HII garners $486M CG pact

PASCAGOULA, Miss.- Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a $486 million fixed-price incentive contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to build a ninth National Security Cutter. (Source: HII 12/30/16)

Higgins: MBJ’s biz person of year

Joe Max Higgins of the Mississippi’s Golden Triangle’s LINK development organization has been named business person of 2016 by the Mississippi Business Journal. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 12/28/16)

Miss., Fla. low in biz innovation

A pair of Gulf Coast states has a great deal of work to do to reach the realms of business innovation, according to the Bloomberg U.S. Innovation Index for 2016. Florida ranked 34th of the 50 U.S. states in the index that scored each state on a 0-100 scale across six metrics: Research &Development intensity; productivity; high-tech density; concentration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) employment; science and engineering degree holders; and patent activity. No. 1 was Massachusetts. Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi are the least innovative, the data showed. Keeping Florida from the bottom third was its No. 11 ranking in technical firm density, defined as the number of highly technical publicly traded companies, such as in aerospace and defense. All the other indicators were low: Florida ranked 35th for R&D intensity, 44th for productivity, 40th for STEM concentration, 33rd for science and engineering degree holders; and 32nd for patent activity. Florida ranked 35th overall in 2015. (Source: Miami Herald 12/27/16)

La. observatory tops 2016 stories

The first detection of gravitational waves from the crash of two black holes. The discovery of GW150914 was made by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), and serves as confirmation of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity (published 100 years ago). “I think we’re opening a window on the universe – a window of gravitational wave astronomy,” said David Reitze, executive director of the LIGO lab. The 2.5-mile-wide LIGO facilities near Hanford, Wash., and Livingston, La., use super-sensitive laser beams and reflectors to detect faint ripples in the fabric of space-time down to less than 1 percent of the width of a proton. Reusable spaceship: Amazon’s Blue Origin space venture made its first suborbital flight in November 2015, but it wasn’t until January 2016 that its New Shepard craft made a re-flight with the same hardware. The rocket retired in October after five successful flights. Drone deliveries: The FAA’s commercial drone regulations didn’t go far enough to usher in the age of widespread package deliveries, but Amazon started an experimental delivery system in the UK. Google’s Project Wing conducted its own experimental burrito delivery in Virginia; and a startup called Flirtey is delivering food and convenience-store items for 7-Eleven in a Reno, Nev., neighborhood. Juno reaches Jupiter: Mars focus: SpaceX’s Elon Musk shared his vision for sending 1 million settlers to Mars. If SpaceX holds to schedule, the preparatory robotic missions could begin in 2018. People could follow within a decade. Setbacks: The deaths of 95-year-old retired Marine Colonel and U.S. senator John Glenn, the first American astronaut to go into orbit; and 95-year-old Joe Sutter, Boeing’s “Father of the 747”. (Source: Geek Wire 12/22/16)

UH-72 contract support

Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $17,361,275 contract for logistics, parts and sustainment support of the Army’s UH-72 light utility helicopter. Procurement includes program management, sub-engineering services, cyber security, logistics labor, and other direct costs, contractor manpower reporting, mission equipment packages, pilot transition training, functional check flight training, airframe training, power plant training and contractor field teams. Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Work will be performed in Texas with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2021. (Source: DOD 12/19/16) Gulf Coast Note: The helicopters will be assembled at AHI's Columbus, Miss., manufacturing facility.

AHI to exhibit 2 helos in NC

Airbus Helicopters Inc. will exhibit a pair of its helicopters at the Air Medical Transport Conference Dec. 13-15 at the Charlotte (NC) Convention Center. On display will be AHI’s H135-series aircraft operated by STAT MedEvac, a western Pennsylvania provider of emergency medical service and inter-hospital patient transports. Also, the company will exhibit an H130 high-performance single-engine helicopter operated by JeffSTAT, the medical transportation service affiliated with the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. (Source: AHI 12/09/16) Gulf Coast Note: AHI operates a large manufacturing facility at Columbus, Miss.

Communiversity underway

Communiversity, a workforce educational training center at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, is now under construction. Officials were on-hand Dec. 9 for a groundbreaking ceremony in Lowndes County. Communiversity, which is to specialize in advanced manufacturing training in the Golden Triangle region, is a partnership between the Golden Triangle Development LINK, Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties, and EMCC. Communiversity, formally called the Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence 2.0, will host manufacturing and technical training-based programs. Regional industries will also be able to use bays at the site to train employees on their own equipment. The project is expected to be completed by fall 2018. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 12/10/16) Gulf Coast Note: The Golden Triangle region was selected by Southern Business and Development Magazine as the best mid-south small market for the Aerospace Industry and GTR Global Industrial Aerospace Park in Columbus as best mid-south megasite for 2016.

Ex-Gulfport OIC coaches Navy

Navy Cmdr. Gregg Gellman, deputy chief of staff for base operations and medical installations at Navy Medicine East, was the defense coach for the Army-Navy hockey game Dec. 5 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The NHL's Washington Capitals hosted the game to celebrate the spirit of sports rivalry between two of the nation's military academies. Gellman was also the only Navy Medicine person selected to be on the roster as the back-up goalie. (Source: Navy Medicine East 12/08/16) Gulf Coast Note: Gellman was Officer in Charge of Naval Branch Health Clinic Gulfport, Miss., from June 2008 to August 2011. The clinic is one of 10 branch clinics that fall under Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla. – a member institution under the auspices of NME.

MS-Raytheon to show new trainer

There’s likely going to be some competition for the Air Force’s contract to supply 350 new jet-trainers by 2017: Lockheed’s T-50A, Boeing/Saab’s T-X, Northrop Grumman’s Model 400, and Raytheon/Leonardo’s T-100. Lockheed expects the AF to release a final Request for Proposal by year’s end which will start a 90-day clock for bidders. The AF evaluation could take months. The proposed bidders are pursuing different strategies for promoting their products. Raytheon will host its first public event Dec. 12 on the site of a greenfield factory in Meridian, Miss. (Source: Flight Global 12/08/16)

Have Mayor, Will Travel

Tupelo (Miss.) Mayor Jason Shelton spent last week in Israel as part of an economic development trip hosted by the Mississippi Development Authority. He was the only mayor to make the trip. “I think it was very productive.” In February 2017, he plans to visit Cuba. The trips are intended to build business relationships. MDA averages nine trade missions aboard per year. He and Gov. Phil Bryant met with an Israeli corporation that, according to Shelton, appears committed to conducting a site visit to Mississippi. Two Israeli companies currently have operations in Mississippi: Stark Aerospace, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, in Columbus; and Emilia Cosmetics in DeKalb. Mississippi exports to Israel have increased 27 percent to $43 million as of 2015. (Source: Daily Journal 12/09/16)

‘Spirit of the Lakota’

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Descendants of the Lakota warrior Eagle Elk shared stories of his bravery and hunting prowess, but family worried his legacy would be forgotten. Airbus Helicopters Inc. commissioned a painting of Eagle Elk - “The Spirit of the Lakota” - to capture the spirit of its UH-72A Lakota helicopters and the heritage of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe for which it is named. “We always told ourselves his time would come, and now it has. I believe he is with us in spirit,” Robert Eagle Elk, the warrior’s grandson, said at a recent unveiling of the artwork here at AHI headquarters. “The artwork was created by Dallas artist David Gail Smith. The piece features a towering image of the Lakota warrior as well as the Lakota Army helicopter in flight. The painting portrays Eagle Elk as being part of the open sky and mountains, watching over Earth. AHI leadership consulted with the Oglala Lakota Sioux Tribal Council to ensure the painting was culturally accurate and respectful. Family members offered a Native American prayer, sang a song about Lakota life and presented Smith and AHI executives with tribal flags. (Source: AHI 12/07/16) Gulf Coast Note: The UH-72A Lakota is a multi-mission helicopter that was selected by the Army in June 2006. AHI’s manufacturing and production facility is in Columbus, Miss.

OATK-Iuka aids with launch

Orbital ATK, an aerospace and defense technologies’ company, provided propulsion, composite and spacecraft technologies that enabled both the United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket and the eighth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-8) satellite launched Dec. 7 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Both the satellite and Delta IV rocket use cutting-edge technologies from multiple Orbital ATK facilities. For the rocket, Orbital ATK provided four 60-inch diameter Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM-60) solid rocket boosters. OATK produced the solid rocket motors in Utah. In addition to the GEM-60, Orbital supplied a combined 13 Delta IV and GEM-60 key composite structures. The largest of the structures are four-to-five meters in diameter and produced using either advanced wet winding or hand layup, machining and inspection techniques at Orbital ATK’s manufacturing facilities in Iuka, Miss., and Utah. (Source: Business Wire 12/08/16)

CAP: Still going at 75

One week before Pearl Harbor was attacked in December 1941, the Civil Air Patrol, a volunteer organization under the U.S. Army Air Corps was formed. They’re still going strong 75 years later. The Mississippi Wing of CAP flew one its largest missions since WWII with its involvement in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. CAP Colonel Robert Arn flew anti-submarine missions during WWII for the Florida Wing out of Coastal Patrol Base No. 14 at Panama City from September 1942 to June 1943. Of the 12 original pilots at Panama City, six were killed. Arn flew 179 missions totaling 557 hours of flight time over the GoM. From hurricanes Betsy and Camille in the 1960s to Katrina in 2005, the Louisiana Wing has established key ground radio network capabilities; transported key officials and equipment; conducted aerial surveillance of evacuation routes, levees and other affected areas; and demonstrate the value of airborne video and still photography. The Louisiana Wing used its skills after 9/11 to assist the Coast Guard and providing air support for port security, photo documentation and daily alert aircraft for the Port Authority and Lake Charles Waterway. (Source: Oxford Eagle 12/06/16)

Gulf armories contaminated

More than 400 of 1,304 National Guard armories across America have been contaminated by dangerous amounts of lead dust, an 18-month investigation by The Oregonian of Portland found. The Defense Department and state guard officials knew about the toxins at the armories for nearly two decades, but was slow to address problems leaving soldiers, civilians and children exposed. Lead was found it 424 armories; no lead was found at 55; and 827 had not been inspected (or had reported). (Source: Times-Picayune 12/02/16) Gulf Coast Note: At least 36 armories across the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi were found with contaminants. Among coastal state armories in Alabama were Fairhope, Foley, and Fort Whiting in Mobile. In Mississippi, armories were located in and around Jackson, McComb and Yazoo City. In Louisiana: Lafayette and Breaux Bridge just to name some.

Golden Triangle & 60 Minutes

Mississippi’s Golden Triangle was in the national TV spotlight Dec. 4 on the region's industrial boom during CBS’ "60 Minutes" broadcast. The segment focused on the GT’s industrial development in recent years, spearheaded by the Golden Triangle Development LINK, which works with local governments in Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Clay counties, as well as Mississippi State University and East Mississippi Community College. "I think it was very positive," he said. "I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop … you know … now here's the bad news." The segment focused on Higgins, who has been an integral part of attracting developments like (Steel Dynamics), PACCAR and Airbus, all located in the Golden Triangle Industrial Aerospace Park. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 12/05/16)

L-3 mod contract: $13.6M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., was awarded $13,674,743 modification to a previous contract for aircraft maintenance and logistics in support for 49 C-12 aircraft. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas (42%); Patuxent River, Md. (6); Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (6); Manama, Bahrain (6); Atsugi, Japan (6); Beaufort, S.C. (4); San Angelo, Texas (4); Yuma, Ariz. (4); New Orleans (4); Iwakuni, Japan (4); New River, N.C. (3); Kadena, Japan (3); Manassas, Va. (2); Miramar, Calif. (2); Futenma, Japan (2); and Misawa, Japan (2). Work is expected to be completed in March 2017. (Source: DoD, 12/01/16)