UH-1N Replacement Program meeting this month

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is hosting an Industry Day meeting this month to provide details on the planned replacement of the Air Force's fleet of UH-1N aircraft. The Air Force is planning to acquire a common platform up to 72 vertical lift aircraft to replace the current UH-1N fleet. “The UH-1N replacement will be an in-production, non-developmental, Government Off-The-Shelf or Commercial Off-The-Shelf solution,” official said in contract documents released Friday.

The “UH-1N Replacement Program Industry Day” is a two-day event Aug.26-27 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The meeting is being organized by the Air Force ISR & SOF Directorate, Combat Rescue Helicopter Division.

“This is to be considered an initial step in establishing industry understanding of the UH-1N Replacement Program and to allow the government team to determine market understanding and capability to integrate and complete the program,” official said in contract documents. “The dialogue will serve to educate vendors on the content of the upcoming Capabilities Request for Information (CRFI), anticipated to be released following the Industry Day. The CRFI will request information on potential solutions and sources capable of providing aircraft that meet program requirements.”

The future of Naval Aviation Unmanned Air Systems

The U.S. Navy's Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Weapons, PEO(U&W), is planning to conduct an Industry Day meeting and follow-on Idea Days to provide opportunities for industry to learn about the technology needs of PEO(U&W) with the potential for follow-on briefings regarding technologies that industry has developed.

“This opportunity is open to all companies that have new and innovative ideas to support the future of Naval Aviation Unmanned Air System (UAS) and Weapon programs,” the Navy said in a Special Notice released Tuesday.

The Industry Day meeting will be held April 16 at the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall in Lexington Park, Md. The Idea Days meeting will be an opportunity for industry to brief the Navy on developed technologies that may benefit PEO(U&W) UAS programs.

New all-time high for DCNewsroom blog

The DCNewsroom blog hit a new all-time high for pageviews in January covering the ditching of a Cirrus SR-22 aircraft in the Pacific Ocean, 253 miles northeast of Maui, Hawaii.

January 2015 data provided by Blogger.com shows a 16 percent increase in pageviews from the blog's previous all-time high in July 2013 when the DCNewsroom covered the delivery of the first production Cessna TTx aircraft units. Visitors posted over 30 comments in reaction to the Cirrus story in January.

The six-year-old DCNewsroom blog has published over 400 stories covering aviation, government, industry, space and stock market news. In addition to current news, the DCNewsroom has its own Zazzle store and YouTube channel.

Sequestration: Air Force cancels Alaska Radar System contract meeting

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) announced Thursday they must cancel a meeting with defense contractors next month at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Alaska due to budget restrictions associated with sequestration. The Air Force 673rd Contracting Squadron and the 611th Air Support Group at JBER planned to meet with contractors on Aug. 7 and 8 to discuss an operations and maintenance contract for the Alaska Radar System (ARS).

The original plan was to host a Site Visit with contractors and have personnel transported from JBER to remote radar sites located at either Point Barrow or Tatalina, with alternate sites at Tin City or Cape Newenham. Transportation to and from the remote sites would have been with the 537th Airlift Squadron via military aircraft.

“Due to unforeseen impacts on the USAF flying hour program and travel budgets directly associated with sequestration, we must cancel the Industry Day and associated Site Visit previously scheduled for 7 & 8 August 2013,” the Air Force said in documents released through the Federal Business Opportunities website. “Planning efforts are currently underway to reschedule this event for March/April 2014.

“A follow on date will be announced as soon as scheduling permits,” the Air Force said. “In lieu of the Site Visit, the ARS program office is planning to capture video and pictures of the sites that will be released to industry.”

ARS provides Alaska airspace surveillance, intercept control, and navigational assistance to military and civilian aircraft.

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Air Force meets with industry to discuss Alaska Radar System contract

The Air Force 673rd Contracting Squadron and the 611th Air Support Group at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), Alaska, will host a Site Visit next month for companies interested in bidding on the operations and maintenance contract for the Alaska Radar System (ARS). The Site Visit will be held on Aug. 7, followed by an Industry Day meeting Aug. 8.

ARS provides Alaska airspace surveillance, intercept control, and navigational assistance to military and civilian aircraft.

During the Site Visit, personnel will be transported from JBER to remote radar sites located at either Point Barrow or Tatalina, with alternate sites at Tin City or Cape Newenham. Transportation to and from the remote sites will be with the 537th Airlift Squadron via military aircraft.

The 611th Air Support Group will present information on their requirements at the Industry Day meeting. All contractors who are interested as a prime, teaming arrangement, or subcontracting role are encouraged to investigate opportunities at this event. Forty-five minute, one-on-one, contractor capabilities presentations may be scheduled on a first-come basis. Participation is highly encouraged for all small business enterprises.

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