HII 3Q financials release Nov. 4

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) will release its third quarter 2021 financial results on Nov. 4 and host an earnings conference call at 8 a.m. Central time the same day. The call will be webcast live on HII’s website: http://www.huntingtoningalls.com/. (Source: HII 10/07/21)

Ancient Miss. was under water

In October 2020, photographs featuring a collection of fossils were sent to Mississippi State University's Extension Services and made their way to Renee Clary's desk. She's a geology professor and director of the Dunn-Seiler Museum on campus. Clary was drawn to a large tooth in the collection, which had characteristic of a mosasaur specimen - large marine reptiles dating back to the Late Cretaceous period. They were fairly common in prehistoric Starkville, she says, which, like the rest of Mississippi, was underwater for a vast period of time. In the Tishomingo area, there are a few of the Paleozoic fossils that are older than the dinosaurs. "What we know about Starkville and Mississippi from this period is that we were underwater," she said. "We find sharks' teeth, ammonites, mosasaur vertebrates, giant Exogyra oysters and great reefs." Mississippi's aquatic past may come as a surprise to some, but pre-history of the state is a subject of great interest to paleontologist at MSU. The work is valuable in piecing together a picture of the past, but also in predicting the picture of the future. (Source: MSU 10/05/21) Starkville used to be underwater: MSU geologists analyze prehistoric fossils found in Mississippi | News | reflector-online.com

MSU to display WWII plane at show

STARKVILLE, Miss. - A Boeing Stearman biplane owned by Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory will be on display at the Wings Over Winston Airshow in Louisv8ille, Miss., on Oct. 9. Gates open for the free event at 9:30 a.m. The airshow begins at 11 a.m. Raspet is know for its unmanned aircraft systems research, but has a history in manned aviation that continues to this day, according to Tom Brooks, director of the Raspet Flight Lab. The 1940s-era Boeing Stearman PT-17 serves as the centerpiece of Raspet’s manned aircraft fleet. Stearman biplanes are best known for training U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy pilots during WWII. Acquired by MSU from the Army in 1950, the Stearman was used by August Raspet – for whom the lab is named. The plane, which has fabric-covered wings, was upgraded with a new engine and still flies regularly. The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is the nation’s leading academic research center dedicated to the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems. (Source: MSU 10/05/21)

DoD regional contract Oct. 5

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, was awarded a $144,623,645 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-21-C-2209) for the detail design and construction of two towing, salvage, and rescue ships (T-ATS 11 and 12). The contract modification establishes options for up to three additional ships, which, if exercised, will bring the total cumulative value of the contract to $385,084,067. Work will be performed in Mobile (54%); Chesapeake, Virginia (20%); Jacksonville, Florida (6%); Boca Raton, Florida (4%); New Orleans (3%); and suppliers each representing less than 1% of contract value (13%). Fiscal 2021 Navy shipbuilding and conversion funding in the amount of $144,623,645 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 10/05/21) Awarded Sept. 30. The award is the first steel-hull ship that Austal will build.

Bonita Lakes earns state kudos

MERIDIAN, Miss. - Bonita Lakes Park near Meridian has been designated as a top state travel destination by Mississippi Magazine, which recently put out its 2021 Best of Travel Awards. Bonita Lakes Park has been recognized as the best in City Park and Playground and the best in free adventure. The park covers roughly 3,000 acres and features fishing opportunities as well as 30 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails - and it's all GPS mapped. It also plays host to a variety of other events throughout the year. (Source: WTOK 10/05/21) Bonita Lakes Park recognized as one of the best in Mississippi (wtok.com)

ICC earns $20K 'MentorLinks' grant

Itawamba (Miss.) Community College has been selected among colleges in the American Association of Community Colleges’ "MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education" program, which is part of a national initiative supported by the National Science Foundation. “We expect this interest (in STEM courses) to translate into more majors and ultimately more graduates in these fields,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. The goals for ICC’s project, entitled Full STEM Ahead: Promoting Pathways in STEM, include increase enrollment and retention in STEM courses and career education programs, increase the number of graduates in STEM fields and career education programs and to facilitate student transfer in STEM fields. The two-year $20,000 grant will include salaries, benefits, travel, materials or resources and equipment. The grant will enable ICC to utilize a mentor in establishing an Introduction to STEM Professions course, a STEM Club and a STEM Week. (Source: Itawamba Times 09/29/21) ICC selected as AACC MentorLinks $20,000 grant recipient for STEM project | Itawamba Times | djournal.com

Hopper barge supplies stretched

The inland barge industry is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida, which hit Louisiana in late August. Damage was extensive to inland marine assets and recovery efforts were slowed by power outages, according to River Transport News. "(W)hile recovery efforts are proceeding, the industry is far from reaching any semblance of normalcy," RTN reported. Activity is below normal, which have caused imbalances in barge supply and demand. The covered hopper fleet and Lower Mississippi export grain trade remain the primary focus of the dry cargo market, RTN said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture data show 14 percent of the U.S. corn crop and 18 percent of the soybean crop had been harvested as of Sept. 26. (Source: Work Boat 10/05/21)

MSU's newest Presidential Scholars

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Twenty-two students are Mississippi State University's newest class of Presidential Scholars in the Judy and Bobby Shackouls Honors College. Those students come from Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, and are being recognized with MSU’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. The Presidential Scholars have opportunities to interact with members of MSU’s land-grant institution’s research faculty and be part of the honors college’s summer-study program at Oxford University in England, among other enhanced learning experiences. This year’s Presidential Scholars class includes Joshua W. Phillips, a political science and economics major and Spain Park (Ala.) High School graduate is receiving a G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Lauren Noe of Brandon, Miss., a biochemistry/pre-medicine major and Jackson Preparatory School graduate receiving a Jim and Julia Rouse Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Dominic X. Chavez of Brownsville, Texas, a biochemistry/pre-medicine major and Homer Hanna High School graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Kelsei L. Harri of Coffeeville, Miss., an accounting major and Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science graduate receiving a San Shuttleworth Adkerson Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Joshua C. Whitehead of  Franklin, Tenn., a finance and accounting double major and Franklin High School graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Julian M. Dedeaux of Gulfport, a marketing/international business and foreign language/Spanish double major and Gulfport High School graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Hayden Cherry of Halls, Tenn., an agricultural education, leadership and communication major and Halls High School graduate receiving a Luke and Ruth Davis Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Lucy Mellen of Hattiesburg, an environmental economics and sustainability major and Sacred Heart High School graduate receiving a Bobby P. and Barbara M. Martin Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Reagan S. Hendricks of Hoover, Ala., a biomedical engineering major and Hoover High School graduate receiving a Sanders Family Presidential Endowed Scholarship; John P. Givens of Knoxville, Tenn., a biomedical engineering major and Bearden High School graduate receiving a Mike and Nan Sanders Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Richard A. Whigham of Kosciusko, a chemical engineering major and Kosciusko Senior High School graduate receiving a Lila and Hunter Henry Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Kyndle D. Lee of Memphis, a political science and history major and White Station High School graduate receiving a Luke and Ruth Davis Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Annea M. Scales of New Albany, a geoscience/professional meteorology major and New Albany High School graduate receiving a Dean and Turner Wingo Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Erin G. Quinn of Oxford, an English major and home school graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Haylee G. Morman of Richmond, Ky., an English major and Buckhorn High School graduate receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Vitor Da Silva of Ridgeland, a chemical engineering/biomolecular engineering and political science major and Saint Andrews Episcopal School graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Lily B. Langstaff of South Haven, a wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture/wildlife veterinary medicine major and Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science graduate receiving a Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Hannah R. Daniels of Starkville, a business administration/international business and foreign language/Spanish major and Starkville High School graduate receiving a Mickey and Babs Holliman Presidential Endowed Scholarship, and Muneebah Umar, a biological sciences/pre-medicine and Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science graduate receiving an Ottilie Schillig Leadership Scholarship; Khaoula Kamal, of Tupelo a biomedical engineering major and Tupelo High School graduate receiving an Alan Nunnelee Presidential Endowed Scholarship; Constance E. Wade of Vancleave, a biochemistry/pre-medicine major and Gulfport High School graduate receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship; and Sydney K. Denton of West Monroe, La., an accounting and finance double major and Ouachita Christian School graduate receiving a Charles and Pat Lee Presidential Endowed Scholarship; (Source: MSU 10/05/21) MSU President Mark E. Keenum presented them with commemorative cowbells.

GA-EMS' Iuka plant expanding

General Atomics-Electromagnetic Systems is expanding its facility in Iuka, Miss., to accommodate future work. The $3.9M corporate investment is expected to create 50 jobs. GA-EMS applies research, science and technology innovation to develop and deliver multi-mission systems and products, such as aircraft launch and recovery systems, to help defend national interests and critical commercial enterprises. The expansion furthers GA-EMS's goal of “creating a world-class Manufacturing Center of Excellence here in Mississippi … to manufacture a broad range of critical products to meet growing customer demand,” said GA-EMS President Scott Forney. The Iuka expansion marks GA-EMS's 13th expansion in Mississippi over the past 16 years. The project is designed to complete building renovations for a world-class structural fabrication space for a welding and fabrication workforce. In September 2020, GA-EMS announced a $39.5M investment. (Source: Y’all Politics 10/05/21) General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems expanding in Iuka | Mississippi Politics and News - Y'all Politics (yallpolitics.com)

CBP destroys shipment at MS port

A shipment of pineapples from Central America was destroyed when stowaway butterfly larvae were discovered at the Port of Gulfport., Miss. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Agriculture Specialists discovered the pest, known as the Saunders 1850, while inspecting a container of pineapples from Costa Rica, the agency said in a media release Oct. 4. The larvae were discovered in inspections at the port a on Sept. 2. It was the first time the larvae were discovered in the U.S., according to the CBP. Due to a negative impact to American agriculture, the shipment was destroyed. The interception of the larvae is what CBP agriculture specialists do to prevent foreign pests from establishing in the U.S. The seizures took place in the New Orleans Field Office, which covers ports of entry in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee. (Source: Sun Herald 10/04/21)

LM opens missile plant in North Ala.

Lockheed Martin opened a hypersonic weapons manufacturing site about 45 miles west of Huntsville, Ala., on Oct. 4. It will build missiles for the Army and Navy. It’s the third all-digital facility opened by Lockheed in 2021, part of a focus on new, purpose-built facilities to build next-generation weapons faster and less expensive. Lockheed broke ground on the 65K square foot facility two years ago. Inside the Assembly Building 4, workers will build hypersonic weapons for the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike and Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon programs. (Source: Defense News 10/04/21) MISSISSIPPI NOTE: Lockheed Martin has had a sub-assembly plant in Meridian, Miss., for 52 years. LM began production operations there in August 1969, initially producing the L-1011 jet airliner's empennage. Since then, the Meridian facility has been involved in the production of aircraft components the C-5 Galaxy and C-141 Starlifter strategic airlifters, P-3 Orion submarine hunter, F-22 Raptor fighter jet, and the C-130J Super Hercules tactical airlifter. Lockheed Opens New Hypersonic Weapons Factory In Alabama - Defense One

Harassment lawsuit vs HII & NSC

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) and contractor NSC Technologies - HQ'd in Atlanta but with an office in Mobile, Ala. - ignored women on a cleaning crew who claimed a supervisor at the Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard masturbated in front of them, coerced one of them to have sex, groped and made crude, sexually explicit comments, a lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Alabama, by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says. The lawsuit accuses HII and NSC of violating the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace. The EEOC notified both companies of the violations in May 2021. The women worked for NSC on the cleaning crew of a Coast Guard ship at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula where they were harassed by HII supervisor Patrick Dingle. The EEOC was unable to reach an acceptable agreement with the companies, and is asking District Judge Kristi K. DuBose to order the companies and their employees to stop sexual harassment and retaliation, and adopt policies and training programs to prevent it in the future. The EEOC is also asking for punitive damages. The suit does not indicate how many women were harassed, but does detail alleged harassment against two specific women and others on the cleaning crew of the ship at Ingalls. (Source: Sun Herald 10/04/21)

Bollinger rises from Ida's swamp

The Lockport, La.-based headquarters of Bollinger Shipyards was down for about three weeks after Hurricane Ida. All of the yards have reopened after millions of dollars in repairs to the shipyards at Houma, Larose, Lockport and Morgan City. The yards at Amelia, Algiers, Mandeville, Harvey and Matthews sustained "significant damage" but remained open. "We knew it (Ida) was going to be bad, but we got punched in the face," CEO Ben Bordelon told NOLA.com. As crews came back to work, the shipyards were running on generators. Most of its 1,500 employees have now returned. In the meantime, Bollinger is hiring for various jobs. The company is still on track to deliver ahead of schedule for the Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter program, which requires about 650 workers on the production line. (Source: NOLA.com 10/02/21) Bollinger repairs millions in damage after Hurricane Ida | Business | theadvocate.com

$1.7M grants to SMCC, Alcorn, JSU

U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and UI.S. Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) announced $1.7M in grants from the Department of Education were made to Southwest Mississippi Community College, Alcorn State University and Jackson State University. SMCC received an initial $592,000 grant through the Predominantly Black Institutions Program to increase student retention through degree and training programs, with an emphasis on STEM-related instruction. Alcorn was awarded two Talent Search Program grants worth $554,570 and JSU received $277,375 for its Talent Search Program. SMCC will also develop an Electrical Lineworker program to expand access to STEM programs for underrepresented students. (Source: Daily Journal 10/02/21) 3 Mississippi schools get $1.7M in education grants - Daily Leader | Daily Leader

Update: CR freezes $Bs in mil.funds

Both houses of Congress prevented a government shutdown that was to occur at midnight Sept. 30. Both chambers passed a short-term spending bill, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for signature. The House voted 254-175 on Thursday afternoon. The Senate approved the bill 65-35. The continuing resolution (CR) would keep spending for military and non-defense programs, which gives the Legislative Branch until Dec. 3 to work out a broader deal on new funding or put together another temporary CR. (Source: Politico 09/30/21) Congress averts shutdown, sends 9-week funding patch to Biden’s desk - POLITICO 

UPDATE: DoD isn’t facing a government shutdown, but officials are not without budget worries. The short-term CR freezes billions in planned Pentagon acquisitions. The CR gives Congress nine weeks to pass an FY-22 budget. In the interim, all new-starts and production increases of an expected $5.5B boost is on hold. Navy officials say a CR freezes $8B for new equipment, $2.5B in operations and maintenance, and $2B for personnel. Delays hit the AF’s 16 new-start procurements, which comprise $2.3B requested funds; a $300M initiative to develop hypersonic weapons, and production increases for the F-15′s Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System. (Source: Defense News 10/01/21) Here’s how the new continuing resolution will frustrate the Pentagon (defensenews.com)

NASA completes RS-25 test series

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - NASA marked the completion of an RS-25 single-engine Retrofit-2 test series at Stennis Space Center on Sept. 30. A full-duration hot fire of RS-25 developmental engine No. 0528 on the A-1 Test Stand culminated a seven-test series to support development and production of new engines for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on future missions. Operators fired the engine for more than eight minutes (500 seconds), the same time required during an actual launch. The test series provided valuable information to Aerojet Rocketdyne, lead contractor for the SLS engines, as it produces engines for use after the Artemis IV mission to the Moon. Operators collected hot fire data to demonstrate and verify various engine capabilities, and to evaluate new engine components manufactured with cutting-edge and cost-saving technologies and reduce operational risk. (Source: NASA, 09/30/21)

Forming new fuel from sunlight

 OXFORD, Miss. – Jared Delchamp, an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, is exploring novel materials that my unlock a future of sunlight-driven energy infrastructure. Using a recent National Science Foundation (NSF) award, Delchamp is researching how new types of metal catalysts (materials that speed up chemical reactions) to allow practical access to fuel, can be applied to turn the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into a viable fuel from sunlight. Delchamp is principal investigator on the award that includes researchers from two other Southeastern Conference universities. “Ideally, the exhaust from cars and electric production plants and such carbon dioxide generators could be used directly with a catalyst and sunlight to generate a fuel,” Delcamp declared in a UM media release. It’s what nature does with plant life via photosynthesis to make more plants. Research is aimed at using these catalysts as part of an artificial photosynthesis system to make fuels. (Source: UM 09/28/21) Chemistry Professor Examines New Forms of Fuel from Sunlight - Ole Miss News

Gulfport Lodge 'best' in Navy

In a ceremony Sept. 30, the Navy Lodge at NCBC Gulfport, Miss., was recognized for receiving the 2020 Edward E. Carlson award as the “Best Navy Lodge in the Navy.” Annette Cephas, NCBC Navy Lodge general manager, the annual award is presented to the Navy Lodge that is the best rated with the highest marks in guest and associate satisfaction, operations, quality assessment and financial performance. The NCBC Navy Lodge won in the grand master category, competing with every other Navy Lodge around the globe. The Lodge was also deemed fiscally excellent. (Source: NCBC Gulfport 09/30/21) (1) Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport | Facebook

GoM O&G lease sale Nov. 17

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced that it will hold an oil and gas lease sale for the Gulf of Mexico on Nov. 17, in compliance with court orders. The Biden administration is continuing its review of the deficiencies associated with its offshore and onshore O&G gas leasing programs. Lease Sale 257, scheduled to be livestreamed from New Orleans, will be the eighth offshore sale under the 2017-22 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Lease Sale 257 will include about 15,135 unleased blocks located from three to 231 miles offshore in the GoM with water depths ranging from nine to more than 11,115 feet. Among the blocks excluded from the lease sale are those subject to a congressional moratorium established by the GoM Energy Security Act of 2006. The Gulf of Mexico OCS, covering about 160M acres, is estimated to contain about 48B barrels of undiscovered technically recoverable oil and 141T cubic feet of undiscovered technically recoverable gas. (Source: Work Boat 09/30/21)

DoD regional contracts Oct 1

United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Mississippi, was awarded a $54,384,301 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for up to 35 11-meter Navy Special Warfare Rigid Inflatable Boats, trailers, accessories, spares, and other technical assistance. This contract combines purchases for the Coast Guard (23%) and foreign governments as assigned by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in accordance with Building Partnership Capacity and Foreign Military Sales programs. The location of the work to be performed will be determined by individual task orders. Work is anticipated to be performed in Gulfport, Mississippi (80%); and Corinth, Mississippi (20%), and is expected to be completed by September 2026. No funding will be obligated at the time of contract award. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) — only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 28, 2021) 

* Silver Ships Inc., Theodore, Alabama, was awarded an $8,239,095 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single award contract (N00024-21-D-2205) for design and construction of up to 110 Navy 8-meter and 11-meter Surface Support Craft and Coast Guard Special Purpose Craft Law Enforcement Generation II (SPC-LE II). Work will be performed in Theodore, Alabama, and is expected to be completed in August 2023. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $51,663,787. Fiscal 2020 other Navy procurement funds in the amount of $3,242,628 (39%); FY-21 other Navy procurement funds in the amount of $3,187,680 (39%); and FY-21 other Coast  Guard procurement funds in the amount of $1,808,787 (22%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract is a small business set-aside. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website, with four offers received. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 30, 2021) 

* Crew Training International Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, has been awarded a $51,657,166 firm-fixed-price modification (P00027) to previously awarded FA4890-19-C-0003 for the MQ-9 aircrew training and courseware development contract. Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $51,657,166 are being obligated at the time of award. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; and Hancock Air National Guard Base, New York, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2022. The contract modification provides for the exercise of Option Year Three, and brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $242,498,528. Headquarters Air Combat Command Acquisition Management & Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 10/01/21)