Daily Business Report-March 27, 2017
General Atomics’ Predator drone. (Courtesy General Atomics)
General Atomics Enters Partnership
To Fly Drones in Japan’s Civil Airspace
General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business has partnered with a consortium of government, academic and commercial organizations to pursue operational approval in Japan for a medium-altitude long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft to fly in the country’s non-segregated civil airspace.
The company said it aims to secure the first civil MALE RPA clearance in Japan as well as explore the potential use of the system in commercial and public operations.
GA-ASI also seeks to expand its Guardian RPA’s mission capacity through the alliance.
“We believe that it’s important to explore a framework that will allow the full potential of RPA efficacy on missions to be maximized so that it can contribute to humanitarian efforts such as disaster relief and border protection to support Japan’s social priorities,” said Nobuyuki Otsubo, GA-ASI director of strategic development.
The company noted in a briefing at the Japan Drone event that Guardian is designed to provide the kind of surveillance coverage Japan currently seeks in order to monitor exclusive economic zones as well as conduct search and rescue and immediate disaster relief missions.
General Atomics also looks to collaborate with multiple Japanese government agencies to demonstrate the firm’s RPA technology within the year.
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County Jobless Rate Drops to 4.2 Percent
The California Employment Development Department reported a decrease in San Diego’s unemployment rate from a revised 4.5 percent in January to 4.2 percent in February, remaining below the year-ago estimate of 4.8 percent.
The 4.2 percent unemployment rate is below the lowest February unemployment rate experienced in the region over the last 10 years (4.3 percent in 2007).
Seven sectors reported month-over gains. Professional & Business Services recorded the largest job gains adding 3,200 jobs to the economy, with 63 percent of this growth coming from Administrative and Support Services. Other industries that showed increases include Government (up 2,400), Educational & Health Services (up 2,100) and Construction (up 1,700).
Only two sectors reported month-over job losses. Trade, Transportation & Utilities continues to experience the largest month-over employment losses with 3,500 jobs. Nearly 97 percent of the losses in this sector came from Retail Trade (down 3,400), due to the decline of seasonal holiday workers.
Additional losses were seen in Financial Activities, down 600 jobs. Manufacturing was the only sector that experienced no month-over change.
“San Diego is back on track for job growth,” said Phil Blair, executive officer, Manpower Staffing/San Diego. “But retail jobs will keep declining until March before they pick up again. We need to pay attention to where the jobs are growing and if you are in the retail sector, prepare yourself now for the jobs of the future.”
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NASSCO Party Launches Last
of Eight Ships in Tanker Series
General Dynamics NASSCO on Saturday christened and launched into San Diego Bay the Palmetto State —the final ship in an eight-ship ECO Class tanker program to be constructed at NASSCO.
Congresswoman Susan Davis served as the principal speaker for the event. As the ship’s sponsor, Linda Rankine christened the ship with the traditional break of a champagne bottle on the ship’s hull. She is the wife of Bill Rankine, manager of marine chartering and operations for CITGO. Thousands of shipbuilders, their family and friends, and members of the community attended the celebration.
A product of advanced technology, innovation, and strong manufacturing, the Palmetto State and her sister ships have earned the title as the most fuel-efficient tankers to service the Jones Act trade. With their sleek “ECO” design, the tankers offer 33 percent increased fuel efficiency and cleaner shipping options.
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Northrop Grumman’s BACN
Completes 10,000 Combat Missions
The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN), developed, operated, and maintained by Northrop Grumman Corporation for the U.S. Air Force, has completed 10,000 combat missions connecting warfighters in the air and on the ground.
BACN is a high-altitude, airborne gateway that translates and distributes voice communications, video, imagery and other battlespace information from numerous sources. Using a suite of computers and radio systems, BACN bridges and extends communications among disparate users and different datalink networks to provide situational awareness and enable better command and control coordination between warfighters and commanders.
The BACN fleet comprises four E-11A manned systems and three Northrop Grumman EQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems. BACN supports missions executed in Southwest Asia and reached the 10,000 combat mission milestone, March 6, 2017.
“This is a significant milestone as the BACN system continues to demonstrate it is absolutely indispensable to our warfighters in the execution of their missions. Airborne Gateways greatly increase situational awareness and command and control, capabilities that are equally critical for joint and coalition operations,” said Jeannie Hilger, vice president, communications business, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.
The persistent connectivity BACN provides is used to successfully execute a number of missions, including airdrops and overall air operations. The system’s beyond-line-of-sight capability has been particularly useful overcoming the communications limitations posed by Afghanistan’s rugged terrain.
Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for developing, deploying, operating and sustaining BACN in support of U.S. Central Command. Northrop Grumman maintains the BACN E-11A aircraft platforms; the U.S. Air Force maintains the EQ-4B Global Hawk platforms.
Northrop Grumman was awarded the first BACN contract in April 2005 by the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (previously the Air Force Electronics Systems Center), Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. Since the system was deployed in 2008, it has delivered near 24/7 coverage in theater and maintained a payload availability rate of greater than 98 percent.
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Girl Scouts San Diego to Honor ‘Cool Women of 2017’
Girl Scouts San Diego’s “Cool Women of 2017” will be honored on Tuesday, April 4, during a luncheon and ceremony at Paradise Point Resort on Vacation Island in Mission Bay.
Event proceeds will help keep Girl Scouting available and affordable for more than 35,000 local girl and adult members. For ticket information, click here,
http://www.sdgirlscouts.org/en/events/event-list/cool-women.html or call (619) 610-0807.
Girl Scouts San Diego board member Julia Brown and Judge Margaret McKeown are co-chairing the 17th annual event, and CBS News 8 anchor Marcella Lee will emcee.
During the ceremony, each honoree will be presented by a teen Girl Scout who interviewed her and wrote an introduction. A mentoring session where Girl Scouts will meet the 2017 awardees and several Cool Women alumnae will precede the luncheon.
“We’re proud to honor 10 exemplary women for their extraordinary leadership and community service,” said Carol M. Dedrich, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts San Diego. “Our Cool Women’s personal and professional lives make them consummate role models for girls.”
Members of the Cool Women Class of 2017 are:
• Marcela Celorio, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego.
• Carol Rowell Council, co-founder, SDSU Department of Women’s Studies.
• Phyllis Epstein, community volunteer and philanthropist.
• Felena Hanson, founder, Hera Hub.
• Lorie Hearn, executive director and editor, inewsource.
• Patty Maysent, CEO, UC San Diego Health.
• Brittney Reese, Olympic medalist; coach, San Diego Mesa College.
• Lynn Schenk, attorney and former U.S. congresswoman.
• Wendy Urushima-Conn, president and CEO, Asian Business Association.
