$9B T-100 project not coming to Alabama as Leonardo loses contract bid
Earlier this year, global aerospace company Leonardo selected Moton Field, where the celebrated Tuskegee Airmen trained before being deployed to Italy in World War II, as the manufacturing site for its T-100 advanced trainer jet should the U.S. Air Force choose the aircraft as its next-generation trainer. The project would have created 750 jobs in Tuskegee. But on Thursday, news broke that Leonardo lost a bid for the jet project to Boeing. Instead of the T-100 jet trainer, the Air Force is purchasing 351 T-X aircraft, 46 simulators, and associated ground equipment to replace the Air Education and Training Command’s 57-year-old fleet of T-38C Talons. Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce Greg Canfield said they were disappointed as it wasn’t the result they had hoped for. “While we are disappointed that the Air Force chose an alternate for Leonardo DRS and the T-100 as its next jet trainer aircraft, it’s extremely positive that Tuskegee’s Moton Field has been recognized internationally as an ideal site for an aerospace project. Leonardo DRS is a world-class company, and their team has been great to work with throughout the selection process,” Canfield said in a statement. “Additionally, I commend officials at the City of Tuskegee, Macon County and Tuskegee University for their hard work on this project, which has united the community and the region. In particular, Joe Turnham, who put his heart and soul into the project, deserves special recognition.”
New investment fuels aerospace job growth across Alabama
Momentum continues to build in Alabama’s aerospace industry, which is adding new investments and hundreds of jobs to produce innovative, in-demand products in communities across the state. In 2017 alone, there were announcements totaling nearly $690 million and 1,750 jobs. Those numbers increased the sector’s cumulative investment over the past seven years to almost $2.4 billion, along with 8,348 aerospace and defense jobs during the same time period. This year, there’s a hiring surge, as the plans become reality. And more jobs are on the way. At last week’s Farnborough International Airshow, defense contractor BAE Systems and Carpenter Technology Corp., a maker of premium metals and alloys used in the aerospace industry, announced expansions of their Alabama operations. Together, these projects will create more than 250 jobs in north Alabama. Meanwhile, growth plans are already in place for aerospace companies operating across the state. Airbus’ Alabama factory, for instance, is in linefor 600 new jobs, thanks to a planned second assembly line for the Bombardier C Series jetliner (renamed the A220), as well as a potential increase in the production of A320 Family aircraft. GE Aviation plans to double its 90-member Huntsville workforce in the coming year and increase to 300 when the new factory complex for silicon carbide materials reaches full production. The company is also adding workers at its Auburn facility, which mass produces a jet engine fuel nozzle using additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing technologies. Targeting growth Aerospace companies from around the world are seeing that Alabama offers plenty of advantages to help them expand their business, said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “From complex military weapons systems to innovative passenger aircraft, and many of the break-through technologies that power them all, Alabama is home to an impressive array of the industry’s leading products,” Canfield said. “How do we do it? In Alabama, we take partnerships very seriously. A company’s strategic vision and expertise, coupled with the skill and dedication of our highly trained workforce, is always a winning combination.” Canfield joined Gov. Kay Ivey and an Alabama team at Farnborough for appointments with executives of 16 aerospace companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Leonardo and GE Aviation. The talks were aimed at bringing home new investment and jobs in the aerospace sector. Aerojet Rocketdyne One of last year’s key announcements was Aerojet Rocketdyne’s $46.5 million, 800-job expansion project in Huntsville. The company is consolidating its Defense division headquarters and Rocket Shop advanced programs to the Rocket City, where it has had a presence for more than 50 years. It has also moved into a new office space at Cummings Research Park and is building a new Advanced Manufacturing Facility that will produce subassemblies and components for the AR1 rocket engine, composite cases for rocket motors, 3-D printed rocket engine components and other parts. James Ramseier, site leader for operations at the Huntsville Advanced Manufacturing Facility, said construction is about 60 percent complete and right on schedule. “We plan on opening that facility in December of 2018, and initially in 2019, we are going to go through product verification. In 2020, we will ramp up to full production,” he said. Ramseier said everyone in Huntsville, from major business groups to individual building inspectors, has been supportive and welcoming. “The culture here is, ‘Let’s all work together to help make you successful,’” he said. “It’s a pleasure working in an environment where people want you to succeed. “You don’t feel like a stranger. As soon as you move here, you’re part of the family.” Aerojet Rocketdyne’s hiring plans are moving forward as well, with support from Alabama’s top worker training agency. “AIDT is fantastic. We’re working with them every week on developing our training plans and material, and they have been outstanding to work with,” Ramseier said. Forging partnerships The company is also impressed with the ties between business and education in the community, said Bill Bigelow, chief of defense communications. “The partnerships here are very attractive to us,” he said. “We’re growing the future workforce, as we grow our presence here in Huntsville, partnering with Alabama A&M University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and other area educational institutions, as well as the chamber of commerce and the mayor’s office.” Bigelow said the Tennessee Valley is clearly committed to bringing in the types of jobs and training programs that will grow a generational workforce. “The knowledge and the history in all things aerospace, missile-defense and industrial base operations is here, and Aerojet Rocketdyne wants to leverage that community expertise both now and well into the future,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Alabama Newscenter.
Italian ambassador visits Tuskegee to support Leonardo T-100 project
Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio and Leonardo DRS Chief Executive William Lynn III on Monday visited the historic home base of the Tuskegee Airmen, where the aerospace company wants to manufacture the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation trainer aircraft. If Leonardo’s T-100 jet trainer is selected by the Air Force, the company plans to build a manufacturing facility at Moton Field, where the celebrated Tuskegee Airmen trained before being deployed to Italy in World War II. The project will create 750 jobs in Tuskegee. Varricchio said he was impressed by the community’s eagerness to see the T-100 project become a reality. “I can tell you that it is my first visit here, but it will not be my last,” he said during a lunch with community leaders. “I will spare no effort because we want Tuskegee to be not just a place of memory but a place of the future. “Let’s move ahead,” he added. “Let’s work together.” Job-creation engine With an Air Force decision expected in the summer, Lynn said Leonardo DRS is prepared to launch the T-100 program quickly once the aircraft is selected. The Leonardo trainer is already being used by the air forces of Israel, Poland, Singapore and Italy, and it’s complemented by a sophisticated, integrated ground-based simulation system. “It would create jobs all across the U.S.,” Lynn said. “The engines would be built in Arizona. The training simulators would be built in Florida. We have suppliers in almost every state, so it would be thousands of jobs.” Last November, Leonardo officials told an Alabama delegation visiting the company’s Italian manufacturing plant that preparations for the Tuskegee facility were on track. After their Tuskegee visit, Varricchio, Lynn and a Leonardo team traveled to Montgomery for talks with Gov. Kay Ivey and Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, followed by a dinner. Long-standing bonds Varricchio said he sees the Leonardo project as a way to “connect the dots that are linking Italy and the United States.” While in Tuskegee, the ambassador toured a museum dedicated to the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen, who were based at an airfield in Ramitelli during their stay in Italy. “I was very moved walking around in the beautiful museum that was retracing the memory of those heroes, those brave men who are not forgotten in Italy,” he said. “What they did when they came to Italy, during those difficult times, that was the moment that bonds were created – and those bonds are more present than ever.” This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Alabama aerospace industry gains velocity with new investment
Alabama’s aerospace and aviation industry is recording a landmark year, with a major haul of project announcements that bring the promise of international prominence to communities and workers across the state. So far this year, aerospace companies have unveiled plans to invest at least $500 million and bring more than 2,200 jobs to Alabama in new facilities or expansions of existing operations. That follows another solid year of growth for the industry in 2016, when project announcements involved $260 million in new investment and 2,000 additional jobs. “Alabama has long been a major player in designing and manufacturing the most innovative, complex solutions to conquer skies and space, and we are continuing to shape the global industry today,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “Companies around the world know our workforce has proven itself, time and time again, and that’s why they keep turning to this state to help solve modern industry challenges and achieve the latest groundbreaking work,” he added. Leonardo in Tuskegee One of this year’s major announcements came from global aerospace and defense firm Leonardo, which plans to build the T-100 jet trainer at Tuskegee’s Moton Field if it wins a U.S. Air Force contract for a next-generation training aircraft. The project calls for the creation of 750 jobs over a 10-year period beginning in 2019. The potential opportunity for Tuskegee and the surrounding area is huge, and it would add a new chapter to the region’s aviation legacy. Moton Field is where the legendary Tuskegee Airmen trained during World War II. Canfield led an Alabama delegation that last week met with Leonardo executives and toured a factory in Italy where the company manufactures jet trainer aircraft. The objective of the mission was to help advance preparations under way in Alabama for the development of the manufacturing facility at Moton Field. Rocket engines Other key 2017 announcements include a pair of new rocket engine factories in Huntsville. Blue Origin, the spaceflight company started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, plans to manufacture its BE-4 engine in a new $200 million, 342-job facility. At the same time, Aerojet Rocketdyne is expanding its Huntsville operation with plans for 800 jobs and a new manufacturing plant for its ARI rocket engine and other parts. The companies cite Alabama’s skilled workforce and industry prominence. “Alabama is a great state for aerospace manufacturing and we are proud to produce America’s next rocket engine right here in the Rocket City,” Robert Meyerson, president of Blue Origin, said at the time of the company’s project announcement. “The area’s skilled workforce and leading role in rocket propulsion development make Huntsville the ideal location for our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.” Aerospace clusters Elsewhere in the state, more industry breakthroughs are on the horizon. GE recently selected Auburn University as one of eight universities in the world to participate in an innovative program focusing on 3-D printing research and education initiatives. Nearby, the GE Aviation plant in Auburn is using additive manufacturing to mass produce fuel nozzle injectors. The company says the nozzle is the first complex jet engine component produced with 3-D printing technology. And Airbus, which builds its A320 Family aircraft at its $600 million plant in Mobile, said last month that it will partner with Canadian manufacturer Bombardier to bring a new production line for Bombardier’s C Series passenger jets to Alabama. Aerospace has been an important contributor to Alabama’s economy for decades, and in recent years the state has emerged as a top location for companies that are global leaders in the industry, said Steve Sewell, executive vice president of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. “In addition to major industry clusters in Huntsville and Mobile, we now have aviation and aerospace-related companies providing advanced manufacturing and engineering jobs in communities throughout the state,” he said. “One of Alabama’s great strengths in aerospace is the diversity of sectors that are represented here, including aircraft assembly, rocket propulsion, precision component manufacturing, missile defense and maintenance, repair and overhaul.” Sewell said the latest aerospace projects planned for Alabama will further cement the state’s legacy in the sector. “The recent investments and the continued growth and success of the aerospace industry have enhanced Alabama’s reputation as a state that can support the most advanced level of manufacturing,” he said. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabam NewsCenter.
Scorecard: Alabama recruited more than 14,700 jobs in 2016
Companies announced plans for more than 14,700 new jobs and nearly $4.2 billion in capital investment in Alabama during 2016, according to an analysis prepared by the Alabama Department of Commerce that chronicles wide-ranging economic development activity across the state last year. The 2016 New & Expanding Industry Report, released today by Gov. Kay Ivey and the Commerce Department, provides a detailed look at 405 projects recorded in the state during another solid year of business recruitment and support. Since 2012, economic development activity in Alabama has attracted $24.5 billion in investment and nearly 90,000 jobs, according to Commerce Department figures. Exact totals for 2016 were $4.199 billion in capital investment and 14,707 new and future jobs. “The investments made by these companies mean jobs for the citizens of our state, and I’m committed to creating an environment where opportunity flourishes across Alabama,” she added. Diverse activity The 2016 report reflects another year of strong growth for two industries that are central pillars in the Accelerate Alabama 2.0 economic development blueprint — automotive and aerospace. Both sectors contributed to a record year for Alabama exports. Other segments of Alabama’s economy, ranging from forest products to alternative energy and corporate headquarters, also saw healthy project activity last year, according to the new report. Foreign companies accounted for nearly $1.6 billion in 2016’s new capital investment, or about 40 percent of the total, a figure in keeping with that of recent years. Austria was the top source of foreign direct investment last year, with projects valued at $666 million. “We’ve been very strategic in our approach to economic development in Alabama because we want to develop productive partnerships with companies from around the globe that will put down roots in our state and expand over time,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “We’re focused on creating high-caliber jobs and opportunities for hard-working people of our state,” he added. The momentum has carried over into 2017. Already this year, companies such as Aerojet Rocketdyne, Leonardo and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have announced major economic development projects in Alabama. Together, these projects alone would create 2,000 jobs. 2016 rankings Here are snapshots from the 2016 scorecard for Alabama’s economic development team. Top projects, ranked by investment: Kronospan, an Austria-based maker of laminate flooring, announced a $362 million expansion of its Calhoun County facility. BC Foley LLC, a company created by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, is investing $361 million to open the Owa amusement and entertainment complex in Baldwin County. Lenzing, another Austrian company, is investing $293 million to expand production of eco-fibers at its plant in Mobile. Top projects, ranked by job creation: BC Foley’s Owa complex will create 620 jobs. Lear Operations, an auto supplier, will create 535 jobs with an expansion in Tuscaloosa County. Aerospace giant Boeing Co. will add 470 jobs to its Alabama workforce as it expands activities including engineering and the production of missile components in Huntsville. Top counties, ranked by investment: Jefferson — $506 million Calhoun — $398 million Baldwin — $394 million Top counties, ranked by jobs: Montgomery – 1,704 jobs Madison – 1,548 Jefferson – 1,469 This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
Leonardo plans to produce advanced Air Force trainer in Tuskegee
Gov. Robert Bentley announced today that Leonardo, a global aerospace and defense firm, will create 750 jobs at an advanced assembly center at Tuskegee’s Moton Field if the company’s T-100 jet trainer wins a U.S. Air Force competition for a next-generation training aircraft. Bentley, Tuskegee University officials, Tuskegee Mayor Tony Haygood and community leaders joined executives of Leonardo at a ceremony at the airfield to announce plans for the Alabama manufacturing center. Moton Field, off Interstate 85 Exit 38, is home to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. This rendering shows Leonardo’s planned T-100 production center at Moton Field in Tuskegee. (Leonardo) The Leonardo project in Tuskegee calls for the creation of 750 high-wage, full-time jobs over a 10-year ramp-up period, beginning in 2019. Total investment in the T-100 project’s buildings, infrastructure and equipment would exceed $200 million to $250 million. “Leonardo’s project will have a massive economic impact in Macon County and across the region through the creation of high-paying jobs,” Bentley said. “Moreover, these T-100 training aircraft — built at the site where the legendary Tuskegee Airmen trained during World War II — will prepare a new generation of fighter pilots whose mission is to keep our country safe.” ‘World’s best trainer’ To establish its operation, Leonardo will lease a facility to be built at Moton Field by a public-private partnership formed in Macon County. The Alabama workforce will perform structural sub-assembly, integration and final assembly, and conduct research and testing at the site. Aircraft deliveries will also take place there. “Building the T-100 aircraft in Alabama will create American jobs while providing the Air Force with the world’s best trainer,” said Leonardo DRS CEO William J. Lynn, prime contractor for the T-100 team. “Future American military pilots can learn on the world’s most operationally proven, low-cost, low-risk integrated training system developed by a skilled U.S. workforce.” Leonardo’s twin-engine T-100 is being used to train pilots around the world to fly next-generation fighter aircraft. The trainer, based on the company’s proven M-346 aircraft, has been selected for this role by Italy, Israel, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Poland. T-100 partners Leonardo will be supported by Tampa, Florida-based CAE USA in the design and development of a comprehensive T-100 ground-based training system as part of the program. CAE has developed some of the most sophisticated simulation-based training systems in the world for fighter trainer aircraft, and it has been Leonardo’s partner on ground-based training systems for the M-346. The famed Tuskegee Airmen trained at Moton Field. (Contributed) CAE already provides a comprehensive training program to U.S. Army fixed-wing pilots at a high-tech $70 million center that opened recently at the Dothan Regional Airport. Honeywell Aerospace will provide the jet engines for the T-100 from its Arizona assembly plant. If Leonardo prevails in the Air Force competition, the company will join a robust and expanding aerospace industry in Alabama. The state is home to more than 300 companies and organizations involved in a full range of activities including aircraft and component assembly, raw materials production, engineering, maintenance and repair, and flight training. “Alabama has a long history of providing critical flight training for military aviators, and historic Moton Field is a perfect home for a facility where world-class training aircraft for U.S. fighter pilots are assembled,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This is an ideal way to build on the important legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.” ‘Generational game-changer’ Tuskegee and Macon County officials said the project could act as a powerful catalyst for growth. The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. (Erin Harney/Alabama NewsCenter) “Tuskegee Institute was one of the very few American institutions to own, develop and control facilities for military flight instruction. Moton Field, named after Tuskegee University’s second president, was the Army Air Corps’ only primary flight training facility for African-American pilot cadets during World War II,” said school President Brian Johnson. The combat successes of these pilots, known as the “Red Tails,” led the way to the desegregation of the U.S. military in the late 1940s and provided a major spark for the Civil Rights Movement. “We look forward to supporting this effort that can lead to renewed vitality of Macon County and the city of Tuskegee,” Haygood said. “The collective efforts of our community to commit to world-class economic development through the MCEDA has shown what we can do together,” said Mark Ennis, chairman of the Macon County Economic Development Authority. “Leonardo and the T-100 project have been in the making for over two years. We stand side by side with them, ready to help them win and then build aircraft here in Macon County,” Ennis added. “This would be a generational game-changer for the future of our citizens.” This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission of Alabama NewsCenter.
