2018cnc8-9

...Hotline Continued From Page 120 Oregon Training Facility Receives Grant The U.S. Commerce said it’s putting $3 million toward a Scappoose, Oregon training facility that could create hundreds of jobs. The Oregon Institute of Technology re- ceived the grant, which it will apply toward the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center. The Center, which counts several big hitters among its supporters, is set to create 978 new jobs, retain 512 jobs and spur some $692 million in private investment, according to the Commerce Department. Its local supporters include the Boeing Company, Daimler Trucks North America, Vigor Industrial, ATI, Blount International, Hang- sterfer’s Laboratories Inc. and Silver Eagle Manufacturing. “OMIC will help students and workers learn the skills they need to work in today’s economy, where advanced manufacturing is increasingly technical, while also advancing research and development that helps indus- tries compete and thrive,” said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, the Democrat who represents the Scappoose area, in a a release. The money, according to the Commerce De- partment, will help retrofit, furnish, and equip an existing 34,000 square-foot build- ing that’ll house the manufacturing research and training facility. The idea is that it will help the area’s metal manufacturers remain competitive. Ball Aerospace Completes Preliminary Design Review of NASA’s IXPE Mission A preliminary design review of NASA’s Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) space-based astrophysics observatory was completed in late June at Ball Aerospace’s Boulder, Colo.facility led by NASA’s Mar- shall Space Flight Center, with support from Ball Aerospace, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and other industry partners. IXPE is a Small Explorer, or SMEX mis- sion, which is part of NASA’s Astrophysics Explorer Program. “The IXPE mission is an excellent example of a highly-integrated government and in- dustry working together for a common goal,” said Jim Oschmann, vice president and gen- eral manager of Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. “IXPE will explore, and for the first time discover, hidden details of some of the most unique objects in our universe, such as neutron stars and stellar and supermassive black holes.” Ball Aerospace is responsible for pro- viding the IXPE spacecraft, mechanical and structural elements of the payload, obser- vatory assembly, integration and test and mission operations for IXPE. Cubic Acquires San Diego Aircraft Builder’s Assets San Diego area Cubic Corp. has acquired an unmanned aircraft builder. Cubic said on July 24 that it has acquired the assets of Shield Aviation also of San Diego. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Myles Newlove founded the company in 2008 and was its CEO. Shield provides autonomous aircraft sys- tems — specifically, the medium-altitude, propeller driven Ares aircraft. Going for- ward, Cubic plans to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (or ISR) as a service, said Jerry Madigan, president of Cubic’s ISR Systems subsidiary. The market for such services is growing, Madigan said. Cubic already provides the data link as well as the command and control link for the Shield Aviation aircraft. It also provides similar services for other unmanned systems. Cubic has hired Shield’s 10 employees but not its founder and CEO. OSI Gets $140 Million U.S. Customs Contract Hawthorne, California -based OSI Systems Inc. signed a new five-year contract with United States Customs and Border Protection valued at up to $140 million, the company announced June 26. OSI designs and manufactures electronic systems and components for the homeland security, medical, defense and aerospace industries. The $140 million contract OSI received from CBP is for the service and maintenance of the department’s cargo, vehicle, and par- cel inspection systems. OSI received a $25 million initial payment to provide support services, including maintenance services and logistics, the company said.