isn't over. The WTO will rule in the coming months on the EU's own request to levy tariffs on the U.S. over its aid to Boeing.

The United States said it would slap 10 percent tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25 percent duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies.

The size and scope of the tariffs were reduced from a $25 billion list floated by Washington earlier this year that included helicopters, major aircraft components, seafood, luxury goods and other big-ticket categories that were excluded from Wednesday’s announcement. (Post)

We’ll have a detailed look at this issue in the upcoming October newsletter.

Military

Leonardo Helicopter said the Company will build a 100,000 square-foot customer support center adjacent to Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Northwest Florida if it’s selected for the Navy’s Advanced Helicopter Training System.

Leonardo, one of three companies competing to build the new helicopter trainer, is offering TH-119 single engine helicopter to replace the Navy’s TH-57 training helicopters. The Navy is expected to make its selection for the 130 helicopters by the end of 2019.

Leonardo’s planned support center will create up to 50 jobs to maintain the trainers. The center would be at the 267-acre Whiting Aviation Park, a new park adjacent to NAS Whiting Field. The other competitors are Airbus Helicopters and Bell, which built the TH-57. (Post)

We also will have a detailed look at this in the October issue of the newsletter.

Space

NASA’s Pegasus Barge arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39 turn basin Sept. 27 with the 212-foot-long Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage pathfinder mock-up.

The pathfinder will be used by the Exploration Ground Systems Program and their contractor, Jacobs, to practice offloading, moving and stacking maneuvers, to train employees and certify all the equipment works properly.

The core stage includes the cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks that will feed four RS-25 rocket engines and also contains the vehicle’s avionics and flight computer. The pathfinder will stay at KSC for about a month before sailing back to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. (Post)

Contracts – F-35

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, was awarded an $8 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides additional contractor support to increase the development flight test aircraft capacity for F-35 test. Work will be performed in Maryland and California and is expected to be completed in March 2020.  … Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., also was awarded a $30.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification exercises the option to continue lab infrastructure activities in support of F-35 system integration labs. In addition, this modification provides administration, maintenance and preparation of F-35 labs to test updated or corrected software and hardware configurations across the F-35 platform. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. (70%); and Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (30%), and is expected to be completed in March 2020. … Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., also was awarded a $150.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides for Autonomic Logistics Information System hardware and support equipment in support of low rate initial production Lot 11 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. … Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., also was awarded a $9 million modification to a previously awarded contract in support of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity on all four of these Lockheed contracts.

Contracts – F-35 others

United Technologies Corp., East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $325.2 million contract to provide material and support equipment for depot maintenance facilities, non-recurring sustainment activities, supplies, services and planning for depot activations as well as two F135 full-scale high fidelity mockup engines and four modules for test cells in support of the F-35 Lightning II Program. Work will be performed in Oklahoma, Connecticut, North Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana and various locations within and outside the continental United States and is expected to be completed in January 2023. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., was awarded a $7.5 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification provides for testing of software changes to allow for emergency thrust bump operations in support of F-35B short takeoff and landing aircraft for Marine Corps and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, also was awarded a $2.2 billion modification to a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … ASRC Builders LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded a $12.8 million contract for demolition and construction of an F-35A conventional munitions maintenance facility. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, is the contracting activity.

Contracts – trainers

ASES LLC, doing business as Field Aerospace, Oklahoma City, Okla., was awarded a $21.3 million contract modification to a previously award contract to exercise Option One for full rate production to begin for the T-1A Avionics Modification Program. This contract provides for the replacement of the avionics suite in the Air Education and Training Command fleet of 178 T-1A trainer aircraft, 16 operational flight trainers and 14 part task trainers. One of the work locations is Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. Other work sites are in Oklahoma, Texas, and Mississippi. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity. … Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $40.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification opens up the ordering period to provide organizational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support. The effort involves providing services in support of the T-45 Pilot Production Recovery effort, equipment, tools, direct material, and indirect material required to support and maintain all Navy T-45 aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment to support flight and test and evaluation operations. Work will be performed in Kingsville, Texas (53.6%); Meridian, Miss. (39.6%) and Pensacola, Fla. (6.8%), and is expected to be completed in March 2022. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. … L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $180.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract. This modification exercises an option for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support for Navy T-45 aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas (45.7%); NAS Meridian, Miss. (41.7%); NAS Pensacola, Fla. (10.1%), and NAS Patuxent River, Md. (2.5%), and is expected to be completed in September 2020. The Naval Air Warfare Training Systems Division, Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity.

Contracts – munitions

Faxon Machining Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio; and Major Tool & Machine Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., have been awarded a $600 million contract for BLU-136/B next generation area attack warhead case production. This contract provides for the procurement of 15,000 BLU-136/B next generation area attack warhead cases. Work will be performed at Cincinnati and Indianapolis and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2026. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Direct Attack Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … The Boeing Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $70 million contract for the procurement of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators. Will be performed at St. Louis and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2022. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a $200 million contract for Small Diameter Bomb II Life Cycle Support Contract III. This contract provides lifecycle support includes, but is not limited to, all efforts related to the SDB II and variants in various support efforts for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development integration, production, sustainment, testing, obsolescence analysis and management, logistics support, testing, training, upgrades, and software updates. Work will be performed at Tucson and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity. … The Boeing Co. Defense, Space, and Security, St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $280 million contract for Small Diameter Bomb I (SDB) integration and engineering support for the fielded SDB I weapon system. This contract provides for SDB weapon integration on selected weapon platforms and support of the fielded weapon system. Work will be performed in St. Louis and is expected to be completed by September 2024. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8672-19-D-0003). … Reliance Test & Technology, Crestview, Fla., was awarded a $49 million modification to a previously awarded contract for Eglin Operation and Maintenance Support Service. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2020. The Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … Jacobs Technology Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded a $93 million contract for in-air and underwater launch testing/capability for a new weapons system. This contract provides for engineering and design services to upgrade, redesign, fabricate, and operate the air launch testing capability at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) China Lake, and for the conceptual design support and initial operation of an underwater launch test capability at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, Ind.. The NAWCWD, China Lake, is the contracting activity.

Contracts - radar

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., was awarded a $375.8 million delivery order against a five year basic ordering agreement for Multi Function Active Sensor Radar Systems for the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pa. … Crane Electronics Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., was awarded an estimated $9.3 million contract for AN/ALR-56C radar warning receiver low voltage power supplies in support of the F-15 aircraft. Location of performance is Florida, with a Sept. 18, 2024, performance completion date. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Warner Robins, Ga.

Contracts – Tyndall repairs

SES Electrical LLC, Oak Ridge, Tenn., was awarded an $11.3 million contract to repair main perimeter fence. As the result of Hurricane Michael, the contract is comprised of the removal and disposal of old damaged fence, removal and disposal of previously installed temporary fencing and replacement with new approved fencing materials at specific locations identified on Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2020. The 325th Contracting Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … MOWA-Barlovento JV A, Gautier, Miss., was awarded a $7 million contract to repair and update the Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Building 837. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 10, 2020. The 325th Contracting Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base is the contracting activity. … AT&T Government Solutions, Vienna, Va., has been awarded a $23.6 million contract for Tyndall Air Force Base Supplement Communications Recovery Effort (TSCR). This effort is for relief in rebuilding Tyndall AFB, a disaster area due to Hurricane Michael. The TSCR is to complete the holistic communication infrastructure and IT services restoration effort by delivering a modernized Wide Area Network and Base Area Network delivery solution. Work will be performed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 25, 2020. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity.

Contracts - other

Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $7.7 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract for full food services. The location of performance is Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and the work is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2020. The 81st Contracting Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … Global Connections to Employment Inc., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded $12.1 million modification to extend the previously awarded contract to exercise Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-9 for option period three for full food and mess attendant services in support of Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla. and Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Fla., and mess attendant services in support of Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, Miss. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Ashford Leebcor Enterprises II LLC, Williamsburg, Va., was awarded a $41 million contract for design-build, demolition of a dormitory. Work will be performed in Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., with an estimated completion date of Oct. 9, 2021. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity. … Metson Marine Services Inc., Ventura, Calif., was awarded a $7.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract to exercise Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-9 for Option Period One for port operations support services that include maintenance and repairs of government furnished boats, service craft, and waterfront equipment; oil spill response; industrial marine services; docking regular overhauls; ship movement and fleet liaison support services; berth day support; facility response team services; counter-terrorism support; barrier and gate services; and exclusion buoy inventory in support of Commander, Navy Region Southeast. Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Ga. (30%); Kingsland, Ga. (28%); Mayport, Fla. (18%); Pensacola, Fla. (15%); Key West, Fla. (4%); Port Canaveral, Fla. (3%); Panama City, Fla. (1%); and Jacksonville, Fla. (1%). Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity. … Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., was awarded a $45 million modification to a previously awarded contract for Network as a Service. Work will be performed at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; Hurlburt Air Force Base, Fla.; and Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2021. The Enterprise IT and Cyber Infrastructure Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity.