Aerospace Defense Forum

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“An Update on the SoCal A&D Supply Chain”

“An Update on the SoCal A&D Supply Chain”AMP SoCal Geography

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

The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative was established by the federal government to reinvent how economic development is done in manufacturing through strategic investments to strengthen the capacity of the industrial ecosystem. 86 organizations from industry, academia, government, and economic and workforce development partnered across the four counties of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura to create a collaborative, the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership for Southern California (AMP SoCal) – one of only twelve federally-designated “Manufacturing Communities” – focused on aerospace and defense.

In addition to AMP SoCal approved projects receiving additional “points” for federal grants, the region has benefited from the focused collaboration of the many organizations addressing aerospace & defense.

Please join us in Irvine on Thursday, September 3, 2015, 7:30am – 9:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when Jim Watson, CEO of California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC) and head of the AMP SoCal Supplier Networks Committee, will provide an update on the Southern California A&D Supply Chain including: a SWOT analysis, supplier gaps and initial results from supplier focus groups. The approach the committee will use to engage A&D suppliers will also be discussed.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until August 27). 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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“The Space Experience Economy”

“The Space Experience Economy”destiny

Los Angeles Chapter meeting on August 21

What do ten billionaires all have in common? They have started or invested in space enterprise/tourism ventures.

Today real space hotels and orbital super yachts are being designed. A number of companies are planning space activities, including asteroid mining. 14+ million people annually visit space attractions, museums and NASA visitor centers, more than visit both of the Universal Studio Movie Theme Parks combined.

Please join us in Los Angeles on Friday, August 21, 2015, 7:30am – 9:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when John Spencer, Outer Space Architect, Author and Developer, will provide the latest information, perspectives and forecast for the growing Space Experience Economy, New Space enterprise and space tourism.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until August 14). For more information and to register to attend the meeting in person or for free via the web, go to https://adflaaug15.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, IFS, Sheppard Mullin, CohnReznick, Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell, and UK Trade & Investment.

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Tour & Strategic Discussion at Triumph Aerostructures

Tour & Strategic Discussion at Triumph AerostructuresTA-Hawthorne-Capabilities-Overview-Panel-Assy

South Bay (CA) Chapter August 13 meeting

Triumph Aerostructures – Vought Aircraft Division – Hawthorne has been a major innovator of both military and commercial airframe structures since the 1930s. This experience has enabled them to become a world-class supplier of skin panels.

The Hawthorne plant has produced Boeing 747 fuselage panels since the aircraft program began in 1966. Since that time, they have delivered more than 1,400 fuselage ship sets, including those for Air Force One. This fuselage section is 172 feet long. Each shipset has 21 major side and door panels delivered to Boeing in six custom, oversized railcars. In addition, Triumph Aerostructures – Vought Aircraft Division builds five upper and three lower “bonnet” panels for each 747 fuselage, along with 90 to 130 floor beams per ship set.

At the main assembly plant, subassemblies are assembled, such as access doors, stringer assemblies, and skin panel assemblies. To help ensure first-time quality, the site uses Determinate Assembly (D/A), an advanced digital manufacturing process that minimizes product variability and allows “snap-together” final assembly of large structures.

Please join us in Hawthorne, CA, on Thursday, August 13, 2015, 7:30am – 10:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when Marty Jones, President – Hawthorne, will host a presentation, tour, and strategic discussion at Triumph Aerostructures.

Attendance is limited to the #1 or #2 operating executives of A&D companies or plants, i.e., organizations that have a direct role in production, e.g., engineering, fabrication, coating, and testing. Likewise, to promote exchange, each meeting is limited to 20 attendees.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until August 5). Advanced registration is required. or more information and to register to attend the meeting or for the waitlist, go to http://adfsbaug15.eventbrite.com.

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

The South Bay Chapter of The Aerospace & Defense Forum is sponsored by Moss Adams, Aerospace Engineering Corp., Community Bank, and California Manufacturing Technology Consulting, and led by the presidents of Aerospace Manufacturing & Engineering. Alloy Processing, Triumph Aerostructures-Hawthorne, Dasco Engineering Corporation, Brek Manufacturing, and Frontier Associates. Breakfast at this meeting is sponsored by Morgan Stanley.

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“2015 M&A Outlook and Practical Implications for the San Diego Small Business Defense Contractor”

“2015 M&A Outlook and Practical Implications
for the San Diego Small Business Defense Contractor”Mergers-and-Acquisitions-Cover1

San Diego Chapter meeting on September 22

Exit strategies are an important topic for all companies in the A&D community. Many small business contractors make decisions every day that have potential impacts on their exit strategy including: which programs to pursue, bid strategy decisions, teaming agreements, contract awards and contractor performance.

This event will provide contractors with current market information on M&A trends and multiples and to discuss specific business decisions and practices that may impact your ultimate company valuation.

Please join us in San Diego on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 (registration & Networking: 5:30-6:15pm, meeting: 6:15-7:45pm PST), when a diverse panel of experts will provide specific insights that may help guide your decision process. Panelists include John Gaffney (Managing Principal, Renaissance Strategic Advisors), Michael Fink (VP Contracts, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions), Robert Pennoyer (President, Mission Solutions, Epsilon Systems), and Ed Lake (Moderator, Managing Director, Shoreline Partners, LLC).

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until September 15). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsdsep15.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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“NewSpace and the Frontier Movement: Will Texas Play a Leading Role?”

“NewSpace and the Frontier Movement: Will Texas Play a Leading Role?”

Dallas-Ft. Worth Chapter August 13 meetingMars Colony

The Founders of Paypal, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Virgin and other top level companies are all investing in major space projects, ranging from rocketships to asteroid mining. Why? What draws these savvy and successful leaders to the idea of literally building a stairway to heaven? Where did the idea come from, who started the revolution and where is it going next?

Please join us in Ft. Worth on Thursday, August 13, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Rick Tumlinson, Chair, Deep Space Industries will address not only these questions, but also will discuss what Texas should do to make sure that the first civilian flights back to the Moon and Mars begin in the Lone Star State.

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://adfdfwaug15.eventbrite.com.

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

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“Aerospace/Defense and Government Services Market Overview”

“Aerospace/Defense and Government Services Market Overview”Merger-4

Arizona Chapter August 11 meeting

The presentation will address the key trends prevailing in the capital and mergers & acquisitions (“M&A”) markets for companies in the aerospace, defense and government contracting industry.

Please join us in Phoenix on Tuesday, August 11, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Michael Misantone, Managing Director, KippsDeSanto & Co., will cover areas such as valuation trends for both public and private companies, levels of M&A activity, the macro and micro changes in the industry that are impacting M&A, strategic characteristics that are driving value, and predictions for the future.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum and Arizona Technology Council members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until August 4). For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfazaug15.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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“Doing Business with Chinese Aerospace Companies”

“Doing Business with Chinese Aerospace Companies”3 d2ragon Chinese Aircraft III web21-33979

Orange County Chapter meeting on August 6
(live webstream available)

China is rapidly becoming the world’s largest economy, with well-defined goals of matching and besting the US in many areas, including aerospace. The larger aerospace companies clearly have strategies for participating in this growth.

As a member of the supply chain, should you also have a China strategy? If you don’t have one, are you in danger of being left behind in the near or mid-term future?

What are alternative strategies, and, once having developed one, how do you roll it out?

How does a US firm actually work with leading Chinese OEM’s like AVIC or COMAC? To get important market access, when does one need a JV? What are the challenges and pitfalls of an Chinese JV?

Please join us in Irvine on Thursday, August 6, 2015, 7:30am – 9:00am PDT (networking at 7:00am), when subject matter expert Dr. Pui Ho, General Manager, Asia Pacific Aerospace Region, Parker Aerospace, addresses these topics and more.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 30). 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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“SPAWAR: A Perspective on the Road Ahead”

“SPAWAR: A Perspective on the Road Ahead” spawar

San Diego Chapter meeting on July 28

As the Navy’s Information Dominance systems command and technical lead for C4ISR, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR, pronounced spā-wôr) provides the hardware and software to connect our warfighters at sea, on land and in the air. SPAWAR supports the full lifecycle of product and service delivery from the initial research and development, to acquisition and deployment, to operations and logistics support..

Please join us in San Diego on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 (registration & networking: 5:30-6:15pm, meeting: 6:15-7:45pm PST), when Patrick M. Sullivan, Executive Director, SPAWAR, will address the following questions:
• What areas are most important and likely to be funded in the nearterm?
• How does SPAWAR view sequestration and other budgetary issues?
• How do SPAWAR’s cybersecurity priorities and funding translate into opportunities for contractors?

The meeting is free for A&D Forum members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 21). For more information and to register to attend the meeting go to http://adfsdjul15.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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“Lean Manufacturing in Aerospace – The IRIDIUM® Story”

“Lean Manufacturing in Aerospace – The IRIDIUM® StorySPAC_Satellite_Iridium_System_Early_Poster_lg
How Lean and Six Sigma Manufacturing Capabilities Transformed Satellite Production and Deployment for the IRIDIUM® System”

Arizona Chapter July 14 meeting

Lean manufacturing methods may have become the norm in many industries, but can still be powerful drivers for strategic industry innovation when applied in new areas.

Please join us in Phoenix on Tuesday, July 14, 2015, (networking at 7:00am, meeting 7:30–9:00am), when Andrew Feller, Senior Vice President, Deloitte Advisory, Corporate Restructuring Group will review two manufacturing driven industry transformations with a focus on the transition from 18-month satellite integration to the one-a-week build of satellites for the IRIDIUM® constellation of communication satellites. The application of lean methods, supply network integration, six sigma, and supply chain analytics enabled 72 commercial communications satellites to be successfully launched in just one year, an unheard of feat yet to be equaled in the aerospace industry.

The meeting is free for A&D Forum and Arizona Technology Council members and $40 for non-members ($30 Early Bird until July 7). For more information and to register to attend the meeting, go to http://adfazjul15.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.