USAF

Stress Langley's Capacity & Facilities

November 12, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senators Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) and Representatives Glenn Nye (D-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rob Wittman (R-VA) this week requested a Virginia delegation staff briefing on Air Force plans for future basing of the F-22 Raptor aircraft fleet. In a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Virginia lawmakers emphasized that Langley Air Force Base (LAFB) in Hampton is a “world-class installation” with the excess operational capacity to support increased numbers of the F-22.    » read more »

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 9, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $72 million U.S. Air Force contract for more than 2,900 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits.

Boeing will deliver the kits in 2011 and 2012. The Lot 14 production order is the second one-year option of a six-year contract Boeing received in January 2008. The agreement has a potential total value of $590 million with deliveries extending through 2015, if all options are exercised.

"JDAM provides warfighters an effective, accurate and battle-tested weapon," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing director of Direct Attack Programs. "The Lot 14 contract and its additional options assure the long-term availability of this cost-effective weapon."    » read more »

November 03, 2009 -- CONTRACTS

UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND

American Auto Logistics, LP, of Park Ridge, N.J., is being awarded a $207,382,618 firm, fixed-price modification for an earned award term under a previously awarded contract (DAMTOI-03-D-0184) to provide continuing services for the transportation and storage of privately owned vehicles. Work will be performed at worldwide locations and is expected to be completed Oct. 31, 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity.

ARMY    » read more »

11/3/2009 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- After more than 30 years of flying for the Air Force, the last C-130E Hercules aircraft here set forth Nov. 2 destined for a new life.

Tail number 1299, which has been at Ramstein since 2007, departed for Poland, under a Foreign Military Sales lease agreement between Air Force Materiel Command and Poland in support of our partnership and teamwork with United States allies.

"We are saying goodbye as it moves forward into a new era of air power," said Master Sgt. Patrick Perry, 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron section chief, during a ceremony held on the flightline to commemorate the momentous event.    » read more »

11/3/2009 - SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- The installation of 121 fans in 29 buildings across base is expected to reduce energy use and cost of heating systems operation during colder months.

The project, which has a maximum cost of approximately $86,000, is estimated to have a payback time of slightly more than 8 months and save the base more than $1 million over 10 years, according to Christian Thurner, 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron environmental engineer.

The project received funds from the Air Force Productivity Enhancing Program as a Fast Payback Capital Investment, or FASCAP project, meaning the investment was less than $250,000 and had a payback time of less than two years.    » read more »

ANAHEIM, Calif., Nov. 3, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has delivered upgraded cryptography devices to Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system. The devices provide additional communications security between the missile system's launch control centers and launch facilities.

The new devices are part of the ICBM Cryptography Upgrade (ICU) program for ICBM missile wings at Air Force bases F.E. Warren in Wyoming, Malmstrom in Montana and Minot in North Dakota. Boeing designed, developed and delivered the replacement units and supporting technical data, trainers, support equipment, and code processing system modifications.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) issued the following statement today on learning that Shaw Air Force Base has been selected as a candidate for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

“I was pleased to receive word today from the Secretary of the Air Force that Shaw Air Force Base has been selected as a candidate for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) – the Air Force’s new fifth generation fighter designed to replace the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II.

“In choosing candidates for the F-35, the Air Force evaluated over 200 sites. The process was highly competitive, and Shaw’s selection as a candidate is testament to its strength and value as an Air Force base.    » read more »

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Bechtel Plant Machinery Inc., Monroeville, Pa., is being awarded a $523,530,301 cost-plus-fixed fee contract for naval nuclear propulsion components. Work will be performed in Monroeville, Pa., (67 percent); Schenectady, N.Y., (33 percent). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. No completion date or additional information is provided on naval nuclear propulsion program contracts. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-2119).    » read more »

10/19/2009 - VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- Vandenberg Air Force Base officials successfully launched a Atlas V rocket carrying a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload at 9:12 a.m. Oct. 18 from Space Launch Complex-3 here.

This was the second Atlas V launch from Vandenberg AFB and the first Air Force payload to be lifted from Vandenberg AFB aboard an Atlas V.

Atlas V is part of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle family. The program, which began in the 1990s with the goal of making government space launches more affordable and reliable, resulted in the development of two launch systems, Delta IV and Atlas V.    » read more »

10/19/2009 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- When President Barack Obama authorized an additional 17,000 troops to "surge" into Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in February, mobility Airmen answered the call.

To move that many personnel, a concentrated effort in the mobility airlift and air refueling community was needed.

According to statistics from the U.S. Air Forces Central Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia, cargo and passenger movements for January and February remained fairly steady at the "pre-surge" state for Operation Enduring Freedom. In January, 16,450 tons of cargo and 26,600 passengers were moved by mobility aircraft while in February 16,720 tons of cargo and 24,200 passengers were moved.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- CONTRACTS

NAVY    » read more »

10/14/2009 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Congress has reached agreement on a $680.2 billion National Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal 2010.

The bill authorizes a 3.4 percent military pay increase and full funding for the Defense Health Program, and it caps F-22 Raptor production at 187 aircraft. For civilian workers, it ends the National Security Personnel System. It includes a base budget of $550.2 billion and $130 billion for overseas contingency operations.

Congress released the conference report Oct. 7. The full Senate and House must pass the conference report before the bill goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.    » read more »

Nine-year deal means as many as 300 new jobs in Lake Charles.

October 1, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today, lauded the awarding of a $3.8 billion KC-10 Contractor Logistics Services (CLS) contract by the U.S. Air Force to Northrop Grumman. The nine-year contract is estimated to bring between 150-300 full-time, skilled jobs to the Lake Charles area.

"The contract awarded by the Air Force will be a major boost to Louisiana's economy, particularly the Lake Charles area," said Sen. Landrieu. "The awarding of this contract is a show of confidence in the skilled workers of Southwest Louisiana."    » read more »

June 18, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator David Vitter today issued the following statement applauding the Air Force’s final selection of Barksdale Air Force as the home of the new Global Strike Command.

“This is certainly great news for Barksdale Air Force Base and for Northwest Louisiana in particular. I have been meeting throughout the year with Air Force officials to encourage them to come to the right decision on Barksdale. As recently as June 3, I asked them to move ahead with their final announcement and they followed through and delivered this great news a little more than two weeks later.    » read more »

Jun 18, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE – Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal released the following statement on the U.S. Air Force’s announcement that Barksdale Air Force Base (BAFB) will definitely be the permanent location for the new Air Force Global Strike Command.

“We received great news today that the environmental impact assessment has been successfully completed. There are no more hurdles for BAFB and now Global Strike Command will be activated in short order. Indeed, today’s news marks the final step towards a significant economic boost for Northwest Louisiana.    » read more »