AF nominee’s smooth sailing

Despite President Trump's initial nominees for secretaries of the Army and Navy having removed their names for consideration, Air Force secretary, a former congresswoman and an AF academy graduate, Heather Wilson’s nomination process appears unimpeded. The Trump administration has an immediate predicament of not likely having Army and Navy secretaries to assist with navigating the president’s first budget process. The task will fall on interim department heads and career military employees. At least three undersecretaries are also stalled until the service secretary nominations are resolved. By some estimates, it could take until May before any new service secretary nominees get through the Senate confirmation process. Wilson was the first female military veteran elected to a full term in Congress. (Source: Military Times 02/27/17) Gulf Coast Note: Significant AF facilities along the Gulf Coast include Columbus AFB, Miss.; and Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field, Fla. Wilson became a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership that introduced legislation to make the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a presidential cabinet department. Newly-serving Florida 1st District congressman Matt Gaetz of Pensacola recently introduced legislation to dismantle the EPA. Wilson’s grandfather, George Gordon "Scotty" Wilson, flew for the UK’s Royal Flying Corps in WWI. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1922 and served as a courier pilot during WWII and started New Hampshire’s Civil Air Patrol where he became a Wing Commander.

LAPD adds 4 AHI AStar helos

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - The Los Angeles Police Department will strengthen its Air Support Division in 2017 with four more Airbus H125 AStar helicopters to its fleet. The H125 has proven to be a most suitable replacement for LAPD’s fleet of AS350 B2s, an earlier model single-engine Airbus helicopter. “The platform suits LAPD’s missions well, and we are satisfied with the reliability of the aircraft,” said LAPD Capt. Sean Parker. Two H125s have already been delivered, and two more are scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2017. (Source: Airbus Helicopters Inc. 02/24/17) Gulf Coast Note: Airbus Helicopters Inc. produces the H125 at its plant in Columbus, Miss. The multi-mission H125 is the most popular single-engine helicopter among U.S. law enforcement agencies, according to AHI’s website.

GIF consolidation to Houma

Gulf Island Fabrication’s board of directors has OK’d management’s recommendation to place its properties in Aransas Pass and Ingleside, Texas, up for sale, and consolidate fabrication operations to its Houma, La., facility. The Texas properties are currently underutilized and represent excess capacity, according to the board. GIF will re-allocate remaining backlog and workforce to its Houma yard. "We do not expect the sale of these properties to impact our ability to service our deep-water customers or operate our fabrication division," the board said. GIF acquired the Houma facility with its 2016 acquisition of Leevac Shipyards. (Source: Marine Log 02/24/17)

Laid-off L3 workers headed to MS

The L3 Technologies’ military aviation maintenance contractor at Fort Drum, N.Y., plans to lay off 44 workers by August, according to a company letter dated Jan. 24, which could lead to about $3 million in lost local wages. Three workers were laid off Feb. 24; another 20 are scheduled to be laid off on March 24. The Fort Drum contract staff totaled 120 workers. The letter indicated the company faced a “recent workload decrease and upcoming potential for further workload decrease" at Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield. A small group of the 44 workers are headed to L-3 Vertex Aerospace’s Madison, Miss., business sector for temporary positions. (Source: Military.com 02/22/17) Gulf Coast Note: L-3 Vertex Aerospace is an aerospace and defense logistics support services contractor specializing in the delivery of integrated contractor logistics support for aircraft, ground vehicles and other defense systems. The firm has aviation maintenance contracts with multiple Gulf Coast military bases, including Columbus AFB, Miss.; Naval Air Stations Pensacola and Whiting Field, Fla.; and the Army’s Fort Rucker, Ala.

Maching firm to open MS factory

Precision Machining Services of Chattanooga, Tenn., will invest $5 million in a manufacturing facility on 14 acres inside the Clinton (Miss.) Industrial Park. Plans are for 70 workers at the facility. The site will house machining and painting services for the aerospace and defense industry. “We are looking forward to expanding our company in Clinton and we appreciate the support we have received from the city in creating this opportunity,” said Precision President Wayne Oettinger. Clinton Industrial Park has seen the creation of more than 275 jobs since 2013. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 02/24/17)

Battlefield Airmen site reviews

A team from the Air Education and Training Command and 2nd Air Force surveyed sites for a possible future Battlefield Airmen campus at Shaw AFB in South Carolina on Feb. 13-17. The base is a potential candidate to host a schoolhouse consisting of up to eight different officer and enlisted AF specialties, including battlefield airmen, pararescue, combat control, tactical air control and special operations weather. The AF could save an estimated $36.4 million if any of the surveyed bases are able to house training for all eight specialties. The preferred location is expected to be announced this year; and will be followed by Environmental Impact Assessments. A final decision is to be announced in August 2018. (Source: DVIDS 02/22/17) Gulf Coast Note: Currently, Battlefield Airmen complete technical training at eight different locations – including Keesler AFB, Miss.; and Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field in Florida.

West Point, Miss., MRAP contract

Navistar Defense of Lisle, Ill., was awarded a $35,077,157 contract Feb. 16 to Pakistan for the procurement of 40 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) MaxxPro Dash DXM foreign military sales vehicles, contractor logistics and technical support services. Work will be performed at Navistar’s West Point, Miss., plant and in Pakistan. The estimated completion date is Oct. 31, 2018. Army Contracting Command of Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity. (Source: DOD 02/16/17) Central Mississippi Note: Navistar Defense’s West Point organization primarily operates in the military motor vehicle assembly business/industry and within the transportation equipment sector.

Stark Aerospace has new CEO

COLUMBUS, Miss. - Stark Aerospace‘s board of directors has appointed Michael J. “Mike” McGrevey as its new Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of retired general Robert Foglesong. McGrevey is a retired Air Force officer who previously worked as VP of Finance and Chief of Staff at Mississippi State University; deputy director of the Mississippi Development Authority; and president/COO of JBHM Education Group. He holds a doctorate from MSU. Foglesong will continue as chairman of the board. (Source: PR Web 02/21/17) Central Mississippi Note: Stark Aerospace is a global aerospace contractor located in Columbus, Miss., at the Golden Triangle Global Industrial Aerospace Park. Stark’s production facility includes work with unmanned aerial systems, sensors, production services, and engineering.

Change coming to Navy ‘A’ schools

The Navy will pull the trigger on radical changes to the way it trains its enlisted personnel. Gone will be the days of long, upfront technical training – or ‘A’ schools, which could take years and have been the only trade-training they get across an entire Navy career. The new changes will include a shorter training after boot camp that will be whittled down to the needs to succeed for that first tour. Sailors will get to the fleet sooner with far less preparation than traditional ‘A’ schools. Additional training will be spread over a sailor’s career, coming in blocks, and each time a sailor returns to sea. The new model will make enlisted training more closely resemble that of officers. The Navy calls it Ready Relevant Learning, and considers it a critical piece of the ratings modernization effort. It starts this year for several ratings, including Logistics Specialist (LS). By 2020, a majority of Navy’s 87 ratings will be training sailors under the new format. The biggest change may be the decision to transfer responsibility for most of the training to the fleet, instead of to most enlisted training being overseen by the Pensacola, Fla.-based headquarters of the Naval Education and Training Command. NETC’s oversight ends after a sailor completes ‘A’ schools and heads to the fleet on a first sea tour, says Rear Adm. Mike White, the NETC commander who has helped spearhead development of the new custom career paths. The concept of “block zero" training during initial rate training on their way to sea, White said. Block one would occur during that sea tour, block two would be during a second sea tour, and so forth. (Source: Navy Times 02/19/17) Central Mississippi Note: Naval Technical Training Center at Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., is the Navy's only 'A' school for the Logistics Specialist (LS) rating.

HII to host AIA supply-issues meet

Huntington Ingalls Inc. will host Aerospace Industries Association's (AIA) Supplier Management Council meetings July 20-12 in Biloxi, Miss. The meetings are a non-attributional forum where senior aerospace-aviation representatives meet to tackle issues facing the supply chain and to hear the latest trends. Each meeting is hosted by an AIA member company. The event features business-to-business meetings with the host company, industry informational sessions, numerous networking opportunities, a keynote dinner and a tour of the host company’s facilities. (AIA 02/17)

US chamber’s 16th aviation summit

The US Chamber of Commerce will host its 16th Aviation Summit at the Omni Shoreham Hotel on March 2 in Washington, D.C. The summit will bring together top experts and leaders from all sectors of the aviation community, including representatives from the Aerospace Industries Association. AIA President/CEO David F. Melcher will moderate a manufacturing panel, "Steering Global Aerospace Manufacturing and Operations in Dynamic Times." (Source: US Chamber 02/17)

Aviation manufacturing hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Subcommittee on Aviation will begin a series of hearings Feb. 15 as part of its preparations for developing the next FAA reauthorization bill. The first hearing (9 a.m. CT on Feb. 15 in the Rayburn Building) will examine the current state of civil aviation manufacturing in the America, including economic, regulatory, and general health of civil aviation manufacturing; and challenges ahead. The U.S. is the home to several major aviation manufacturers, including a global manufacturer of wide-body aircraft, and a number of general aviation manufacturers for business jets. The hearing, chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), is titled “Building a 21st Century Infrastructure for America: State of American Aviation Manufacturing.”(Source: General Aviation News 02/11/17)

Former ‘guv’ to speak at MSU

STARKVILLE - Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will speak Feb. 13 at Mississippi State University as part of the school’s Lamar Conerly Governance Lecture Series. The lecture series is organized by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, the Department of Political Science and Public Administration and the Pre-Law Society. Barbour's presentation on leadership will be at 1 p.m. in the Colvard Student Union. It's free and open to the public. Barbour served as governor from 2004-12. He is the founding partner of BGR Group, where he heads advocacy coalitions, lobbies and remains a major force in Republican party politics. (Source: Sun Herald 02/11/17)

Leonardo back in T-X trainer game

WASHINGTON - Leonardo is returning to the Air Force T-X training jet competition and will be proposing its T-100 with U.S. subsidiary DRS as prime contractor. The Feb. 8 announcement follows a falling-out between the Italian firm and Raytheon, its original partner in the trainer competition. The firms confirmed in February that they would not pursue the program together, which would have had the final assembly built at a new check-out facility in Meridian, Miss. The DRS-led T-X team retains the key partners from the Raytheon-Leonardo venture. Leonardo DRS will be supported by CAE USA in the design and development of the T-100 ground-based training system (GBTS), the firm said. Honeywell will also provide twin F124 turbofan propulsion engines. The Leonardo-Raytheon partnership broke down after Leonardo resisted Raytheon’s pressure to lower the price of the jet. (Source: Defense News 02/08/17)

Student flight-learning 'Cruises'

The National Flight Academy’s leadership delivers “inspired play” and learning for 5th-12th grade students on three-day ‘Cruises’ during the month of March aboard Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. NFA builds adrenaline-filled story lines, which brings life to missions as if students are in a real-world scenario. Students apply these skills by flying the high-performance X-12 Triad experimental aircraft that offers hands-on comprehension of the principles of flight thrust, hovering and target drops. Cruises can accommodate private, public and home school organizations any time throughout the year. Cost of Cruises is $399. Spring break 'Cruises' dates are March 12-14; March 19-21; and March 26-28. (Source: National Flight Academy 02/17)

HASC startled by military shortfalls

The military services’ vice chiefs bemoaned to the House Armed Services Committee about the lack of funding to keep up with readiness, training and equipment caused by congressionally-imposed sequestration budget caps. The Navy only has 53 percent of its aircraft that can fly, according to Vice CNO Adm. William Moran. The Air Force is 723 fighter pilots short, claimed Vice chief of the Air Force, Gen. Stephen Wilson. "We're just flat-out out of money" to address those needs and provide more personnel and maintenance funding to plan for the future, said Moran at the Feb. 6 hearing. The AF is the smallest, oldest, the most poorly maintained, and the "least ready in our history," said Wilson. He urged Congress to repeal sequestration “before it’s too late.” The Marines faces a $9 billion backlog for infrastructure, according to Gen. Glenn Walters, assistant commandant, and needs more amphibious ships. HASC committee chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) seemed taken aback by the testimonies. "The worst enemy we have is ourselves" to increase defense spending, said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.). Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) suggested that services could cut overhead and improve their bottom lines by shutting down unnecessary bases under a new round of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission. The testifying officers quickly agreed with the need for BRAC. The AF has about 25 percent and the Army has 21 percent excess capacity at bases. Navy and Marine Corps figures were not immediately available, however the sea-service has maintained for several years it does not have excess facilities. (Source: Military.com 02/07/17) Gulf Coast Note: NAS Meridian, Miss., was under consideration on multiple early rounds of BRAC. Amphibious ships are primarily being constructed by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula.

Forest will work on FMS radar

WASHINGTON - The Boeing Co. of St. Louis was awarded an $18.2 million Air Force Foreign Military Sales contract to provide the Royal Saudi Air Force with advanced AN/APG-63(V) 3 radars for its F-15SA Eagle aircraft. Work on the contract will be performed predominantly at Forest, Miss., and expected to be complete by March 31, 2017. (Source: DOD 02/06/17)

Insitu talks jobs in Golden Triangle

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Executives from the Boeing Co. subsidiary Insitu, an information provider in the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) field, was in the Golden Triangle this week to meet with potential employees at a Mississippi State University Career Fair and continue its relationships with UAS researchers at the school. In 2016, officials from Insitu, the state and MSU announced the firm would be opening a new facility at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park. Initial work at the Starkville office will focus on technologies, concepts of operations and FAA certifications required to fly unmanned systems in the national airspace professionally and safely. MSU is the lead institution for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) and is an FAA Center of Excellence. (Source: MSU 01/31/17)

Miss. ANG assisting at Super Bowl

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration was testing naturally occurring radiation around Houston, Texas, on Jan. 31 using a low-flying helicopter. Additionally, partners from the Federal Aviation Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command, and Mississippi Air National Guard were on site to assist. The test was to establish a baseline for officials of Houston’s radiation levels in support of Super Bowl LI. The twin-engine Bell 412 helicopter, operated by the Remote Sensing Laboratory Aerial Measuring System from Nellis AFB in Arizona was equipped with radiation sensing technology. F-16 fighter jets, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and other aircraft pilots are preparing to secure the skies of the Super Bowl. (Source: Houston Chronicle 02/01/17)