Finding new Navy UAS pilots

ARLINGTON, Va. - Georgia Tech and the Pensacola, Fla.-based Naval Aerospace Medical Institute are sponsoring the development of a series of new specialized tests to assess cognitive abilities and personality traits for identifying potential Navy and Marine Corps unmanned aviation systems (UAS) operators. It's called the Selection for UAS Personnel (SUPer). Some 350 civilian and military volunteers are participating as SUPer research subjects with Dr. Phillip Ackerman, a Georgia Tech psychology professor overseeing SUPer's development. By the end of September, Ackerman’s research team will review test results, and begin designing a standardized exam for validation by prospective UAS pilots. They are striving to have a product that is fleet ready in 2018. "SUPer will define and assess the knowledge, skills and abilities required to be a successful UAS operator,” said Lt. Cmdr. Tatana Olson, deputy director of the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, “and, ultimately, optimize naval use of human resources for unmanned aviation." (Source: Office of Naval Research 08/31/17) Lt. Cmdr. Olson is an aerospace experimental psychologist and former department head for operational psychology at the Navy Medicine Operational Training Center in Pensacola. In May, she was awarded the Heroes of Military Medicine Award. HMM awards honor outstanding contributions by individuals who have distinguished themselves through excellence and selfless dedication to advancing military medicine.

2nd AF command change

The chief of staff of the Air Force announced new assignments for a major Gulf Coast command at Keesler AFB, Miss., on Aug. 29. Maj. Gen. Robert D. Labrutta, commander of the 2nd Air Force at Keesler AFB, will become director of Military Force Management Policy, and Deputy Chief of Staff, for Manpower, Personnel and Services at Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon. Maj. Gen. Timothy J. Leahy, commander of the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, and vice commander at the Air University at Maxwell AFB, Ala., has been assigned to command the 2nd AF at Keesler. (Source: DOD 08/29/17)

Tyndall heading aviation efforts

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the military has dispatched dozens of aircraft to assist in relief missions across southeast Texas. The Navy has sent one Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, and an Air Force E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft to conduct air traffic control, surveillance, gather data on flooded areas, and provide situational awareness to the 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) operations center at Tyndall AFB, Fla., near Panama City. The mission is headed by the 1st AF Northern’s 601st Air Operations Center at Tyndall, which also houses the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Two Navy amphibious ships, USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and USS Oak Hill (LSD-51), were to have set sail Aug. 31 from Virginia to the Gulf Coast to provide humanitarian aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will depart aboard Kearsarge from Naval Station Norfolk. Oak Hill was to have departed from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, according to the Navy. State and local agencies will be the lead for the response effort. Amphibs and LSDs were used for similar missions 12 years ago after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The Navy has also deployed helicopters to the region. Two squadron detachments - Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons (HSC) 7 and 28 - relocated to Easterwood Airport in College Station, Texas, Aug. 30 after making 227 Harvey-related rescues while flying out of Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth the day before. The 112 personnel moved their staging site and six MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters in order to be closer to the disaster zone allowing for reduced response times. Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Jose Rodriguez, a native of Corpus Christi, flew his first rescue mission Aug. 30 and was anxious to help fellow Texans. (Source: USNI News and DOD Buzz 08/30/17) UPDATE INFO: Mary McHale, spokeswoman for AFNORTH, says the operations center at Tyndall Is currently using and monitoring 11 helicopters and seven HC-130J search and rescue aircraft, which are also acting as refuelers for others, including some Civil Air Patrol and as a cargo aircraft. There are no MQ-1 or MQ-9 drones being used at this time, she stated. (In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Navy also sent the hospital ship USNS Comfort to the Gulf Coast much to the objection of Mississippi’s governor. The ship was finally moored at the Port of Pascagoula.)

Civ drones not allowed during SAR

NEW ORLEANS - Civilians drones are prohibited from flying in the Beaumont, Port Neches, Nederland, and Port Arthur, Texas, areas while search and rescue (SAR) operations are underway following Hurricane Harvey. Federal Aviation Administration Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) have been established in these areas until Sept. 5. While TFR is in place, drone-flying is not allowed with FAA authorization. Unauthorized drones have the potential to interfere with air crews conducting search and rescue flights. Flying a drone without authorization could result in significant penalties and fines. (Source: Coast Guard 08/30/17) For a list of the TFRs in flood-affected areas and other FAA updates pertaining to Hurricane Harvey, visit the FAA’s Hurricane Harvey Update page at https://www.faa.gov/news/stay_connected/

DOD prepositioning for Harvey

As Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump on southeast Texas and Louisiana, the U.S. military, Coast Guard, and National Guard units from five states are committing rescue-related resources. Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott announced Aug. 28 that he has ordered the entire 12,000-member Texas National Guard to assist with storm-related efforts. Army Col. Rob Manning, a DOD spokesperson, said those active duty units have yet to be called upon, but was in the process of staging a search and rescue “package” likely to be based out of Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. Abbott signed an order mandating all NG and DOD units would fall under one commander during rescue operations. The CG has deployed 39 MH ‘Jayhawk’ and ‘Dolphin’ helicopters and seven C-130 aircraft to operations from bases in Houston and New Orleans. The TNG also has 10 UH-60 and four UH-72 Lakota, and two Chinook helicopters. The Navy is preparing the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) for operations in support of Harvey rescue efforts. The Defense Logistics Agency has provided 11 generators as well as 50,000 gallons of gasoline and 50,000 gallons of diesel fuel. (Source: Washington Post 08/28/17) The UH-72 Lakota helicopters are by built at Airbus Helicopters Inc.’s facility in Columbus, Miss. The Navy’s T-45 trainer jets based at Naval Air Station Kingsville came out of the storm without damage, according to base spokesman Kevin Clarke. NASK was not damaged and has returned to full operations.

MSU researcher earns grant

Lei Chen, a Mississippi State University assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was among 37 junior facility researchers to receive the Ralph E. Powe Jr. Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Chen was recognized for his research with metallic additive manufacturing. The grant-award provides $5,000 for research. Chen also will receive a matching $5,000 from MSU. Additive manufacturing offers the ability to fabricate customized, complex metallic parts traditionally unobtainable for a variety of applications, such as on-site, rapid fabrication of metallic bone implants with patients, and replacement parts in remote aerospace locations such as outer space. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 08/29/17)

CAFB to celebrate AF’s 70 years

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Columbus Air Force Base will celebrate the Air Force’s 70th anniversary at an Air Force Birthday Ball on Sept. 15 at the Trotter Convention Center. Former CAFB 14th Mission Support Group commander, Maj. Gen. Mark Brown, will be the guest speaker. Brown currently serves as the Air Education and Training Command deputy commander with responsibilities for recruiting, training and educating AF personnel. (Source: 14th Flying Training Wing 08/25/17)

L-3: $24M modification contract

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., was awarded $24,110,095 for modification P00013 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-15-D-0022) to exercise an option, which provides for business jet training services in support of contracted air services basic training, large national exercises, and small, single unit training exercises. Missions include maritime air patrol, low/slow terrorist aircraft, air interdiction training, and air intercept/anti-submarine training. These services support training requirements through air intercept control, anti-submarine tactical attack control, tracking exercises, electronic warfare missions, banner tows and target tows. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Va. (50%); Coronado, Calif. (40%); and Kauai, Hawaii (10%), and is expected to be completed in August 2018. FY 2017 Navy operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,872,415 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire Sept. 30. Naval Air Systems Command of Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DOD 08/24/17)

DOD preparing for short-term CR

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon’s comptroller is preparing for the Defense Department to be operating under another continuing resolution (CR) for the short run at the end of FY 2017. However, David Norquist is optimistic a government shutdown can be avoided. The budget officer said he would not be surprised if Congress, which has been on recess and doesn’t return to work until September, opts for a CR as a bridge for the start of FY-18 (Oct. 1). Congress will also have to deal with the FY-18 budget and raising the nation’s debt ceiling, infrastructure and tax legislation. The last government shutdown was for 18 days in October 2013, resulting in unpaid furloughs for DOD and VA civilian workers. Military pay and benefits were delayed, and daycare and commissary operations were disrupted. DOD will be ready with plans if a shutdown occurs, he claimed. (Source: Defense News 08/24/17) Gulf Coast Note: There are multiple military bases across Mississippi, including NAS Meridian, Columbus and Keesler AFBs, Stennis Space Center, and NCBC Gulfport. A new CR would simply kick the can further down the road, but is preferable to a shutdown something trade groups are warning defense companies to get prepared.

L-3: $172.9M mod contract for T-45s

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., was awarded $172,984,042 for modification P00017 to exercise an option to a previously awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract (N00019-14-D-0011). This option provides for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering to support and maintain 201 of the Navy's T-45 Goshawk training aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment to support flight and test and evaluation operations. Work will be performed at Naval Air Stations Meridian, Miss; (41.7%); Kingsville, Texas (45.7 percent); Pensacola, Fla. (10.1 percent); and Patuxent River, Md. (2.5 percent). The contract is expected to be completed in September 2018. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division of Orlando, Fla., is the contracting activity. (Source: DOD 08/23/17)

Camp Shelby UAS site first of kind

The Department of Homeland Security unveiled its new $72M Common Unmanned Aircraft System Site - the only Unmanned Aircraft Regional Flight Center in the country – on Aug. 22 at Camp Shelby, Miss. During the grand opening, Camp Shelby’s Joint Forces Training Center, DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate, and Mississippi State University demonstrated how it tests and evaluates small UAS systems and operators. Acting DHS Undersecretary William Bryan said Camp Shelby had to meet rigorous criteria before it was accepted as the UAS site. "This is a great day for Mississippi," he said. (Source: Hattiesburg American 08/22/17)

CAFB economic impact up $11.2M

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Col. Douglas Gosney, commander of the Columbus AFB-based 14th Flying Training Wing Commander, presented the FY 2016 Economic Impact Report to the Base Community Council., which showed an $11.2M increase from last year. The FY-16 EIR for CAFB was $260.8M across annual expenditures, payroll and indirect jobs. The BCC is a service organization that enhances the strength of the CAFB mission to produce pilots. (Source: Columbus AFB 08/17/17)

Contour to bid on new air pact

TUPELO, Miss. – Contour Airlines had a record number of passengers in July for its Tupelo-to-Nashville flights, and after 16 months of service from Tupelo, it has proven to be a reliable air service provider. Its corporate parent, Corporate Flight Management of Smyrna, Tenn., will be among bidders for a two-year contract through the U.S. Department of Transportation. The USDOT announced Aug. 11 it was requesting proposals from airlines interested in providing Essential Air Service flights at Tupelo and Muscle Shoals, Ala., for a new contract starting March 1, 2018, with or without a subsidy. The deadline to submit is Sept. 19. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 08/15/17)

L3 awarded $8.8M FMS pact

L3 Vertex Aerospace LLC of Madison, Miss., was awarded an $8,889,043 firm-fixed-price contract for organizational and intermediate-level aircraft maintenance on three KC-130J aircraft, logistics and supply functions, limited repair of common support equipment and required support for the government of Kuwait. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) work will be performed at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base in Kuwait, and is expected to be completed in August 2022. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Ms., is the contracting activity. (Source: DOD 08/16/17)

Aurora: $499M ASAPTR contract

MANASSAS, Va. - Aurora Flight Sciences has been awarded a $499 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the Air Force in support of the Aerospace Systems Air Platform Technology Research (ASAPTR) program. The contract is to conduct research for affordable, revolutionary capabilities for the war-fighter. "Aurora's Research and Technology Division concentrates on the technologies of autonomy, electric propulsion, advanced manufacturing, multi-vehicle coordination, and advanced multi-dimensional optimization.” Contracted under the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and other Aurora locations and is expected to be completed by 2025. (Source: PR Newswire 08/13/17) Gulf Coast Note: AFS is headquartered in Manassas, Va., and operates a production plant in Columbus, Miss.

IAI prowling for US companies

The state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, that country’s top-selling defense group, is on the prowl for acquisitions to target in the U.S., according to CEO Joseph Weiss. IAI plans to expand its American operations in the wake of a $38B, 10-year military aid package for Israel agreed to under former President Obama’s administration in 2016. The package, the largest of its kind in U.S. history, will give preference to American manufacturers in supplying Israel with military goods. He said that IAI could in time employ “hundreds of people” in the US. “We are looking to do some M&A (mergers and acquisition) activity in the U.S., to buy something.” Weiss said. IAI has done preliminary work on some possible acquisitions, but declined details. Weiss expects IAI to move forward with its M&A plan by 2018. (Source: Financial Times 08/13/17) Gulf Coast Note: IAI’s American subsidiary, Stark Aerospace, is located at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Miss. Stark Aerospace was established in 2006 at Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Lab in Starkville, and a second division was added in 2007, in Columbus. Stark’s Unmanned Aerial Systems division is producing the Hunter MQ-5B reconnaissance drone for the U.S. Army.

Mag: MSU tops of state colleges

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University is ranked the best colleges in Mississippi and is among the top 50 best colleges in the South, according to Money Magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money” 2017 rankings. MSU came in at No. 48 in the “Best Colleges in the South” rankings. The rankings combine 27 data points that measure educational quality, affordability and alumni success for 2,400 colleges. (Source: Miss. State University 08/11/17)

Aurora-MIT & 'Zero Robotics'

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Middle school students from across 12 states and Russia participated Aug. 11 in a live interactive broadcast of NASA Astronaut Jack Fischer operating satellites developed by Aurora Flight Services and MIT university aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The basketball-sized battery operated satellites were controlled using computer code written by the students as part of the Zero Robotics summer learning program. Founded by MIT's Space Systems Laboratory and run in partnership with Aurora and the Innovation Learning Center, Zero Robotics is programming competition for middle and high school students who learn to write software to autonomously control the Aurora-built SPHERES satellites aboard the ISS. "Aurora is proud to partner with MIT on this innovative and engaging STEM-education program," said John Langford, Aurora chairman/CEO. Aurora's involvement has evolved to encompass student mentoring, instructor education, and curriculum development. Zero Robotics is also open to high school students, with that tournament being held from September to December for students in grades 9-to-12. (Source: PR Newswire 08/11/17) Aurora is an innovative technology company striving to create smarter aircraft through the development of versatile and intuitive autonomous systems. Aurora operates a production plant in Columbus, Miss.

Drone restrictions at military bases

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, RANDOLPH - Texas – The FAA, at the request of the Pentagon, has expanded airspace restricts July 30 based on national security concerns over all Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) installations. The restrictions prohibit operating unmanned aircraft up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of designated military installations without permission. AETC operated more than 417,000 total flight hours at its installations in 2016. Flying unmanned aircraft in that airspace puts, pilots, aircraft and on-ground personnel in danger. (Source: Air Education and Training Command 08/08/17) Gulf Coast Note: Regional facilities include Keesler and Columbus AFBs, and NAS Meridian in Mississippi; NAS Pensacola and Whiting Field and all of its NOLFs, Hurlburt Field, and Tyndall AFB in Florida; NAS/JRB New Orleans; and the Army’s Fort Rucker and adjacent airfields in Alabama. UPDATED NOTE: Earlier this summer, the Air Combat Command (ACC) tracked two incidents in which small drones disturbed operations at the ACC, including one in which a drone nearly collided with an F-22 Raptor. Although the incident’s location was not specifically noted, Tyndall AFB, Fla., is home to the largest contingent of F-22 sin the Air Force. How officials are poised to shoot down commercial drones is not clear.

New SECNAV approved

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate confirmed eight Defense Department nominees Aug. 1, providing a boost to staffing after a long stalemate in which Democrats used parliamentary tactics to stall President Trump’s nominees in protest of the handling of the recent health care debate. Among those confirmed by a voice vote were Navy Secretary Richard Spencer; Ellen Lord, under secretary of defense for acquisition; and Lucian Niemeyer and Robert Hood, assistant secretaries of defense. The vote doubles the number of Senate-confirmed nominees for DOD, which saw only seven other defense officials successfully navigate the process since January. Spencer is a former Marine Corps pilot and investment banker. He is a former member of DOD’s Defense Business Board and recently served on the Chief of Naval Operations Executive Panel. (Source: Defense News 08/02/17)