HII's LPD-17 mod pact: $44.7M

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding Division at Pascagoula, Miss., is awarded a $44,707,851 cost-plus-fixed fee modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2415 to exercise options for life cycle engineering and support for the LPD-17 class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship program. This contract modification is for the exercise of options for post-delivery planning and engineering, homeport technical support, Class Integrated Product Data Environment, data maintenance and equipment management, systems integration and engineering support, LPD 17 class design services, research engineering, obsolescence management, class material readiness, emergent repair provision, training and logistics support, ship alteration development and installation, material management, operating cycle integration, availability planning and configuration data management. Work will be performed in Pascagoula (96%); Norfolk (1%); San Diego (1%); Mayport, Fla. (1%); and Sasebo, Japan (1%); and is expected to be completed by December 2020. FY 2016 and FY-17 Navy/SCN shipbuilding and conversion, and FY -20 Navy/OPN procurement funds in the amount of $9,474,186 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. FY-9 research and development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) funds for $5,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Funding: FY-16 SCN (53.6%), FY-20 OPN (25.2%), FY-17 SCN (21.1%), and FY-19 RDT&E (0.1%). Naval Sea Systems Command of Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 01/31/20)

Dauntless returning to NASP

NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless is scheduled to return to its Pensacola, Fla., homeport on Feb. 1 after completing a 28-day law enforcement and port security mission. The crew completed 12 inspections of commercial fishing vessels from Key West, Florida, to St. Petersburg, Fla. The inspections enforced both fishery and safety regulations. The crew also led other CG assets in setting a security zone for the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on Jan. 19. (Source: Coast Guard 01/31/20)

NOLA port CEO person of year

The Propeller Club of the Port of New Orleans honored Brandy D. Christian as their 2019 Maritime Person of the Year at its 86th Annual Maritime Person of the Year Gala on Jan. 29, at the Metairie Country Club. Christian, who serves as President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans and CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation, is the first woman ever to be honored with this prestigious recognition from the Propeller Club of the U.S. Port of New Orleans. (Port of New Orleans 01/29/20) https://www.portnola.com/info/news-media/press-releases/brandy-d-christian-named-2019-propeller-club-maritime-person-of-the-year.

NSAPC hurricane repairs mod

URS Group Inc., Morrisville, N.C., is awarded a $7M modification on a firm-fixed-price task order under a multiple award construction contract for Phase 1 of Hurricane Michael repairs for stabilization and repairs to multiple buildings at Naval Support Activity, Panama City, Fla. After award of this modification, the total task order value will be $69,246,764. The work to be performed provides for construction, alteration and repair of real property and utilities because of Hurricane Michael. Work also includes any and all ancillary and incidental mechanical and electrical support services needed to accomplish required work including, but not limited to, disconnects, temporary reconnects, removals, extensions, modifications, alterations, reinstalls, new components and permanent reconnects necessary for functional operation. Work will be performed in Panama City, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. FY 2019 Navy operation and maintenance contract funds for $7M are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity . (Source: DoD 01/30/20)

U.S. State Dept.'s ACE noms sought

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is soliciting public input for recommendations for this year’s Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). Now in its 21st year, the ACE honors U.S. companies demonstrating leadership in their overseas operations, specifically recognizing U.S. firms that uphold the highest standards of responsible business conduct and whose operational practices and decision-making exemplify American values and international best practices. Recommendations are due to embassies and consulates by March 6. Source: U.S. State Department 01/29/20) https://www.state.gov/call-for-recommendations-2020-secretary-of-states-award-for-corporate-excellence/

Navy anti-terror exercises in Feb.

All Navy bases in the U.S. will take part in the scheduled Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain (CS/SC) 2020 exercise that will be over a two-week period from Feb. 3-14. CS/SC 2020 is an annual anti-terrorism and force protection (ATFP) exercise. Citadel Shield is run by Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC), and will take place in week one. US Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) will run Solid Curtain in week two. During CS/SC 2020, Navy security forces will undergo realistic scenarios – possibly from internal threats - aimed at maintaining a high level of readiness. The significance of the exercises is highlighted by real-world events, such as the shootings at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Naval Shipyard. Personnel are required to register for the AtHoc wide-area alert network so they are aware of force protection conditions and other emergency, environmental, or exercise-related impacts on the area. The AtHoc WAAN system provides Navy installations with an effective mass warning notification system during a crisis to warn affected sailors and civilians who live and work on Navy installations. The focus of the exercises is on staggered entry and exit times for personnel working on installations to limit traffic at entry control points. (Expect delays at entry and exit points of all Gulf Coast Regional naval installations.) (Source: Naval Technology 01/23/20) https://www.naval-technology.com/news/us-naval-installations-cs-sc-2020/

Enviro groups threaten lawsuit

Two environmental groups - national Defenders of Wildlife and the New Orleans-based Healthy Gulf - threatened Jan. 27 to file a lawsuit suit against the Army Corps of Engineers (CoE), Mississippi River Commission and the U.S. Interior Department for failing to evaluate the impact of repeated openings of the Bonnet Carre Spillway in Louisiana. The groups cited the spillway's effects on nine endangered species, including sea turtles, birds, fish and marine mammals. The threat to sue is required by federal law to be delivered to federal agencies 60 days before a lawsuit is to be filed. The law gives the agencies time to correct any legal wrongdoing they may have committed before the suit is filed. The New Orleans District and Washington HQ of the CoE have not responded to a request for comment from NOLA.com. (Source: NOLA.com 01/28/20) https://www.nola.com/news/courts/article_27ca454e-4157-11ea-8e2c-97e7195fce75.html

Aussie is new NCBC housing manager

Steven Chadwick, the new facilities manager for Balfour Beatty Communities’ privatized family housing at Naval Construction Battalion Center (NCBC) Gulfport, Miss., has garnered a great deal of experience through his service with the Australian Navy. Years later he followed it up with earning degrees in Construction Management and Construction Economics from the University of Southern Australia. Quality military housing has been a sore spot for privatized housing throughout the country; drew the ire of Congress and has been in the media spotlight since families addressed the lawmakers last year. Chadwick got his first exposure to maintenance-, construction- and facilities-related career fields when he decided to join the Royal Australian Navy at age 16. He served eight years with the Aussie navy and reserves performing maintenance on various ships’ heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, water filtration, and other mechanical equipment. He also had the opportunity to volunteer to assist with housing unit inspections. After leaving the service, Chadwick became interested in the management side of the construction industry, and decided to get those two degrees. He worked as a project manager for several companies on Australian and U.S. military construction projects before deciding to travel to the U.S. in 2012. He decided to stay, and eventually marrying, and moved to Florida. He began working in housing maintenance for several resorts and was promoted to supervisory and managing roles before moving to the Gulf Coast to BBC’s facilities manager post at Gulfport in May 2019. Chadwick deals with contractors and performing quality control to ensure repairs are up to the standards required by BBC and the Navy. “I really enjoy it … the interaction with the tenants and just helping people out and seeing a finished product that’s of good quality,” he said. BBC services 477 homes on NCBC Gulfport, in addition to the 60 homes in Northpoint Preserve and the 24 homes in Slidell, La., which are occupied by Navy military members working at the John C. Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Source: NCBC Gulfport 01/28/29) https://www.facebook.com/notes/naval-construction-battalion-center-gulfport/facilities-manager-focuses-on-quality-control-in-career-of-choice/10157980357914655/

La. sailor forging path on LCS-8

SOUTH CHINA SEA - Culinary Specialist Seaman (CSSN) Dustin Fontenot, who grew up in Lafayette, La., found himself low man on the totem pole upon arriving aboard the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8). He was the only seaman in a crew of 90-plus experienced sailors. He came aboard one week before departing San Diego for a five-month deployment. His service life has been less than a year – boot camp, ‘A’ school, ship. But Fontenot’s fingerprints are everywhere. He can be found in the galley, walking the passageways with black bags full of trash, or in the helicopter control tower scanning the horizon for ships and aircraft while standing lookout. He’s made himself a vital part of Montgomery’s crew, albeit a unique one. “Nobody saw me as a Seaman, they saw me as part of the crew,” said Fontenot. The number of LCS crew is among one of the smallest in the Navy. “I knew everyone on the ship had to play a part, so I would constantly learn, observe and ask questions during evolutions and drills,” he continued. “I wanted to get qualified so I could help every way I could.” The amount of effort he put into learning what it takes to become a sailor was “far beyond what I saw from seamen in the past,” said supervisor CS2 Jeffery Smith. “LCS crews require everyone to be fully engaged to run smoothly. He understood that, and put the time and effort into being part of this more-senior crew. The amount of progress he has made is truly incredible.” Fontenot credits the sailors around him for continuing to push him every day. He now is beginning to understand the uniqueness of an LCS crew. Montgomery is on a rotational deployment to USINDOPACOM, conducting operations, exercises and port visits throughout the region and working hull-to-hull with allied and partner navies to provide maritime security and stability, key pillars of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Source: Commander Destroyer Squadron 7 01/27/20) Gulf Coast Note: USS Montgomery was built at Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=111929

Shark delivers patrol boat to SJ policia

JEANERETTE, La. - Metal Shark shipbuilding delivered a new 36-foot welded-aluminum patrol boat to the Policia San Juan, Puerto Rico, police department, it’s news customer on the island. The patrol boat is a 36 Fearless stepped-bottom center console vessel built at Metal Shark’s Jeanerette, La., production facility and custom-configured to meet the specialized requirements of the San Juan Police Department. The high-performance craft has been equipped with triple 300 HP Suzuki outboard engines and reaches a top speed in excess of 50 knots. Other mission-enhancing features include a custom 36” dive door and dive ladder, underwater lighting, twelve dive tank holders, Garmin Radar, and FLIR camera. Metal Shark has now delivered five new patrol boats in the past three years to Puerto Rico, where another law enforcement agency, the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD), also operates a fleet of Metal Shark vessels. (Source: Metal Shark 01/27/20)

Innovative small biz funding

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Department of the Navy wants to collaborate with innovative small businesses to deliver advanced technology that will sustain and modernize existing ships, aircraft and ground vehicles. To solicit a wide variety of small business partners, the DoN Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs—both located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR)—have announced expanded funding opportunities through a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). BAAs are requests for scientific or research proposals. The new BAA, titled 20.1/20.A, closes on Feb. 12. It offers more than $250 million in funding opportunities and spans 112 research topic areas where the Navy wants to focus more resources. (Source: Office of Naval Research 01/27/20) https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=111917

Navy: Shorter plans for future ships

The Navy and Marines are in the middle of a new force-structure review, which may change the number and types of ships they'll need for future conflicts, but instead of trying to project 30 years in advance, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly indicated they’ll be taking a look at shorter timelines. "I don't know what the threat's going to be 30 years from now,” he told attendees at a National Defense Industrial Association event Jan. 24, “but if we're building a force structure for 30 years from now, I would suggest we're probably not building the right one." DoN completed its last force-structure assessment in 2016. Modly hinted that the next-force structure assessment that CNO Adm. Michael Gilday has indicated could be completed in weeks, could go higher than the 355-ship number, not counting the still-to-be-developed unmanned surface and underwater vessels that can operate without crews. A 10-year view of future threats is more realistic, he said. The new assessment will affect far more than ship numbers. "That sort of suggests the type of people you need, it suggests where they should be based, how you need to ramp up the industrial base, and what type of weapons should they carry?" He also said the Navy’s going to need more small-ships for distributed operations. Large ships could leave Marines and sailors vulnerable. (Source: Military.com 01/24/20) https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/01/24/navy-making-big-changes-way-it-plans-future-ships.html

Update: CG suspends search for trio

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard and local agencies responded to a report of two towing vessels that collided on the Mississippi River in the early morning of Jan. 26 at mile marker 123, near Luling, La. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 5:37 a.m. that the towing vessel RC Creppel and Cooperative Spirit collided and that three of four members of the RC Creppel are missing. The Cooperative Spirit was reportedly transiting up bound on the river when it entered a barge fleeting area and allied with barges before colliding with the towing vessel RC Creppel. The collision caused the RC Creppel to sink and barges to breakaway. The CG launched a 29-foot Response Boat-Small boat/crew and an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter. One of the people in the water was recovered by a Good Samaritan. The search and rescue (SAR) for the other three is ongoing. The RC Creppel was pushing two barges carrying sulfuric acid. One of these barges was damaged in the incident and reportedly released an unknown amount of vapor into the air. The source of the release is secured. A safety zone - from mile marker 121 to 123 - has been issued and traffic is closed to vessels in that area. “This is a complex response that has a search-and-rescue component, as well as a pollution component that will require planning and coordination to execute," said Capt. Kristi Luttrell, commanding officer of Sector New Orleans. The Center of Toxicology and Environmental Health has been contracted for air monitoring. (The CG was to hold a media conference on the subject around 3:30 p.m. Sunday. More to come. (Coast Guard 01/26/20) UPDATE: The CG suspended its search for the three missing mariners on Jan. 27. CG crews searched over 835 nautical miles for about 67 hours. Air monitoring is ongoing. The air in the immediate vicinity of the affected barge has been cleared of any traces of sulfuric acid. There are no immediate health concerns in the surrounding communities. The Mississippi River opened last night at 9:30 p.m. This area is still subject to restrictions put in place by CG Sector New Orleans’ Vessel Traffic Service. McKinney Salvage of Baton Rouge has been contracted to carry out salvage operations on the affected barge. Air monitoring will continue until salvage operations are complete. (Source: CG 01/27/20)

Dunn new subsea VP for HGIM

Harvey Gulf International Marine of New Orleans has hired John Dunn as VP of Subsea Vessel Operations, as the company looks to grow its subsea business. Dunn, formerly of Oceaneering, has been hired as a member of Harvey Gulf's executive management team to assemble and manage Harvey Gulf’s subsea vessels, team and operations. (Source: Marine Link 01/24/20)

VTHM builds Polar Star replacement

The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, following a 58-day transit from the U.S. The cutter departed from Seattle, Wash., on Nov. 26. 2020 marks the Polar Star’s 23rd journey to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the U.S. Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation. Polar Star arrived after creating a 23-mile channel through the ice to McMurdo Sound, which will enable the offload of over 19.5M pounds of dry cargo and 7.6Mgallons of fuel. Polar Star returns in 2021. Commissioned in 1976, Polar Star is the United States’ only operational heavy icebreaker. Russia has more than 50 icebreakers. The Coast Guard is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with six new polar security cutters. In April 2019, the Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine (VRHM) of Pascagoula, Miss., a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead polar security cutter, which will be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs. (Source: Workboat 01/23/20) https://www.workboat.com/news/government/coast-guard-cutter-polar-star-arrives-in-antarctica/

ASPA/AIT agree to RO/RO terminal

MOBILE, Ala. - The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) and AutoMOBILE International Terminal (AIT) signed a concession agreement Jan. 22 at the Port of Mobile of $60M (USD) for a finished automobile roll on/roll off (RO/RO) terminal under construction. AIT will operate the facility when completed in early 2021. AIT is a joint venture between Terminal Zarate, S.A., a Grupo Murchison firm, with an HQ in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Neltume Ports, headquartered in Santiago, Chile. “AIT’s investment will create a new U.S. gateway for shipping finished automobiles for both U.S. and global manufacturing and consumer markets,” said James K. Lyons, director/CEO for ASPA. The 57-acre terminal is located on ASPA’s main port complex, and when completed, will have an annual throughput of 150,000 units. (Source: Ala. State Port Authority 01/22/20) http://www.asdd.com/pdf/ASPA_AIT_NP_ConcessionAgrInked_012220.pdf

Shotgun-like ammo may shield LCS

ARLINGTON, Va. – Ordnance experts will be testing heavy weapons precision ammunition that could hit enemy drones “like a shotgun blast” offering a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) shield for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Last July, a Marine Corps anti-drone system downed an Iranian UAS that got within 1,000 yards of a Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz. “There’s a lot of interest in the Navy now for a counter drone system,” said Kevin Knowles of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. “How do you shoot down these quadcopters? Trying to hit them with a round is not that easy,” he added. Northrop Grumman, which makes mission modules, is exploring a precision air-burst munition for the twin 30mm of the LCS’ surface warfare mission modules. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, Va., is slated to run tests on the proximity rounds this spring. “(A)ssuming that test goes well, then we’ll start putting those rounds in the magazines” of the 33mm guns on both the Freedom and Independence LCS. The 30mm gun has a dual ammunition feed, high explosive rounds already available, and the other feed with the precision air burst rounds in the other. (Source: Seapower Magazine 01/23/20) Gulf Coast Note: Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., builds the Independence variant of LCS. https://seapowermagazine.org/new-shotgun-like-ammo-could-shield-lcs-from-drones/

Fla. man convicted in Iran conspiracy

PENSACOLA, Fla. - A Pensacola business owner, James P. Meharg, 60, was sentenced to 40 months in prison on federal charges of conspiring to sell and export a Solar Mars 90 S core power generator to Iran, and concealing the action. Meharg is CEO/president of Turbine Resources International, LLC, located on Dog Track Road in Pensacola, was sentenced Jan. 24. The Department of Justice said Meharg conspired with people in the UK and Iran to export a large turbine and parts to an Iranian recipient – a violation of the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations and federal criminal law. The U.S. Department of Justice says Meharg conspired from October 1, 2017, to June 12, 2019, to violate the Iranian embargo by attempting to "export a Solar Mars 90 S turbine core engine and parts from the United States, for delivery to an end user in Iran." DoJ evidence revealed Meharg sent an invoice for $500,000 to a conspirator in the UK and received two partial payments of $124,950 each, one of which was routed through Dubai. The monies were laundered through foreign accounts as payment for having the turbine to be sent to Iran. Law enforcement seized the turbine before its transatlantic journey to the end-user in Iran. (Source: WEAR 01/24/20) TRI has been in the gas turbine industry for 15 years. It is clear, according to the TRI website, that the oil and gas industry has a requirement for a privately owned company that provides competitively priced power generation solutions. TRI has taken on that challenge and is competing successfully with the multi-nationals. TRI specializes in Solar and Centaur gas producer overhauls, bidding projects worldwide, customer liaison, package refurbishments, repair parts, and field work. https://weartv.com/news/local/pensacola-man-who-shipped-equipment-to-iran-sentenced-to-40-months-in-prison

MDA grant for Miss. Ceres site

The Warren County Port Commission announced Jan. 24 it had received a $241,450 grant from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to start construction of a road to allow access to Ceres’ largest available site and to support in the rehabilitation of water infrastructure assets. The funds is part of the Premier Site Development and the Ready Site programs, which MDA provides to support communities. Grants are announced annually by MDA based on a competitive basis. The grant will help offset costs to construct the road to site B at Ceres and to rehabilitate existing water infrastructure. Site B is Warren County’s largest industrial site – about 180 acres. The site was recently certified as Project Ready by Entergy Mississippi along with two other sites in the park. According to the Port Commission, the construction of the access road and the improvements to the water system will make the site one of the most competitive in the State of Mississippi. (Source: Vicksburg Post 01/24/20) https://www.vicksburgpost.com/2020/01/24/port-commission-receives-grant-to-fund-ceres-improvements/

MAM restoration funding strategies

The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group has approved $507,237 in Monitoring and Adaptive Management (MAM) funding to facilitate the development of a programmatic MAM strategy for the Louisiana Restoration Area. Development of the strategy will refine restoration objectives. Many of the activities funded through this approval are direct recommendations from (provided) documents, particularly the 2019 Restoration Monitoring Guidance. The Water Institute of the Gulf will facilitate this 11-month project which will involve all of the Louisiana implementation group trustees and begin in early 2020. (Source: Gulf Spill Restoration 01/24/20) https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2020/01/louisiana-approves-funding-programmatic-monitoring-and-adaptive-management-strategy?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Fisheries' proposed rule change

NOAA Fisheries’ Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted on an issue that is know open for public comment, on a proposed rule that provides eligible historical captains the opportunity to replace their historical captain permits with standard federal charter/headboat for-hire permits for reef fish and coastal migratory pelagic fisheries. The comment period is open now through Feb. 22. (Source: NOAA Fisheries 01/24/20) https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNOAAFISHERIES/bulletins/277d218

LDWF: Meetings for SST management

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced dates for public meetings to be held on spotted seatrout (SST) management. The most recent stock assessment indicated spotted seatrout are overfished. Overfishing changes are necessary in order to recover the stock. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) indicated it would like to hear public input before considering management changes. No action is being taken at this time, but input is being gathered prior to potential rule changes. LDWF’s biological opinion is that a 20 percent reduction in harvest is needed in order to recover the stock by at least 2025. Management change options recently presented to the LWFC in January included creel limit only changes, minimum-size limit changes only, combined creel and minimum size limit changes, slot limit only changes, and combined slot limit and creel changes. Public meeting locations and dates via http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/news/43268

Update: CG suspends search off DI

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard is searching for a 41-year-old man who went missing aboard the vessel Star Aquila on Jan. 23 about 12 nautical miles south of Dauphin Island, Ala. Coast Guard Sector Mobile received the report at 4:07 a.m. The man was last seen on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Crew members conducted a search of the vessel with negative results. The vessel has been at anchor for eight days and will transit into Mobile, Ala., Jan. 23. Involved in the search are CG Station Dauphin Island's 45-foot Response Boat/crew; CG Air Station New Orleans' MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew; and the Star Aquila crew members. (Source: Coast Guard 01/23/20) UPDATE: The CG suspended its search Jan. 24 for the person who went missing aboard the vessel Star Aquila. CG crews searched over 1,049 square-nautical miles for about 40 hours but were unable to find the missing person.

EPA to cut back ‘water’ rules

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration will (today) Jan. 23 announce a plan to cut back, the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, regarding the types of waterways protected from pollution under federal law, in a move intended to ease burdens on industries. The plan could deliver a political win for President Trump in the Farm Belt, but incense anger of conservationists worried about the environment. Environmental Protection Agency's administrator Andrew Wheeler will announce the proposal to narrow the definition of "waters of the United States" that are protected under the 1972 Clean Water Act from pollutants like fertilizers, pesticides, and mining waste. The replacement rule will offer a narrower the definition of waters to be protected, but will exclude seasonal streams and wetlands. (Source: Reuters 01/22/20) https://news.yahoo.com/trump-environmental-agency-scale-back-123053598.html

Mobile puts wobble in Amtrak re-start

MOBILE, Ala. - A City Council committee, Alabama State Port and governor's office, are dimming the chances for reviving Amtrak passenger rail service along the northern Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Mobile. Three members of the City Council’s finance committee withheld support for funding service through the port city during a meeting Jan. 22. AL.com reported the full council could vote on the issue next week. Amtrak hasn’t operated along the coast since 2005's Hurricane Katrina. The Southern Rail Commission supports restarting passenger trains between Mobile and New Orleans with stops in Mississippi. Officials at the Alabama State Port say passenger trains could disrupt CSX freight service through the port, and city leaders, including Mayor Sandy Stimpson, have expressed concerns. There has been a long-running feud between CSX and the SRC over conflicting data provided by the freight company for an initial study of the Amtrak project that dates back to at least 2017. Louisiana and Mississippi have approved funding to restart the trains, but Alabama has not. Mobile is being asked to commit as much as $3M over three years to pay for Amtrak service that was expected to re-start in 2023. The finance commitment doesn’t include potential capital costs to upgrade the existing rail line. An additional $2.2M is needed from an Alabama-based source to finance those improvements, but Gov. Kay Ivey hasn’t backed the project. Mississippi has dedicated $15M, Louisiana has approved $10M, and Amtrak has set aside $6M toward capital improvements along the rail line. The project faces a deadline of Feb. 5 for getting local funding to match federal funding. (Source: The AP 01/22/20)

https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2020/01/amtrak-faces-wobbly-future-in-mobile.html

Ex-AFA chair Blankenship

David Blankenship, former president and chairman of the Air Force Association, died Jan. 19. Blankenship grew up in Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma Military Academy, now Rogers State University. He served as an ACDU/reservist pilot in the AF. He joined North American Aviation in 1962 and remained with the company as it transitioned to becoming Rockwell International and ultimately part of Boeing. An executive in staffing and government relations, Blankenship helped organize the B-1B bomber program at Rockwell’s Tulsa, Okla., facilities. He held various leadership positions in AFA culminating in his election as president from 1982-1984, and chairman of the board from 1984-1985. (Source: Air Force Magazine 01/21/20)

USV warfare progressing rapidly

ARLINGTON, Va. - The development of unmanned watercraft for expeditionary warfare has been progressing rapidly, according to Capt. Pete Small, program manager of the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems. “We made a tremendous amount of progress in the expeditionary warfare area in 2019,” he said Jan. 16 at the Surface Navy Association symposium. That progress included successful testing of three Mine Countermeasures USVs (MCM USV) on three different platforms. The Navy is using Textron’s Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle for the MCM USV program, one of the mission modules for Littoral Combat Ships. The long endurance, semi-autonomous, diesel-powered boat has been tested with Raytheon’s AQS-20 and Northrop Grumman’s AQS-24 mine-hunting sonars. “We have three vehicles operational in the water,” he said. In 2019, all three were operated with three different payloads - a suite payload and the two different towed sonars. Testing was done on the East, West and Gulf coasts, sometimes simultaneously. Additionally, PMS 406 conducted integration tests with the LCS and two different vessels - an expeditionary sea-base and a British amphibious platform. Developmental testing and operational assessment of MCM USV variant was completed in November. (Source: Seapower Magazine 01/20/20) The company established a second test facility in Panama City, Fla., in addition to the work already being done at the South Florida Test Facility. https://seapowermagazine.org/unmanned-watercraft-for-expeditionary-warfare-progressing-rapidly/

Rainbow trout stocking in La.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries stocked seven water bodies around the state Jan. 21 with 2,300 pounds of adult-size rainbow trout. This effort is part of the department’s Get Out and Fish! program, which makes it easy for families to be introduced to a successful fishing trip. These fish are easy to catch and the ponds are near neighborhoods, so we hope this will be a great opportunity for families to get hooked on fishing. Ponds were stocked today at each of the following locations: Jennings, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Hammond and New Orleans parks. (Source: La. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 01/21/20) https://www.facebook.com/ldwfgetoutandfish/

Dunn named a VP at Harvey Gulf

John Dunn, formerly of Oceaneering, has been hired to assemble and manage a highly experienced subsea vessel management team at Harvey Gulf’s subsea business. He will have the title of VP of sub-sea vessel operations. Prior to Oceaneering, Dunn was director of operations at Meridian Ocean Services, a sub-sea service provider acquired by Oceaneering in 2016. He is also an unlimited USCG chief engineer and worked for Chevron Shipping’s tanker and FPSO fleets. (Source: Work Boat 01/21/20) Harvey Gulf has an LNG fueling facility at Port Fourchon, La.

10th LCS sonar system to NSWCPC

WASHINGTON - Raytheon Company (RTN) delivered its 10th AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system to the U.S. Navy on Jan. 15. The sonar-towed body was officially transferred to the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., The system, which is the program of record for the Littoral Combat Ship mine countermeasure mission package, is now fully qualified and will move toward initial operating capability. (Source: Raytheon 01/15/20) http://investor.raytheon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/raytheon-delivers-10th-anaqs-20c-minehunting-sonar-us-navy

HII 'Investor Day' webcast

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) invites investors and the general public to listen to a live webcast of its 2020 Investor Day presentation, which will begin at 7 a.m. CST on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The event will feature presentations on the company’s performance and strategic objectives by members of the senior leadership team. The webcast will be accessible via the Investor Relations section of the company’s website: http://www.huntingtoningalls.com. Replays will be available on the website for a limited time.

NOLA: Record number of containers

The Port of New Orleans moved more containers in 2019 than at any time in its history, totaling 648,538 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up 10 percent compared to 2018. The record marks the sixth consecutive year the Port surpassed the half-million TEU-mark at its Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal, which is operated by New Orleans Terminal and Ports America. (Source: Port of New Orleans 01/16/20)

CG Decisive assits disabled boat

NEW ORLEANS - Coast Guard Cutter Decisive assisted the disabled 52-foot vessel Sava offshore of Mobile, Ala., adrift with four people aboard some 82 nautical miles south of Panama City, Fla., in the early evening of Jan. 17. The CG launched an HC-144 Ocean Sentry/crew from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile and diverted Coast Guard Cutter Decisive to assist the vessel. The aircrew located the vessel and established communications. The Decisive arrived on scene at 7:27 p.m. Friday, launched a rescue and assistance team and were able to repair the vessel’s engine. CG Cutter Decisive escorted the vessel to shore to St. Andrews Marina in Panama City, Fla., on Saturday evening. Decisive is homeported at NAS Pensacola, Fla. (CG 01/18/20)

Navy to name carrier after A-A sailor

The aircraft carrier is the symbol of American power: 90,000 tons of diplomacy, the Navy likes to say. Almost all are named after presidents - Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Reagan, Truman, Eisenhower, Bush, Ford, Kennedy - until Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly broke with tradition by naming a future carrier after Petty Officer Third Class Doris “Dorie” Miller - the grandson of slaves and a son of sharecroppers. The Mess Attendant from Waco, Texas, served aboard the battleship West Virginia on Dec. 7, 1941, along "Battleship Row" in Pearl Harbor. Miller had finished serving breakfast when the West Virginia was hit by nine Japanese torpedoes and two bombs. Miller was ordered to the bridge to evacuate the ship's captain, who lay mortally wounded. As the air attack continued, against all rules, Miller manned a .50-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun and fired on the Japanese planes. He also helped carry and move injured sailors to safety. He initially wasn’t identified while others received medals. Years, later, President Roosevelt stepped in an awarded him the Navy Cross – the first ever for an African-American (A-A) sailor. The Navy’s official announcement is Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, at Pearl Harbor. (Source: CBS 011/19/20) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/next-u-s-navy-aircraft-carrier-to-be-named-after-african-american-pearl-harbor-hero-doris-miller/

CSG could disrupt aviation GPS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Navy exercise off the SE Georgia coast is expected to disrupt Global Positioning System (GPS) service that potentially could affect commercial and private aircraft flying over Alabama, Florida, and elsewhere across the Southeast through Jan. 24. According to a Notice to Airmen issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, the disruptions began Jan. 16. Disruptions may occur at various times and altitudes from Virginia southward to the Florida Keys, and from Georgia westward to most of Alabama. Across NW Florida, disruptions could be experienced by aircraft flying at 10,000, 25,000 feet and 40,000 feet, depending on the distance from Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 4, operating off the coast of southeast Georgia. The FAA notice indicates GPS disruptions are likely across the areas Jan. 17 until 6 p.m. CST, and from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. CST next Friday (Jan. 24). The FAA announcement indicated activities were related to “GPS interference testing.” The tests are done periodically to test U.S. defense systems. In addition to GPS, the Navy exercise is expected to affect other air navigation aids including the Wide Area Augmentation System, the Ground Base Augmentation System and the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast system. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, a non-profit that advocates for general aviation, has been concerned about GPS interference testing. (Source: NW Florida Daily News 01/17/20) https://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20200117/navy-exercise-expected-to-disrupt-aircraft-gps-systems-across-southeast?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NW%20Florida%20Daily%20News%20daily%202020-01-18&utm_content=INKA_FWN&utm_term=011820

CG rescues 3 of burning boat near DI

The Coast Guard rescued three people who went into the water on a life raft after their vessel caught fire a half-mile north of Dauphin Island, Ala., on Jan. 15, then assisted the Dauphin Island Fire Rescue (DIFR) in putting out the boat fire. CG Sector Mobile received late afternoon report of three people aboard a 36-foot sport fishing boat that had caught fire in Dauphin Island Bay. The CG directed the launch of a 29-foot response boat/crew from CG Station Dauphin Island to assist. The boat crew located the trio and transported them to CGS Dauphin Island in stable condition to awaiting emergency medical services. The boat crew transported members from DIFR to the burning boat to fight the fire. (Coast Guard 01/15/20) https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/2767d87

ESG delivers 1st of 2 Z-tugs to Bisso

Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Fla., announced the delivery of the first of two 80-foot 100 HP Z-Drive Tugs, the M/V C.D. White for Bisso Offshore, a division of E.N. Bisso & Son of New Orleans, on Jan. 8. The vessel has completed its bollard pull testing witnessed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and received its Coast Guard Sub-M Certificate of Inspection (COI). M/V C.D. White’s sister vessel, the M/V A. Thomas Higgins, is currently under construction at ESG’s Allanton Facility. Bisso Offshore is one of Eastern’s long-time customers. The tug operator has taken delivery of four previous modern Z-drive ship assist tugs from ESG since 2007. (Source: Eastern Shipbuilding 01/15/20) http://www.easternshipbuilding.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2020/01/ESG-H225-CD-WHITE-Delivery-Press-Release-Final.pdf

EPA awards La. restoration $1.6M+

DALLAS - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded more than $1,611,426 to the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority for a project that would create 392 acres of marsh land in SW Louisiana. The project will help restore marsh land in shallow areas by using dredged material from the Calcasieu Ship Channel. “This investment is a win both for coastal restoration efforts and for dredging,” said state Rep. Clay Higgins. “My office has long advocated for dredging spoils to be used as part of marsh creation and restoration projects. Pairing those endeavors solves two problems at once and benefits Louisiana with a stronger, more resilient coast.” The project is funded through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act. (Source: EPA 01/15/20) https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-awards-over-16m-louisiana-coastal-protection-and-restoration-authority

$19.6M MARAD small shipyard grants

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the availability of $19.6M in federal funding to support capital improvements and employee training at small private American shipyards. The Small Shipyard Grant Program helps modernize eligible shipyard operations by improving efficiency and fostering quality ship construction, repair and reconfiguration. Private U.S. shipyards build and repair America’s military and commercial fleets and contribute billions of dollars to the nation’s economic growth. In 2013, the private shipbuilding and repair industry supported nearly 400,000 direct and indirect jobs nationwide, $37.3 billion in gross domestic product and $25.1 billion in labor income. The grants will be available to shipyards with fewer than 1,200 production employees. The Small grant program supports a variety of projects, including capital and related improvements and maritime training programs to foster technical skills and operational productivity. (Source: Seapower 01/10/20)

GC states: Top 10 for incentives

Global Trade’s 2020 annual Governor’s Cup feature on state site-selection incentives hints strongly at a preponderance of states from the South that offer more attractive benefits than just about anywhere else in the U.S. Global Trade decided to focus on the country’s hottest region. There are 16 states in the South, and based on data and statistics from the government, and various business, industry and media entities. GT ranked the Top 10. The Gulf Coastal states among the 10, and their ranking, included Alabama (#5), Mississippi (#9) and Louisiana (#10). The top two states, which could have been a coin toss, are Tennessee and Georgia. The Volunteer State got the edge based on the quality of incentives. ALABAMA: Population: 4.87M; GDP: $211B. Targeted industries: Aerospace/Defense Manufacturing, Automotive Manufacturing, Chemical Manufacturing, Agricultural Products/Food Production Manufacturing, Steel/Metal Manufacturing, Distribution & Logistics, Information Technology. Site location success story: Airbus’ first single-aisle A220 passenger jet rolling out this year at its second Mobile campus, which opened last year. MISSISSIPPI: Population: 2.98M; GDP: $111.7B. Targeted industries: Aerospace, Advanced Manufacturing, Shipbuilding, Agribusiness, Automotive, Forestry & Energy, Healthcare. Site location success story: Amazon leasing a 1M-square-foot facility in Olive Branch for a fulfillment center that brings 500 new full-time jobs. LOUISIANA: Population: 4.68M; GDP: $246.3B. Targeted industries: Software Development, Energy, Automotive, Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, Process Industries, Agribusiness, Water Management, Entertainment. Site location success story: Testronic, a leading quality assurance firm in the digital gaming industry, launching a new 150-job testing facility in New Orleans that will result in another 169 new indirect jobs, for a total of 319 new jobs in New Orleans and the Southeast Region. (Sources: Global Trade magazine/website; Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, BusinessFacilities.com, Site Selection Group, Area Development. Global Trade is a logistics magazine and round-the-clock news website focused on domestic and global expansion solutions, education and tools for U.S. manufacturers that export, and big-box retailers that import. https://www.globaltrademag.com/our-annual-governers-cup-ranks-top-10-southern-states-for-site-selection-incentives/

$110M for NSWCPC hurricane repairs

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWCPC), Fla., will receive $110.2M to make repairs to its hurricane-damaged infrastructure. The money was part of the $233.5M allocated to Navy Working Capital Funds for FY 2020 Consolidated Appropriation Bill (H.R. 1158). “After the hurricane 82 of our 88 buildings were damaged and 400 employees displaced,” said Capt. Aaron Peters, commanding officer of NSWCPC. “This money is critical to making the necessary repairs, but also to upgrade facilities to meet the needs of our future missions,” he said. NSWCPC leadership is developing a plan to ensure the money is optimally executed in the shortest timeline. “We still have a long road ahead of us, but this money has given us a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Ed Stewart, NSWCPC technical director. “NSWCPC has been a staple in this community for 75 years and we look forward to what the next 75 years holds.” NSWCPC conducts research, development, test, and evaluation of mine warfare systems, mines, naval special warfare systems, diving and life support systems, and other missions that occur in the littoral or coastal regions. (Source: NSCWPC 01/10/20) https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/SavedNewsModule/Article/2054466/nswc-pcd-slated-to-receive-1102-million-for-hurricane-michael-repairs/

CG NOLA to help with CFP security

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is scheduled to assist local law enforcement and provide security for the 2020 college football playoff national championship game in New Orleans during Jan. 11-13. The CG will have land units and K9 teams patrolling ferry terminals and levees, and afloat units will patrol the waterways to enforce safety zones and provide waterway security. CG Sector New Orleans has established a fixed security zone of 400 yards around the left descending bank of the Lower Mississippi River between MM 94.5 and MM 96 on Jan. 11 from 1:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Jan. 12 from 1:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; and Jan. 13 from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The security zone is to provide protection during the events related to the football game weekend. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port New Orleans. COTP may be contacted on VHF-FM Channel 16 or 67 or by telephone at (504) 365-2200. There is a fireworks safety zone scheduled for Jan. 12 from 10:15 p.m. until 11:15 p.m. at MM 94-95 on the Mississippi River. The Canal Street to Algiers Point Ferry will not operate during the fireworks. (Source: Coast Guard 01/09/20)

Brown named VP/CIO at Ingalls

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Jan. 10 that Jason Brown has been promoted to VP and CIO for Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. He will be responsible for all aspects of information technology, including applications development and maintenance, project technical strategy and execution, IT governance for outsourced services, IT operations and administration, software and hardware standards management, and information security and technology. Brown has a comprehensive background in IT and business management, including positions as business manager and IT service delivery manager with the IT organization supporting Ingalls. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Old Dominion University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. (Source: HII 01/10/20) https://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/releases/huntington-ingalls-industries-announces-new-vice-president-and-chief-information-officer-at-ingalls-shipbuilding

FL shipyard’s portable push-boat niche

As tugs and push-boats get bigger and complex, Marine Inland Fabricators (MIF) is growing by staying small and simple. The truckable towboat is having its moment in the sun, and MIF is glad to meet the demand. Located on 5-plus acres of waterfront along the Intercoastal Waterway, the Panama City, Fla., shipyard hasn’t rested since being slammed by a Cat 5 hurricane last year; and filling orders to a variety of firms looking for that portable, powerful push-boat solution. Rudy Sistrunk, president of MIF, has spent an entire lifetime in shipyards. A Morgan City, La., native, Sistrunk cut his teeth in the engineering department at Swiftships, one of the city’s main yards. Eventually, he landed in Panama City with a rich portfolio production building and custom project management and operations. He took a change in 2005 when he purchased Marine Inland Fabricators. “It was the best decision I have ever made,” Sistrunk told Workboat. MIF specializes in building a simple design created in the 1980s by Randy and Ricky Lee who opened the yard with their father. The idea was to design a jobsite boat that would be powerful enough to move marine contractors’ equipment and material; yet, being able to truck as a legal load. The result was the Clydesdale truckable towboat model, a 25-foot hull with a draft of four feet. The wheelhouse is on a pedestal that bolts onto the hull and can be unbolted for trucking. The boat does not require a Coast Guard licensed captain to operate it since it is under 26 feet. (Source: Workboat 01/09/20) https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/florida-shipyards-truckable-pushboats/?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_content=newsletter&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTnpSalpXRTRZbUZtTjJRMCIsInQiOiJNa0FcL0s5ZnU1d1d3WTBHMUhPR3VYY2lhN0l0R0xVT2hZN3ZzMVZhQWFzdEZocEJNMXJWaUdMWTdMVlwvdklGRlZTNVZNT3h1bWtlUnMwOXpJYzEwWFwvR1RBQmU3NldVdTFnaTBMWUMyV0RWM0pvRkNmUENER0tpTmxWdFwvdVArd3AifQ%3D%3D

Marine labs on rising water’s edge

COCODRIE, La. - The W.J. DeFelice Marine Center laboratory, some 85 miles SW of New Orleans in south Terrebonne Parish, was designed to be a fortress, but may be overrun in the future by rising seas and climate changes. Sitting at the end of Hwy. 56, where dirt meets wetlands and the Gulf of Mexico, the marine lab has weathered many storms since 1986. It stands 18 feet above ground pillars that extend more than 100 feet underground. Its walls can withstand winds of up to 250 mph. But the fear is that water is coming. Around the country, from New Jersey to Massachusetts, Virginia to Oregon, education centers and marine labs are bracing for rising seas and a changing climate. Those seas threaten researchers’ ability to study marine environments close up when it’s vital to understand. Bob Cowen, head of the National Association of Marine Laboratories, sees climate as a challenge, but a scientific opportunity. “We’re feeling it … (and) studying it at the same time,” he said. If labs like Cocodrie have to shut down, decades of measurements could be disrupted; and, research budgets may not allow replacements on a comparable scale. The Cocodrie center, the heart of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium of more than a dozen institutions, was once high and dry. It now floods several dozen times a year. The corrosive saltwater attacks the structure and has risen through the soil into buried electrical cables causing at least one blackout. Some floods are accompanied by fiddler crabs that have found their way into elevators. “It was built to be on the edge of the world,” said Ursula Emery McClure, senior project designer with Perkins & Will and a longtime architectural researcher at the marine center, but not in open water. Murt Conover, associate director of education and outreach, sees the possibility of environmental education losses to some 5,000 students, who come through the facility annually. She also says “nature gives us the content we need to teach” and fiddler crabs are gross, “but awesome in their grossness.” ... “We very much feel like we have to be in Cocodrie,” Dr. Kolker said. “We’re marine scientists. We study the ocean.” (Source: NY Times 01/07/20) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/07/climate/climate-change-marine-science.html?algo=top_conversion&fellback=false&imp_id=36121714&imp_id=822796339&action=click&module=trending&pgtype=Article&region=Footer

MUSV shifts to advanced development

The Navy transferred administrative control of the trimaran Sea Hunter - an experimental prototype medium unmanned surface vehicle that helped launch plans for a fleet of medium and large USVs – in December from the Office of Naval Research to Surface Development Command One. The move paves the way for the new San Diego-based command to begin in earnest figuring out how the Navy will integrate medium and large USVs into the fleet. A memorandum of agreement calls for SURFDEVRON ONE, created last May, to take responsibility for a second Sea Hunter later in 2020. The second vessel is currently under construction by prime contractor Leidos. It is being built in Gulfport, Miss., said Leidos spokesperson Suzzanna Martinez. The transfer of assets is a milestone in the formation of SURFDEVRON ONE, which was created to support fleet experimentation with medium and large unmanned surface vehicles and to accelerate the delivery of new war-fighting concepts and capabilities. "We've got three lines of effort that we're going to use for Sea Hunter," said Capt. Henry Adams, SURFDEVRON One commodore, and further noting that each line of effort reflects a broader objective in the command's mission. "We recognize that we need to begin introducing the idea of unmanned systems operating with the fleet - now," Adams said. In fall 2019, the Navy solicited design proposals for a "high-endurance, reconfigurable" large USV. The service is currently evaluating proposals for conceptual design awards in 2023. Similarly, the service last summer solicited medium USV proposals and is expected to award a single MUSV prototype this year. Both programs are expected to begin feeding USVs to the fleet toward the tail end of the current five-year defense plan. (Source: Inside Defense 01/03/20) https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/navy-shifts-sea-hunter-advance-usv-development-fleet-familiarization-conops

Miss. River dredging pact: $8.4M

 Manson Construction of Seattle, Wash., was awarded an $8,396,000 firm-fixed-price contract for dredging of the Mississippi River. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Plaquemines, La,, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 12, 2020. FY 2020 operations and maintenance-Recovery Act and civil works funds in the amount of $8,396,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of New Orleans is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 01/06/20)

AF society's education grants

WASHINGTON - The Air Force Aid Society's General Henry “Hap” Arnold Education Grant application window is currently open for the 2020-21 academic year. Eligible recipients have until April 30 to submit applications. The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant program provides assistance through grants ranging from $500 to $4,000 based on need. Eligible recipients include dependent children of active duty AF members, including Title 10 reservists and Title 32 guard in retired status or deceased. Spouses of ACDU service members and surviving spouses of active or retired service members are also eligible. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate at accredited colleges or universities during the 2020-21 academic year and are required to maintain a minimum 2.0 grade-point average. For more information on eligibility for all programs and to access the Arnold Education Grant application, please visit www.afas.org. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 01/02/20)

Speculators bumping gas prices

LONDON - The price of oil surged Jan. 3 on concerns that Iran might respond to the killing of its top general by the United States military by disrupting global supplies of energy from the Mideast. If sustained, the rise in oil prices could lead to more expensive car fuel, heating and electricity bills, stifling the global economy. The killing prompted expectations of Iranian retaliation. During months of tension with the U.S., Iran has threatened the supply of oil that travels from the Persian Gulf (via the Strait of Hormuz) to the rest of the world. About 20% of crude traded worldwide goes through the Strait, where the shipping lane is only 2 miles wide and tankers have come under attack this year. The international benchmark for crude oil jumped 3.7% to $68.70 a barrel in London trading. The U.S. contract was up 3.6% to $63.36. About 80% of the crude oil that travels through the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asian countries. In the U.S., crude oil accounts for just over 50% of the price of gasoline. In the longer term, the rise in crude oil prices could be limited by the fact that the U.S. energy market is flush with oil while demand has softened as major economies have slowed. Crude-producing countries (like the United States) have been pumping oil at a high rate. (Source: The AP 01/03/20) Gulf Coast Note: Oil speculators have already begun raising the price of gasoline at the pump, despite the fact that the U.S. energy market is flush with oil. https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_f8085b4c-2e4c-11ea-901a-632fa3f5aee2.html Markets have become so accustomed to a surplus of oil in the global market that they are not as worried about tensions in the Persian Gulf region as they once were. A big oil price increase would have a much more modest impact on the United States economy than in the past, though it could hurt other countries like China and India more. (Source: NY Times 01/08/20)

USN putting wind in Austal's sails

AUSTRALIA - Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard gave then-US President Barack Obama an Australian rules football. Three years later then-PM Tony Abbott presented him with a surfboard. Fast forward to President Donald, who gave PM Scott Morrison a model of a US Navy Littoral Combat Ship being built by Australia’s 20-year-old US-based shipyard in Mobile, Ala. "I guess for me it’s unprecedented really, to see that kind of recognition for an Australian manufacturing company, maybe any company really, by the President of the United States," says Austal CEO David Singleton. “I suppose it almost felt like it was the final accolade in what has been a tremendously successful program," he said. The LCS is an all-aluminum trimaran ship. According to Austal, it is the only all-aluminum trimaran in service with any navy in the world. Austal-USA has contracts with the US Navy worth more than $12B (US) to manufacture 19 of the ships; the Alabama shipyard is about half way through that contract work, with nine ships delivered. Austal is the “only foreign company in the world, ever, to prime contract ships for the United States Navy,” Singleton told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. It is “an enormous achievement in a relatively small period of time." The next big thing is the Navy awarding contract(s) for its Future Frigate Program (FFG(X)) in July. The US will be looking to build 20 at a total cost of about $20B (US), but the initial contract will likely be for 10. (Source: Sydney Morning Herald 01/02/20) https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/us-navy-puts-wind-in-austal-s-sails-20191219-p53ld9.html

BAE CG 69 pact: $175M

BAE Systems Ship Repair of Norfolk, Va., was awarded a $175,047,658 firm-fixed-price contract for the execution of USS Vicksburg (CG 69) with FY 2020 modernization period (MODPRD) funds. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of USS Vicksburg. This is a chief of naval operations-scheduled MODPRD. This is a “long-term” availability and was solicited on a coast-wide (East and Gulf coasts) basis without limiting the place of performance to the vessel’s homeport. BAE will provide the facilities and human resources capable of completing, coordinating and integrating multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernization for USS Vicksburg. This contract includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $175,143,215. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. FY 2020 Navy operation and maintenance; 76.6%) and FY-20 other Navy procurement (23.4%) funding in the amount of $175,047,658 was obligated at time of award and funding in the amount of $134,050,249 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website with one offer received in response to Solicitation No. N00024-19-R-4446. Naval Sea Systems Command of Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD 01/02/20)

1st field test of novel JADC2 tech

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - In the first field test of a novel approach to war-fighting, communicating and decision-making, the Air Force, Army, and Navy used new methods and technology in mid-December for collecting, analyzing and sharing information in real time to identify and defeat a simulated cruise missile threat to the United States. The three-day exercise of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) tested developing technology to enable the military’s concept called Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2). When fully realized, senior leaders say JADC2 will be the backbone of operations and deterrence, allowing U.S. military and allies to orchestrate military operations across all domains: Sea, land, air, space and cyber operations. Technology under development via ABMS simultaneously receives, fuses and acts upon a vast array of information from each of the domains in an instant. The AF anticipates receiving about $185M for this effort, and intends to bolster resources over the next five years. The initial exercise focused on defending the homeland with AF and Navy jets, the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), an Army air defense sensor and firing unit, the 6th Special Operations Squadron at Duke Field, as well as commercial space and ground sensors, and coming together to confront a simulated cruise missile threat. AF acquisitions lead, Dr. Will Roper said: “Cloud, mesh networking and software-defined systems were the stars of the show, all developed at commercial internet speeds.” The demonstration was the first of its kind in a series of exercises scheduled to occur roughly every four months. Each new exercise will build on the one before and include responses to problems and lessons learned. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 12/23/19) https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2046531/air-force-navy-army-conduct-first-real-world-test-of-advanced-battle-management/