The E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) awarded a $34 million contract to Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Aug. 3, for the requirements phase of the engineering, manufacturing and development of the E-2D Hawkeye Cockpit Technical Refresh, referred to as HECTR.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) logged its 4,000th aircraft launch and recovery  on Sept. 10, showcasing the performance capabilities of the ship’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), as part of the aircraft carrier’s 18-month Post Delivery Test & Trials (PDT&T) period.

Capt. Kenneth Sterbenz, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) program manager (PMA-251) for EMALS and AAG, noted the milestone is a significant achievement for both the ALRE program and the Ford crew.

The Advanced Tactical Aircraft Protection Systems Program Office (PMA-272) held a change of command ceremony Aug. 19 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Marine Corps Col. Tamara Campbell relieved Capt. Laura Schuessler, who will remain at Pax River as the head detailer for aviation engineering duty/aviation maintenance duty officer communities.

The U.S. Navy awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to FlightSafety Services Corporation today for Aircrew Training Services (ATS) in support of the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) program. 

The five-year base contract is for $220,766,476 for TH-73A ATS, which includes availability on 18 Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTDs). The total contract value is $363,492,518. FSTDs are scheduled be available in calendar year 2021 and will continue through calendar year 2026.The government received two proposals for the contract.

The E-2/C-2 Airborne Command and Control Systems Program Office (PMA-231) changed leadership Aug. 6 in a scaled down, live-streamed ceremony where Capt. Pete Arrobio relieved Capt. Keith Hash as Program Manager.

While the traditions looked a little different, safety and health remained the top priority during the time-honored event. In response to COVID-19, and to ensure the safety of all event participants, extra precautions were taken including social distancing, masks and sanitization of the event space.

The. U.S. Department of Defense and Australian Department of Defence officially expanded their Next Generation Jammer cooperative partnership to increase joint capabilities in the future on July 13.

The two countries signed a Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) Project Arrangement (PA) to ensure commonality on future jamming variants. The jointly managed cooperative partnership gives both countries more benefits to include shared costs and risks.

The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) Power and Propulsion Integrated Product Team (IPT) has led the reversal of a more than a decade-long shortfall of Generator Control Units (GCUs) for its F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft, ultimately allowing PMA-265 to exceed the 80 percent mission-capable readiness goal set in October 2018 by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis.   

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)) James Geurts visited the Leonardo Helicopters manufacturing facility in Philadelphia on June 26 to get a firsthand look at the new TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) under production.

Instructor pilot training for the new TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) began in June with the first two instructor pilots from Training Air Wing (TAW) 5 getting classroom and hands-on experience at the AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation (Leonardo) facility in Philadelphia.

The F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) Readiness and Sustainment (R&S) Integrated Product Team (IPT) is leading several high-level digital data initiatives, with many of these efforts being scaled for future use by other type/model/series (T/M/S) aircraft, to save the Navy valuable time and money.