Aerospace Defense Forum

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Tour of General Atomics UAV Flight Test Facility

Tour of General Atomics UAV Flight Test FacilityGA UAV

Los Angeles Chapter meeting on January 22

General Atomics UAV Flight Test Facility (also known as the Gray Butte UAV Site) may be the largest private unmanned aerial vehicle airport in the USA. It is General Atomics’ main test center, where the company’s Predator and Reaper UAVs are regularly flown. The company has operated for years out of the nearby El Mirage Lake airport, which it developed with the CIA, and still uses as well.

Please join us in Palmdale, CA, on Friday, January 22, 2016, 10:00am-12:00pm PDT (breakfast and networking at 9:30am) for a presentation and tour of the Facility. The tour will include a visit to a Ground Control Station, observation of Flight Operations, and a visit to Aircraft Hangars where you can get up close with UAVs and see some of their internal workings.

Attendance is limited to US Citizens. The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until January 7). Advanced registration is required, and registration closes at COB on January 14. For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to https://adflajan16.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Los Angeles chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum was founded by Frontier Associates and the 62 Mile Club, and is sponsored by Moss Adams, Sheppard Mullin, CohnReznick, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, and UK Trade & Investment.

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UK’s Harwell Space Cluster: Why you need to be there!

“UK’s Harwell Space Cluster: Why you need to be there!”HarwellCampusCurrent_large

Orange County Chapter meeting on December 3
(live webstream available)

Please join us in Irvine on Thursday, December 3, 2015, 7:30am – 9:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when Steve Ringler, Oxfordshire Space Cluster Development Manager, UK Science Technology and Facilities Council, will provide an overview of the UK Space Sector and describe how the Harwell Campus is a central piece. Come and learn about the recent growth of 55+ co-located organizations, market opportunities, and lessons learned in developing the Harwell Space Cluster.

Harwell Campus is home to around 200 science/research organizations and private companies, with thriving clusters already established in 5 Core Sectors, including Space and Satellite Applications.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until November 26). You may also attend via the web for free. Click here to register to attend the meeting

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Orange County chapter was founded by Frontier Associates and D.A. Davidson & Co., and is sponsored by Burdge Logistics, Moss Adams, Hein & Associates, and UK Trade & Investment.

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“How The Evolution of Aviation a Century Ago Provides a Roadmap for Where Space is Headed”

“How The Evolution of Aviation a Century Ago Provides a Roadmap for Where Space is Headed”early aviation

Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter December 10 meeting

Just as the early pioneers of aviation commercialization experienced, the many players in today’s space market are finding a fluid and dynamic market for products, services, investment and strategic direction.

Please join us in Ft. Worth on Thursday, December 10, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when John H. (Jay) Gibson, II, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman, Board of Directors of XCOR Aerospace, Inc. will xcor lynxdiscuss how the ultimate success of any organization positioned somewhere in the vertical chain will be navigating and positioning itself among the funding, strategic and market demand for products and services both short and long term. Flexibility, awareness and adaptability and speed to market will be valuable traits in this rapidly emerging market.

For the rest of 2015 the meetings of the DFW Chapter are free. For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfdfwdec15.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

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“Life in the Universe and the Breakthrough Initiatives”

BPF_Logo“Life in the Universe and the Breakthrough Initiatives”

Los Angeles Chapter meeting on November 20

Who are we? A mature civilization, like a mature individual, must ask itself this question. Is humanity defined by its divisions, its problems, its passing needs and trends? Or do we have a shared face, turned outward to the Universe? In 1990, Voyager 1 swiveled its camera and captured the ‘Pale Blue Dot’ – an image of Earth from six billion kilometers away. It was a mirror held up to our planet – home of water, life, and minds. A reminder that we share something precious and rare. But how rare, exactly? The only life? The only minds?

Please join us in Los Angeles on Friday, November 20, 2015, 7:30am – 9:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when Simon “Pete” Worden, (Brig. Gen., USAF, Ret., PhD), Chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and former Director of NASA’s Ames Research Center will brief us on the Breakthrough Initiatives, launched by Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking on July 20, 2015.

The first initiative is ‘Breakthrough Listen’ and represents the largest ever scientific research program aimed at finding evidence of civilizations beyond Earth. The scope and power of the search are on an unprecedented scale: The program includes a survey of the 1,000,000 closest stars to Earth. It scans the center of our galaxy and the entire galactic plane. Beyond the Milky Way, it listens for messages from the 100 closest galaxies to ours. Listen combines these instruments with innovative software and data analysis techniques. Breakthrough Listen will span 10 years and commit a total of $100,000,000.

The second initiative is ‘Breakthrough Message’. If we or others succeed in discovering another civilization, what – if anything – should we say to them? The initiative aims to encourage debate about how and what to communicate with possible intelligent beings beyond earth. It takes the form of an international competition to create messages that could be read by an advanced civilization. The message must be in digital format, and should be representative of humanity and planet Earth.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until November 13). For more information and to register to attend the meeting in person or for free via the web, go to https://adflanov15.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The Los Angeles chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum was founded by Frontier Associates and the 62 Mile Club, and is sponsored by Moss Adams, Sheppard Mullin, CohnReznick, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, and UK Trade & Investment.

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“Launching the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program”

“Launching the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program”f-35a-lightning-ii_001

Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter November 12 meeting

With a career spanning over 45 years in the aerospace industry there is not much Ed Linhart hasn’t achieved. Along with multiple stints as President/CEO at aerospace and defense companies, Ed has been a Fellow in the Institute for Advanced Engineering as well as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and earned the Engineer of the Year award from the California Engineers Council as well as the Alumnus of the year from the California State University, Long Beach, School of Applied Arts and Sciences in 1991.

Please join us in Ft. Worth on Thursday, November 12, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Ed will speak on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, whose production launch was guided by Ed and his team in his role as Vice President of Global Production at Lockheed Martin from 2003 to 2007. Ed will share with the chapter his unique and experienced perspective on this aircraft’s development, including production and supply chain challenges and concerns.

For the rest of 2015 the meetings of the DFW Chapter are free. For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfdfwnov15.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

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“Aerospace can be Fun”

“Aerospace can be Fun”sts67crew

Arizona Chapter November 10 meeting

Lt. Col. (Ret) Bill Gregory has a background in Aerospace matched by few. Since his days at the USAF Academy beginning in the summer of 1975, he has studied Aerospace disciplines, been a pilot continuously for nearly 40 years, spent nearly a quarter-century in the military, and has spent the last 16+ years in the civilian world serving the Aerospace and Defense community. He has a wealth of experience concerning what it takes to keep America airborne…from manufacturing aircraft parts from raw materials, to flying the Space Shuttle 200+ miles above the Earth’s surface at five miles per second or twenty five times the speed of sound.

Please join us in Phoenix, AZ on Tuesday, November 10, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Bill Gregory, Former NASA Astronaut and currently Advanced Instructor Pilot for Aviation Performance Solutions will discuss his career, from fighter pilot, to test pilot, to astronaut pilot, and currently as an instructor pilot. Special emphasis will be given to his flight in space [STS-67] and will include a video of the mission. Hopefully this will pique your interest in the history of the United States’ space program, where it is today, and where it will go in the future. He will also cover his current occupation of teaching pilots how to recover from out-of-control situations.

Unless you are the rare breed who refuses to fly in a corporate or commercial jet aircraft, you will be interested on what changes are afoot to make your next flight a safer trip through the skies.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum and Arizona Technology Council members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until November 3). For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfaznov15.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

The Arizona Chapter of The A&D Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams and Greenberg Traurig.

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“Developing Business In Today’s Budget Environment”

“Developing Business In Today’s Budget Environment”2016-budget-chart-total-spending2

San Diego Chapter meeting on November 20

Identifying opportunities, structuring proposals, and ultimately, winning contracts has always been a complex process for DoD contractors; however, today’s budget and procurement backdrops have fostered an increasingly competitive environment and created additional challenges for companies operating in the industry:
• LPTA Contract Awards
• Contract Consolidation – MAC and IDIQ Awards
• Increased Set Asides
• Bid Protests

Regardless, Small Business continues to be Big Business in the Federal Services Market. Small business prime contract awards have increased for the last three fiscal years and in FY 2014 accounted for $91.7 billion, nearly one-fourth of all federal contracts awarded. In addition, large business prime contractors subcontracted an additional 33% to small business.

Please join us in San Diego on Tuesday, November 17, 2015 (registration & Networking: 5:30-6:15pm, meeting: 6:15-7:45pm PST), when the event will begin with a DoD budget update followed by a diverse panel of business development professionals, with perspectives ranging from large primes to small business, providing their insight into the business development process. We will address the contracting trends above with each individual offering their point of view on how to successfully navigate the current contracting environment. Panelists include Dwayne Junker (Senior Advisor to the President, Epsilon System Solutions, Inc.), Shirley Adams (Director, Engineering Services, SOLUTE), Will Nevilles (Senior Vice President for C4ISR, Indus Technology, Inc.), Robin Reschke (Director of Business Development, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc.), and Matt Griesbach (Moderator, Senior Vice President, Bank of America Merrill Lynch).

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until November 10). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsdnov15.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The San Diego chapter was founded by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton and Frontier Associates, and is sponsored by Moss Adams, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and LevitZacks.

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“Evolution of Boeing Vertical Lift Aircraft”

“Evolution of Boeing Vertical Lift Aircraft”Apache

Arizona Chapter October 20 meeting

Please join us in Phoenix, AZ on Tuesday, October 20, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Mark Ballew, director of global sales & marketing for attack helicopter programs at The Boeing Company in Mesa, Ariz. will give an overview of the Boeing vertical lift business portfolio. His presentation will focus on the company’s business in Arizona, including the development, production, flight test and support of the AH-64 Apache and the AH-6 Light Attack/Reconnaissance Helicopters.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum and Arizona Technology Council members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until October 13). For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfazoct15.eventbrite.com.

Click here for more information about and to join The Aerospace & Defense Forum.

The Arizona Chapter of The A&D Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams and Greenberg Traurig.

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Special Tour of MCAS Miramar, San Diego

Special Tour of MCAS Miramar, San DiegoOsprey MV-22

San Diego Chapter meeting and tour on October 27

Please join us in San Diego on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 for a special tour of the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (networking at 7:00am, meeting and tour 7:30am-10:30am).

The tour will include, besides seeing the base from the bus, the following:

  • Flight line tour: we will tour the flight line from the bus.
  • Visit with an aircraft: Three types of aircraft are in typical use at Miramar: Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, FA-18 Hornet Jet, and the CH-53 Super Stallion Helicopter. We have requested to visit the Osprey, but which one we visit will depend on flight operations that morning. We will be able to get up close and personal with the aircraft and the squadron personnel. Some may get a chance to sit in the cockpit.
  • Visit to the MCAS Miramar Control Tower: This is the really unique part of the tour and the reason why the group is limited to 15. We will be able to go to the top of the Control Tower and observe the Air Traffic Control and Ground Control Approach Room

To cover costs, the tour is $15 for A&D Forum members (who have exclusive access until October 6) and $25 for non-members (after October 6). You must RSVP by 8pm PST Monday, October 19. For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsdoct15.eventbrite.com.

Information about joining The A&D Forum is at https://aerospacedefenseforum.org.

The San Diego chapter was founded by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton and Frontier Associates, and is sponsored by Moss Adams, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and LevitZacks.