A close look at a sea trial

A Navy Times staff writer provides a detailed look at the recent, successful super trial of the Northrop Grumman-built destroyer William P. Lawrence. The three-day trail is designed to find problems before the ship is delivered to the Navy, and in this case, most on board sensed the ship had performed extraordinarily well. (Source: Navy Times, 01/30/11)

City, county OK money for Austal

MOBILE, Ala. – Shipbuilder Austal USA will get $2.5 million from the Mobile County Commission and another $2.5 million from the Mobile City Council as incentive to help the company expand at its Mobile River yard. The money will be used to pay for construction of a 30,000 square-foot office building to house Navy personnel. Austal, which is building littoral combat ships for the Navy, plans $150 million in capital improvements. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/26/11 and 01/25/11)

Destroyer completes super trial

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Northrop Grumman's Aegis guided missile destroyer William P. Lawrence successfully completed its combined super trial last week in the Gulf of Mexico. The successful sea trial of DDG 110 paved the way for delivery to the Navy in the next six weeks. The 509-foot, 9,200-ton ship is powered by four gas-turbine propulsion plants. Among other things, the ship's weapons, communications and propulsion systems were tested during the trial. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 01/25/11)

New director, deputy join NGI

Two research professors from Mississippi State University have joined the leadership team at Stennis Space Center's Northern Gulf Institute. They are Robert J. Moorhead, professor of electrical and computing engineering, and Donald C. Jackson, professor of fisheries, chosen to serve as NGI director and deputy director, respectively. The previous director, Mike Carron, left NGI to accept a position with the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. NGI is a NOAA cooperative institute led by MSU. Other academic partners are the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, Florida State University and Dauphin Island Sea Lab. (Source: NGI, 01/25/11)

Fitch sees BB rating for NG spin-off

Northrop Grumman hasn't said whether it will spin off or sell its shipbuilding operations, but Fitch Ratings expects to assign a BB Issuer Default Ratings to Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc., upon completion of the company’s potential spin-off. Fitch said the ratings reflect HII's position as a leading company in the defense shipbuilding industry with core capabilities in building aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, large amphibious attack vessels, and surface combatants. The company is the sole source manufacturer on about 66 percent of its revenues, and it has a large and highly visible $17 billion backlog. Fitch said HII is well-positioned in the current defense spending environment, with roles on four of the Department of Defense's top 12 programs in the fiscal 2011 budget. Fitch's key concerns include HII's revenue concentration with the Navy and Coast Guard, the ongoing restructuring at the company's Gulf Coast operations and uncertainty about U.S. defense spending after fiscal 2012. (Source: Business Wire, 01/24/11)

Textron gets new MLB contract

NEW ORLEANS - Textron Marine & Land Systems today announced the acceptance of the sixth Motor Lifeboat (MLB) contracted by the Mexican Navy. The first five MLBs have been delivered, with the sixth 47-foot craft scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2011. The Mexican Ministry of the Navy contracted with Textron Marine & Land Systems in 2008 to build the MLBs modeled after the craft used by the U.S. Coast Guard. Textron Marine & Land Systems is an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. company. (Source: Business Wire, 01/24/11)

Austal OKd for tax breaks

MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile Industrial Development Board last week approved tax breaks for shipbuilder Austal USA. The board agreed to exempt Austal from an estimated $8.86 million in sales and non-school property taxes over the next 10 years. The vote abates taxes related to a new assembly bay, land to provide docking space, a building for Navy personnel and bulkhead improvements. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/20/11)

Endangered species focus of Sea Camp

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Threatened and endangered marine species will be the focus of this year's University of Southern Mississippi Sea Camp. The program at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Marine Education Center is for children from 6 to 13 years of age, and it's designed to make learning about the coastal habitat fun. Sea Camp is offering six sessions in June and July. For more information call 228-818-8833 or email marine.education@usm.edu. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 01/18/11)

GulfQuest contracts awarded

MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile City Council awarded $30 million to six contractors to work on the GulfQuest maritime museum and ferry landing. The contracts represent the bulk of construction. The cost of the museum, which will be located next to the cruise terminal on the Mobile River, is about $52 million. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/19/11) The museum's exhibits will focus on trade, marine archaeology, the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, marine commerce and shipbuilding, offshore oil and gas exploration and more.

GulfQuest contracts awarded

MOBILE, Ala. - The Mobile City Council awarded $30 million to six contractors to work on the GulfQuest maritime museum and ferry landing. The contracts represent the bulk of construction. The cost of the museum, which will be located next to the cruise terminal on the Mobile River, is about $52 million. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/19/11) The museum's exhibits will focus on trade, marine archaeology, the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, marine commerce and shipbuilding, offshore oil and gas exploration and more.

Manatee found dead

The manatee death toll is now four this winter after scientists found another dead manatee in area waters this weekend. The pregnant female was found on Perdido Key, Fla. State officials asked the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's Manatee Sighting Network to perform a necropsy. The animal will be tested for exposure to oil, but scientists said the most likely cause of death was stress related to cold weather. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/18/11)

USCG awards cutter long-lead contract

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a firm fixed-price contract to Northrop Grumman for long-lead material procurement on a fifth National Security Cutter. The contract is for $89 million, with options that would increase potential value to $94 million. The Legend-class cutters are designed to replace the 378‐foot Hamilton-class cutters that entered service during the 1960s. Two of eight planned National Security Cutters have been commissioned, and a third ship will be delivered this year. A construction contract for the fourth ship was awarded on Nov. 29, 2010. Construction will begin on that ship mid-year 2011. (Source: Globe Newswire, 01/17/11)

LM to do electronics for cutter

Lockheed Martin Corp. won a $66 million contract to provide communications and related equipment for the Coast Guard's fourth National Security Cutter. The 418-foot cutter is designed for homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety and environmental protection. The contract was awarded by Northrop Grumman Corp., which is building the cutter in Pascagoula, Miss. (Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, 01/12/11)

New jellyfish species identified

MOBILE, Ala. - A Dauphin Island Sea Lab scientist has now determined that the giant pink jellyfish that turned up in the Gulf of Mexico in 2000 are an entirely new species. Back then, scientists initially decided the creature, nicknamed the “pink meanie,” was a jellyfish native to the Mediterranean. Now, with the aid of genetic fingerprinting and other techniques, scientists have determined the Gulf version is a unique species. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/12/11)

NGI newsletter available

The Northern Gulf Institute's newsletter, The Portal, has been released. The 12-page publication includes stories about the NGI Gulf of Mexico BP research project; a new research framework for NGI; student and research spotlights; a farewell letter from former co-director Michael Carron and more. Stennis Space Center's NGI, a NOAA cooperative institute established in 2006, is a marine science research cooperative involving Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Louisiana State, Florida State and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. (Source: NGI, 01/10/11)

Week in review column

When it comes to defense spending, the Gulf Coast region is all ears. That's not surprising, given that the region between South Louisiana and Northwest Florida has a wealth of military bases and activities, large and small contractors and businesses that rely on the military. It's a safe bet a lot of folks were paying attention when Defense Secretary Robert Gates during the week announced some additional spending cuts. (Source: Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, 01/08/11)

USM scientist gets UMass post

Dr. Steven Lohrenz, a University of Southern Mississippi marine scientist who served on a research team responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has been tapped as the new dean of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. Lohrenz, who begins his official duties full-time in July, received his Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (Source: SouthCoastToday, The Herald News, 01/05/11)

DoD "efficiencies" announced

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates today announced a series of moves designed to save the Department of Defense more than $150 billion over the next five years by reducing overhead and cutting excess and troubled programs. The bulk of the savings will be used in areas such as shipbuilding, long-range strike, missile defense, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance and more. Among other things, the Air Force will buy more simulators for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter air crew training. But the Marine Corps short take-off and vertical landing variant of the F-35 is being placed on a two-year probation because of testing problems, putting the Marine variant to the back of the overall JSF production sequence. In addition, the Navy will develop a new generation of sea-borne unmanned strike and surveillance aircraft. (Source: DoD, 01/06/11) Gulf Coast note: The Gulf Coast is a major military shipbuilding center; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the JSF training center; Moss Point, Miss., builds portions of unmanned aircraft.

Contract: Lockheed Martin, $18.7M

Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., was awarded a $18,708,099 modification to previously awarded contract for management and engineering services to maintain and modify as necessary the design of DDG 51 class combat system compartments and topside arrangements, in support of the Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems. Twenty-two percent of the work will be done in Pascagoula, Miss. Other work sites are New Jersey, Maine, California, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and New York. Work is expected to be completed by September 2011. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/04/11)

Austal awards contract to GD

Austal USA has awarded a contract to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems to be the Platform Systems Engineering Agent (PSEA) of the Independence-class littoral combat ships. The initial contract award is for one ship, with nine additional ships in the following five years. As PSEA, General Dynamics is responsible for the design, integration and testing of the ship's combat and seaframe control systems. This contract could create more than 500 additional jobs with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Pittsfield, Mass., as well as in Mobile, Ala., Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey and California. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics. (Source: General Dynamics via PRNewswire, 01/03/11) Austal USA of Mobile, Ala., was awarded a contract last week to build up to 10 littoral combat ships for the Navy. Previous item.

Week in review column

Aerospace is the focus of this column, but it's hard not to pay attention to the major Navy contract that was awarded during the week to Austal USA of Mobile, Ala. The contract to build littoral combat ships underscores the importance of shipbuilding to the Gulf Coast region. But beyond that, it shows contracts can be split between competitors and highlights the crucial role companies with foreign roots play in the U.S. defense industry. (Source: Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, 01/01/11)