Industry News

Lockheed Martin‘s aeronautics business has received a four-year, $18 million contract to provide flight program upgrade services for the U.S. Special Operations Command‘s C-130 transport aircraft. The company will also help USSOCOM engineer and integrate multiple third-party systems under the indefinite–delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, the Defense Department said Monday. Work will occur at Lockheed’s facility in Marietta, Georgia, through April 2022. USSOCOM […] More

A General Atomics business unit has demonstrated aircraft carrier-based deck taxi capability and launch-and-recovery operations for its proposed offering for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25 carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling tanker program. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. used a Predator C Avenger drone as a substitute for its MQ-25 offering and director wands that work to control taxi […] More

Intelsat General, a U.S. subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based satellite services provider, will participate in a Leidos-led consortium that won a potential $117 million task order to Orbital ATK develop a new satellite navigation payload for the Federal Aviation Administration. The industry team will build and operate the Geostationary Earth Satellite 7 as part of FAA’s Wide Area Augmentation System […] More

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency has released a broad agency announcement in search of new technology platforms that can detect nuclear threats. A FedBizOpps notice posted Monday says DTRA aims to identify equipment for threat diagnostics and characterization, sensitive site exploitation, contamination avoidance, and consequence management through a five-year solicitation. The agency will collect and evaluate white […] More

Orbital ATK has introduced a new rocket the company built for the U.S. Air Force’s Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program at the 34th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The OmegA rocket is Orbital ATK’s Next Generation Launch System that is set for ground tests in 2019 and initial launch in 2021, the company said Monday. […] More

SunPower has begun to operate a solar photovoltaic array the company installed at a U.S. Air Force base in California as part of a 25-year power purchase agreement with the military branch. USAF said Wednesday the 28-megawatt photovoltaic system at the Vandenberg AFB was unveiled at a dedication ceremony held Tuesday. “This solar farm represents a partnership and ability […] More

KBR‘s government services unit has received a 54-month, $32.3 million U.S. Air Force task order to provide engineering assistance in upgrading the service branch’s air and space systems. Under the Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities effort, KBRwyle will help develop and integrate space, intelligence, and air and missile defense capacities, the company said Monday. Services under the order will include research, […] More

The Army Research Laboratory has established a regional hub on the Northeastern University campus in Burlington, Massachusetts to conduct science and technology projects. ARL Northeast is located at NU’s George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security and will collaborate with multiple companies and academic researchers in efforts to build homeland security and defense technologies […] More

The Department of Homeland Security has released a solicitation notice on three-dimensional printer supplies for delivery to the U.S. Coast Guard‘s aviation logistics base in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Interested vendors can submit offers through Wednesday, according to a FedBizOpps notice posted Friday. A selected contractor must obtain a certificate of conformance with clause 52.246-15 under […] More

A Lockheed Martin-led industry team christened the U.S. Navy‘s 17th Littoral Combat Ship during a ceremony held Saturday at a shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. Sen. Joe Donnelly’s wife Jill broke a champagne bottle across the USS Indianapolis bow as the ship sponsor, Lockheed said Saturday. The next Freedom-variant ship will continue to undergo assembly and test processes at the Fincantieri Marinette […] More

Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Newport News Shipbuilding division has received a $65 million modification under a U.S. Navy contract to obtain additional long-lead-time material for the future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. The Defense Department said Friday the service branch will obligate the full amount of the modification from its fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion funds. Work under the […] More

Eric Fanning, CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, spoke with Politico in an interview published Friday about the current administration’s interest in space and how it helps facilitate involvement of space companies. “Like any market, as commercial viability increases and more companies are formed, that’s what we’re seeing in space. We’re seeing more [companies] that […] More