Huntsville Business Journal August 2018

Keeping you informed and inspired.

VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 2

August 2018

COVER STORY

21st ANNUAL SPACE & MISSILE DEFENSE SYMPOSIUM Researching How the U.S. Meets the Challenges of a Peer Adversary

What began as a local gathering of enthusiastic space and missile defense professionals more than 20 years ago, has evolved into one of the most anticipated, informative, and influential national public conferences on the defense of our nation. - Page 8

SPACE & MISSILE SYMPOSIUM

TRAVEL

• BAE Expansion in Cummings Research Park to Create Hundreds of Jobs

by Bud McLaughlin • P5

• Technology Track to Innovation & Breakthroughs

by Kimberly Ballard • P9 • Dr. Michael Griffin is Keynote Speaker at SMD Symposium

by Wendy Reeves • P10

Going Hypersonic in the Back Rooms of SMD. - Page 3

• MidCity Posts Open Letter to Trader Joe’s

by Bud McLughlin • P15

Frontier Brings Its Low Fares to Huntsville. - Page 4

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2

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Huntsville, You Asked for It, Now Use It

By Bud McLaughlin Take a seat, Huntsville.

Or, better yet, take several seats.

After moaning and groaning about the need for a discount airline, local travelers have finally received their wish.

Frontier Airlines, a long-time, low-cost carrier, announced last month it would begin service in the Rocket City in October.

The airline, based in Denver, will have nonstop flights to Denver and Orlando in its initial run. Then, as the market warrants, Frontier will add cities and flights.

This is not one of those airlines that have closed up shop before they even booked a passenger.

Frontier, in business since 1994, serves more than 80 cities in the United States, Mexico and the

Dominican Republic.

While this is no slight to Delta, United and American Airlines, who currently serve Huntsville, Frontier will fill the need for a low-cost carrier.

That’s where we come in.

Us. The business traveler.

The pleasure traveler.

The person who has been bemoaning the high cost of flying from Huntsville (the average fare is $601.49, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics for the first quarter of 2018).

Now is the time to put your, well, back up your words.

Airlines are businesses, not charities. If they don’t make money, they don’t hang around.

If Huntsvillians don’t do business with Frontier, don’t expect Frontier to do business with Huntsville.

So, if you’ve been complaining about a lack of low airfares, you can complain no more.

And, Rocket City, if you don’t queue up for tickets in a couple of months, don’t gripe if the last flight is, to quote a legendary TV show, the final Frontier. n

See Related Story on Page 4

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August 2018

3

SPACE & MISSILE SYMPOSIUM

Going Hypersonic in the Back Rooms of SMD

By Kimberly Ballard

They may not be a lead topic on the 21st Annual Space & Missile Defense Symposium agenda this month, but out in the hallways of the Von Braun Center, among exhibitors on the show floor, and over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before every meal, people will be talking about current hypersonic missile threats from Hypersonic Glide Vehicles, sometimes referred to as Boost Glide Vehicles.

“Our near-peer adversaries and our own nation have been working on technology that will enable us, but hypersonics are not really in the mainstream of our military arsenal at this point,” said retired Air Force Brig, Gen. Kenneth Todorov, vice president of Missile Defense Solutions at Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. “They are potentially a very dangerous weapon and something that we need to take very seriously.

“The challenge for the defense industry is two-fold. One is the offensive side, that is, our nation’s capability to develop a hypersonic weapon of our own, which would help deter others from attacking us; but what will be a hot topic at SMD is the defensive hypersonic aspects we’re calling counter hypersonics.”

Todorov said that what makes hypersonic weaponry difficult for this nation’s current missile defense architecture is they fly at very fast speeds, they have very long ranges, they have maneuverability, and they are capable of looking like a traditional ballistic missile.

“A ballistic missile has a predictable trajectory and our current system can discern where an incoming missile might be headed, making it possible to intercept it or shoot it down,” he said. “A hypersonic threat could maneuver so fast and so rapidly that it outpaces our systems ability to see it, to detect it, and to intercept it.

“So that’s the real concern I think for the nation and for us as an industry as we work to come up with answers to that.”

A Quick History Hypersonics are not new. In fact, they go back 50 years.

“We haven’t had constant focus in this area because, in the past, the U.S. was leading in that technology while, today, other countries have

made breakthroughs,” said Ragini Acharya, Hypersonic Lead at CFD Research Corp. Her company is just one of several Huntsville-based companies pioneering the offensive and defensive sides of hypersonic boost glide vehicles using their expertise in modeling and simulation.

In 1967, NASA, the Air Force, Navy, and North American Aviation Inc., joined forces to create a manned hypersonic mission called the X-15 Hypersonic Research Program. Over a 10-year period, they flew more than 200 flights and set the world’s unofficial speed and altitude records flying at 354,200 feet and at more than 4,520 mph – nearly Mach 7.

The purpose of that program was to investigate all aspects of piloted hypersonic flight, which was instrumental in the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs, as well as the Space Shuttle program.

“The space shuttle and re-entry methods all use hypersonics,” Acharya said. “It’s not that the older work is not valid, but we just have a lot more challenges today. For instance, those missiles were rocket-powered but, today, companies like Aerojet Rocketdyne work tirelessly on different propulsion systems to replace it.

“Also, it has to be an unmanned vehicle, and we need longer duration because they went into space and came back from space, they couldn’t work in Earth’s atmosphere for very long. We need something that can operate in Earth’s atmosphere, and that can travel from one point to another. That is where most of our challenges lie.”

Todorov said there is a lot of work remaining from the anti-missile features.

“On the defensive side, there’s a lot of hard work yet to do,” he said.

“A boost glide vehicle that rides a rocket into space and then re-enters the atmosphere and glides to its target at Mach 5 to Mach 10 speeds needs an answer - that is, a defensive capability to defeat them.

“It’s going to take a wide swathe of expertise across multiple disciplines to find that answer because they are so fast, so hard to detect, and they maneuver so rapidly. The first piece of the equation is, ‘Are

you able to detect them?’, ‘Are you able to quickly identify them as a hypersonic threat?’, and ‘Are you able to see them not only through their launch, but through its flightpath, so that you can then affect the defensive solution and be able to counter them.”

Todorov is concerned that many people think developing an interceptor is the answer but although that is true and necessary in part, it will not be sufficient.

“It’s going to take an end-toend solution that starts before they are launched, follows them through their launch window, and is able to detect, see, track, and monitor them,” he said. “That is likely to require a space layer.

“Whenever we talk counterhypersonics, we really have to ask, ‘what are the assets we may already have, or that we may have to supplement in the space layer, to be able to look down and see these things - to be able to detect them?’

General Kenneth Todorov, Vice President of Missile Defense Systems

“In talking about counter-hypersonics, it’s much, much more than an interceptor.”

Space, huh? That Space Force idea begins to come a little bit more into focus does it not? n

4

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

TRAVEL

Frontier Brings Its Low Fares to Huntsville

By Kimberly Ballard

With a simple five-word announcement, Huntsville International Airport brought smiles to Huntsville travelers. “… get ready for low fares,” said Rick Tucker, executive director of the Airport Authority, at the announcement that Frontier Airlines will serve the Rocket City.

Frontier Airlines will begin service in October and it will include non-stop flights from Huntsville to Denver International Airport; and the only non-stop service to Orlando International Airport.

Tucker said it is an exciting time to be here in our community and an exciting time to welcome Frontier Airlines to Huntsville.

“Known as an ultra, low-cost carrier, Frontier is going to be a tremendous benefit to everyone in our community,” Tucker said. “For

business travelers and especially for leisure travelers – get ready for low fares!”

The announcement was made in front of more than a hundred people on hand for the “Big Reveal” in the airport’s main terminal, “We are proud to bring our unique brand of ‘Low Fares Done Right’ to the Rocket City,” said Stephen Shaw, spokesman for Frontier Airlines. “Frontier’s new flights to Denver and Orlando will make air travel more accessible and affordable for everyone in Huntsville and northern Alabama.

“We look forward to making it easier for people to fly, and for people to fly more often.”

“This partnership is important to us because it fills a specific void for a low-cost carrier for our leisure travelers at HSV,” said Betty

Fletcher, chairman of the board for Huntsville International Airport. “It is no secret that Huntsville has a lot of expendable income in the market, it also it is a known fact that we have a lot of very frugal engineers that have demanded fair, competitive, comparable fares.”

“We can be certain that our community will respond well to and support Frontier Airlines.”

The Frontier Airlines network serves more 80 cities in the U.S., Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Frontier has more than 1,000 nonstop and connecting routes.

“Couple that with stability, structure, and an excellent track record for supporting low cost carriers, and you have a recipe for success,” Shaw said.

For information, visit flyfrontier. com and flyhuntsville.com. n

Rick Tucker, Executive Director of the Airport Authority

August 2018

5

TECHNOLOGY

BAE Expansion in Cummings Research Park to Create Hundreds of Jobs

By Bud McLaughlin

“Location, location, location” is a real estate moniker relating to where a client wants to live.

And, it’s just as important in

government contracting for a business to be as close as possible to its customer.

Heeding to that idea, BAE Sys-

tems announced a $45.5 million project to expand its operations in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park. The expansion will bring hundreds of jobs and the new building is expected to be complete in 2019.

“This puts us close to our customers,” said Bill Staib, deputy vice president and general manager of survivability, targeting, and sensing solutions for BAE Systems. “There is an extremely rich talent pool here … and we’re going to tap into that.

“We’re going to start hiring this year.”

Plans include the immediate expansion of BAE’s offices on Discovery Drive and the development of an 83,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art manufacturing and office space facility on a 20-acre site at the intersection of Old Madison Pike and Jan Davis Drive. Staib said it will be about half manufacturing and half office space for engineers doing development work.

“We plan to grow beyond that,” Staib said. “BAE Systems is growing. We’re growing in Huntsville; we’re expanding in Huntsville … we’re hiring.”

He said the expansion will allow BAE Systems – the third-largest defense contractor in the world – to establish a closer working relationship with its critical customers in the U.S. Army and the Redstone Arsenal community. Work will consist of new programs and existing business, including the design, development, and manufacturing of precision munitions and aircraft survivability technology.

“We’ve been working on the project for eight years,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.

“BAE has people in Huntsville for six months looking over the community.”

Chip Cherry, president and CEO of the Chamber, agreed that deals like this take time.

“We met with BAE Systems’ senior leadership at the Farnborough International Air Show in 2016 to discuss the advantages of being in Huntsville/Madison County,” he said. “We are at the Air Show again this year meeting with more companies about establishing and expanding their presence in Huntsville.” n

6

Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

TECHNOLOGY

Teledyne Brown Engineering Marks 65th Anniversary

By Bud McLaughlin

In a month-long celebration featuring a food drive, food trucks and, of course, birthday cake, Teledyne Brown Engineering marked its 65th anniversary.

The Huntsville-based company’s history is closely intertwined with Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park.

“For 65 years, our company has applied its strengths in systems engineering and advanced manufacturing to propel our nation into space and protect our warfighter from harm,” said Jan Hess, president of Teledyne Brown Engineering.

When Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team were transferred to Redstone in 1950 to develop rockets for the Army, there weren’t any engineering or manufacturing services available in Huntsville, which was a cotton-producing and selling city.

So, the local chamber of commerce recruited John Bolton, owner of Marietta (Ga.) Tool and Engineering, to start a business in the area.

Owned by local stockholders, Alabama Engineering and Tool Co. opened on July 1, 1953.

In 1956, the company merged with Brown’s Engineering Co., an Indianapolis firm owned by R. P. Brown, and was renamed Brown Engineering Co., Inc. Under the forward-thinking leadership of two Huntsville business icons, Milton Cummings and Joe Moquin, the company flourished and became the first tenant of Cummings Research Park. This business park is the second largest of its kind in the United States and fourth largest in the world.

The company was brought into the Teledyne family in 1967, giving them access to additional capabilities, including extensive R&D resources, sophisticated instrumentation, advanced electronics, and cutting-edge digital imaging products to strengthen its engineering and advanced manufacturing portfolio.

Teledyne Brown Engineering has supported every major U.S. space initiative, be-

“For 65 years, our company has applied its strengths in systems engineering and advanced manufacturing to propel our nation into space and protect our warfighter from harm,” said Jan Hess, president of Teledyne Brown Engineering. ginning with the Jupiter-C and extending through SkyLab, Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Constellation, and, currently, the Space Launch System.

The company is currently building the Launch Vehicle Stage Adapter, which is the largest part of the rocket to be built at Marshall Space Flight Center.

In recent years, Teledyne Brown expanded into commercial space, partnering with NASA and CASIS to design an innovative Multi-User System for Earth Sensing (MUSES) Platform.

MUSES is the first earth observation platform of its kind used to commercialize the International Space Station. The company also provides payload operations support for the space station.

Teledyne Brown Engineering has been involved in nearly every U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense program, including Nike-X, Safeguard, the Strategic Defense Initiative, Ground-based Midcourse Defense program, the Ballistic Missile Defense System, and Objective Simulation Framework.

And the company has added the sea to its repertoire with the Shallow Water Combat Submersible (the most recent Navy SEAL delivery vehicle) and gun mounts for the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships.

“We have supported programs, systems, and efforts that have played a major role in technology advancements worldwide,” Hess said.

“It is a great privilege knowing that we have been a cornerstone in our community and in the industry.” n

August 2018

7

SPACE & MISSILE SYMPOSIUM

Leading Researcher, Commentator at SMD Symposium

By Wendy Reeves Among high-powered military leaders who will speak at the 2018 Space & Missile Defense (SMD) Symposium will be two prominent national security issues commentators and researchers.

Think tank fellows Dr. Thomas Karako and Rebeccah Heinrichs are scheduled speakers for the symposium at the Von Braun Center, Aug.7-9.

Karako has been with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) since 2014 when he was named a fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues. CSIS is an organization regularly called upon by Congress, the executive branch and the news media to explain the day’s events and offer bipartisan recommendations to improve U.S. strategy.

The center conducts policy studies and strategic analyses of political, economic and security issues throughout the world, with a specific focus on issues concerning international relations, trade, technology, finance, energy and geostrategy, according to its website.

Karako is now a senior fellow with the International Security Program, which is considered a constant source of reliable analysis on the threats and opportunities shaping U.S. security interests at home and abroad.

He is also the director of the Missile Defense Project, in which research considers the most pressing problems of the day, such as homeland missile defense, integrated air and missile defenses for U.S. forces and allies abroad, offensive strike capabilities, and investments in high technology to defeat missile threats through new and innovative means. The project also hosts a variety of events to shape the debate about policy, budgets, legislation, and both current and future programs.

Heinrichs is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a nonprofit for more than 50 years established to challenge conventional thinking and help manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law,

according to its website.

The Hudson Institute seeks to guide public policy makers and global leaders in government and business through a vigorous program of publications, conferences, policy briefings, and recommendations.

As a senior fellow researcher for the Hudson Institute, Heinrichs provides research and commentary on a range of national security issues, and specializes in nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and counter-proliferation.

A former Senate advisor on military matters and foreign policy, Heinrichs worked to help launch the bipartisan Missile Defense Caucus and will be speaking Aug. 9 to Symposium attendees on imperatives for space and missile defense.

Heinrichs has regularly appeared on Fox News and her work has been published in major newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times, and Investor’s Business Daily as well as political journals such as Politico and The Hill. n

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER

21st ANNUAL SPACE & MISSI

Researching How the U.S. Meets th

By Kimber

What began as a local gathering of enthusiastic space and missile defense professionals more than 20 years ago, has evolved into one of the most anticipated, informative, and influential national public conferences on the defense of our nation.

The 21st Annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium opens Aug. 7 at the Von Braun Center and runs through Aug. 9.

Embraced by the Missile Defense Agency and the Department of Defense, Brig. Gen. Bob McCaleb and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle will welcome enterprise level professionals from the missile defense community, military leaders, and allies from the United States and abroad.

According to Joe Fitzgerald, an original member of the SMD Symposium’s executive committee and two-time past chairman of the event, the 2018 theme, “Sharpening the Military’s Competitive Edge,” marks a fundamental shift in the way industry professionals have looked at the threats our country

faces for many years.

“This year’s Space & Missile Defense Symposium will bring to the forefront the realization that the United States has peer adversaries,” he said. “That is, not just threats from rogue nations like Iran and North Korea, but very real threats from countries across the globe who are our equals.”

He said the symposium will address the important part missile defense plays in the survival and security of our nation.

“You will see a recognition that we face challenges meeting those threats, and that we must put more resources into missile defense technologies associated with those threats to ensure our nation’s future, and to assure the defense of our nation. Victory is not assured,” Fitzgerald said. “therefore, we must work to maintain our competitive edge, and by edge, we mean superiority.”

Gen. John Hyten, (pictured right) a Grissom High School grad, will open this year’s SMD Symposium.

This year’s SMD Symposium will address all aspects of these challenges.

Conference Opening Beginning Tuesday morning, Gen. John Hyten, senior commander of the United States Strategic Command, will open the symposium by outlining Space and Missile Defense Imperatives. USSTRATCOM is one

of 10 unified commands in the Department of Defense representing all four unified branches of the military.

Among the topics he is expected to discuss is the importance of innovation related to space and the military’s interdependence on space, national security, and the global economy.

In a December 2017 article in SpaceNews, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Stephen Kitay said the modernization of missile-warning satellites has been a topic of recent conversations with leaders from U.S. Air Force Space Command, U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Northern Command. So, will Hyten, a graduate of Huntsville’s Grissom High School, offer any insights into the future of a new Space Force as recently proposed by the current administration?

“I think Space Force is likely to come up given Gen. Hyten’s relationship with the Air Force Space Command,” said Fitzgerald. “Advanced forces surely add flavor to his thought process, and any future Space Force plans are bound to affect Huntsville for sure.”

Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, Commanding General of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command follows Hyten with a Space and Missile Defense update and, later, Col. William Darne, the Training & Doctrine Command Capabilities Manager for the Army Air and Missile Defense, will give an update on the AMD’s Cross-Functional Teams.

After lunch Tuesday, Dr. Tom Karako, Senior Fellow and International Security Program Director for the Missile Defense Project, will speak on adapting Joint Air and Missile Defense Operations to the Near Peer Threat. The Missile Defense Project researches innovative means for defeating missile threats and hosts a variety of events to shape the debate about policy, budgets, legislation, and both current and future programs.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, Technology Track gives a variety of selected candidates

August 2018

9

STORY

ILE DEFENSE SYMPOSIUM:

he Challenges of a Peer Adversary

rly Ballard

an opportunity to present innovative technical ideas, methods, and processes regarding cyber resiliency, testing and development, and weapon system performance testing and validation.

Several moderators will host a Multi-Domain Battle Panel Tuesday afternoon. Created by the Army, Multi-Domain Battle allows U.S. forces to outmaneuver adversaries physically and cognitively by applying combined arms in and across all domains of war – that is, land, sea, air, space and cyberspace – cyber being the newest domain, and with underpinnings in every aspect of strategic warfare.

Wednesday & Thursday Features The programs Wednesday include the MDA’s Focus For the Future presented by Lt. Gen. Samu-

el Greaves, director of the MDA; an Allied Update by Air Commodore Madelein Spit, Assistant Director of NATO Joint Air Power Competence Center; and an update from Brig. Gen. Robert Rasch Jr. on the Programs Executive Office Missiles and Space, which provides centralized management for Army Air and Missile Defense and Tactical Missile Programs, as well as selected Army Space programs to meet warfighter multidomain and full spectrum operation requirements.

There will be two Industry and Technology panels Wednesday focused singularly on missile defense with a variety of guests participating including major original equipment manufacturers and developers of our nation’s missile defense systems. They will talk about the technology challenges, and what the R&D industry is doing to meet those challenges.

Technology Track to Innovation & Breakthroughs

By Kimberly Ballard

Every year, the Space & Missile Defense Symposium chooses two topic areas pertinent to that year’s SMD focus, and they provide members of the space and missile defense community the opportunity to submit and present innovations and technical ideas.

For the program known as Technology Track, the committee sends out a call for entries several months in advance for two-page written abstracts describing the basis of their work with enough detail to allow for an evaluation of that work in the two major topic areas. This year, the committee received more than 25 submissions for which the panel chose five in the area of Cyber Resiliency, Testing, and Development; and six for Weapon System Performance Testing and Evaluation.

“These are submissions to present their work and have a discussion about that work at the conference, and not submissions for funding, so there is no ‘Big Reveal’ so-to-speak,” said Stephen Cayson, chief operating officer for CFD Research and a member of the SMD planning committee. “The topics can really run the gamut between someone wanting to present new work they have developed, and someone wanting to report on the status of something they have been working on.

“Research and development work can quickly become classified and we are working in a public forum, so we usually lean toward established work, since a lot of the new work is sensitive and often, not something that can be discussed in an open setting.”

Cayson said the committee has scoring criteria for the submissions and, sometimes, it can get very competitive.

Technology Track is a 2-day event.

On Aug. 7, Paul Page with the Space & Missile Defense Command presents “Cyber Hardening by Replicating and Simulating”; Yaron Shragal with

On Wednesday evening, prior to an invitation-only VIP reception, Northrop Grumman will host the “Salute to the Warfighter” at its exhibition space. A presentation recognizing and honoring all U.S. warfighters involves a formal salute followed by a networking social and then dinner.

On Thursday, Holly Haverstick, Chief of Weapons for Defense Support of Civil Authorities, will speak on security cooperation efforts in support of missile defense; followed

by Rebeccah Heinrichs, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, who will close out the symposium with a talk concerning Space and Missile Defense Imperatives.

Awards & Recognitions Throughout the week, various industry groups will present a variety of awards such as the Air, Space

and Missile Defense Association Scholarship and the Julian Davidson Award, awarded by the National Space Club to an individual or organization that has shown great achievement in advancing space flight programs, and has contributed to U.S. leadership in the field of rocketry and astronautics.

The John Medaris Award, given to an individual from the Tennessee Valley who has made outstanding contributions to the defense industrial base, will be awarded to Dr. J. Richard (Dick) Fisher, Executive Director of the Missile Defense and Space Technology Center.

“The entire conference is laid out to be an exposé on meeting the challenges of a peer adversary, while focusing our efforts on ways to give our soldiers a competitive edge that is superior to anyone else in the world,” said Fitzgerald. n

Draper Labs presents “CHROME: A State of the Art System for Comprehensive, Non-intrusive Cyber Resiliency”; Rob Goldsmith of SMDC/ARSTRAT presents “Cyber Resiliency and Mission Assurance”; Denise Jefferson of Northrop Grumman presents “A Tool to Inject Credible Warfighter-focused Non-kinetic Attack Effects into the BMDS M&S Environment”; and Connor Wood and Justan Provence, also of Northrop Grumman, present “Micro-service Data Pipelines”.

“We encourage our Technology Track presenters to keep their presentation down to twenty minutes to allow for ten minutes of questions and discussion,” said Cayson. “We really have a lot of great discussions come out of these presentations.

“Technologists are an underserved class in our community and we like to give them the opportunity to get together with other professionals and give them a chance to meet others working on similar projects, to develop that network, and to learn from each other.”

The next day, James Buford, Gary Freeman, and David Mallett, all from the Aviation & Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center at SMDC/ARSTRAT present “New and Improved Advanced Measurements Optical Range (AMOR) Capability for Advanced Sensing Capabilities”; and Perri Nejib of Northrop Grumman does a presentation called “Resiliency by Design, Defeating All Threats Cyber and Ballistic Missile-start Secure, Stay Secure, Return Secure”.

Phil Carey of the CMDS Project Office; Craig Burrow with Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation; and Bruce Peters from Torch Technologies present “Accelerating High Energy Laser System Capability for Air and Missile Defense”. Later that afternoon, E. Blair Carter and his team from the Aviation & Missile Research, Development, & Engineering Center present “A Simulation Toolkit for Rigorous Interceptor Design and Evaluation”; Northrop Grumman’s Connor Wood does a second presentation on “Modeling and Simulation Integration with Hardware and Software Development”; and Mike Curry with Draper Labs finishes up with “A Unified Framework for Interactive Tradespace Exploration”. n

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

SPACE & MISSILE SYMPOSIUM

Dr. Michael Griffin is Keynote Speaker at SMD Symposium

By Wendy Reeves Dr. Michael Griffin, who is responsible for ensuring U.S. military technical superiority as Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, is set to provide the keynote address at the upcoming Space & Missile Defense Symposium.

The event is called “the leading educational, professional development and networking event in the space and missile defense community,” and the keynote dinner will be Aug. 8 at the Von Braun Center. According to a Department of Defense spokesperson, Griffin was not ready to reveal the topic of his address when contacted in July.

Griffin, a former NASA administrator and eminent scholar at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, took over his new role at the Pentagon earlier this year following a career that has spanned academia,

industry, and the civil and national security government space sectors.

He was appointed by President Trump to fill the new position created from the reorganization of the Pentagon’s acquisition, technology and logistics (AT&L) organization.

The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act instructed the DoD to break up AT&L and replace that undersecretary position with two new ones, including Griffin’s post as undersecretary for research and engineering post, to develop future technologies; and an undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, held by Ellen M. Lord, who has dayto-day focus on existing defense systems.

In his role, Griffin is responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the Department of Defense enterprise and is mandated with ensuring tech-

nological superiority for the DoD, according to his U.S. DoD biography. Griffin oversees the Missile Defense Agency, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Strategic Capabilities Office, Defense Innovation Unit Experimental, the DoD Laboratory enterprise, and the undersecretariat staff focused on developing advanced technology and capability for the U.S. military.

During his career, Griffin was deputy for technology in the Reagan-era Strategic Defense Initiative Office and served as NASA administrator under President George W. Bush. He was also president and chief operating officer of In-Q-Tel, the nonprofit venture capital firm created and funded by the CIA. He served as Space Department Head at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and was the King-McDonald Eminent

Dr. Michael Griffin, former NASA Administrator and eminent scholar at the University of Alabama in Huntsville is keynote speaker.

Scholar and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UAH from 2009-2012 before serving as a consultant to the military defense community. n

August 2018

11

TECHNOLOGY

New Radiance Facility ‘Brings Family Back Together’

By Bud McLaughlin

There will be a family reunion when Radiance Technologies’ new headquarters is finished next year.

At the company’s groundbreaking ceremony, Radiance President Bill Bailey said they were ‘bringing the family back together.”

The employee-owned company will be housed in a 100,000 square-foot facility in Cummings Research Park bringing the 500-member “family” together

from its current five locations.

“We’re stronger when we’re together,” Bailey said.

Radiance started in 1999 when George Clark, John Dennis and Scott Dublin opened a 3,000 squarefoot facility in Executive Plaza with folding tables and chairs as office furniture.

Their plan from the outset was to be employee-owned and Bailey cited that concept for the company’s success.

“This is what happens when you have skin in the game,” Bailey said.

The company’s headquarters is on Wynn Drive and will move to the site on Bob Heath Drive in Cummings Research Park next year.

“We’re going to pour concrete next month and construction should take 12 months,” said Gerry

Shannon of Triad Properties. “The plans will be finalized at the end of next month.”

The new facility is designed to expand for an additional 30,000 square feet because, according to Bailey, “we will be filled when it opens.”

Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong said Radiance is a key player in the community.

“It’s what you do outside the community,” he said. “It’s bigger than meeting the objectives of Radiance; it’s meeting the objectives of the community.”

Harrison Diamond, the city’s business development director who has helped bring companies into Huntsville, said it was great to rec-

ognize a local business growing.

“It’s wonderful to watch our home-grown companies growing,” he said.

Bailey saluted the cooperation of the city, the Chamber and county in the growth of Radiance.

“When I’m in other markets, I’m asked why we’re successful,” he said. “… teamwork, unselfish teamwork, that’s the key to success.” n Artist’s rendering of future Radiance Technologies location

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August 2018

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MANUFACTURING

Woodbridge Opens Auto Parts Facility in Tanner

By Bud McLaughlin

Woodbridge Alabama recently established its newest location in Southpoint Industrial Park in Tanner, inside the Huntsville city limits of Limestone County.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Woodbridge Alabama officials cut the ribbon on the company’s plant in the Tanner community of Limestone County. (Huntsville/Madison County Chamber Photo)

The Rocket City continues to diversify its industrial base ‌ and image.

Woodbridge Alabama joined the ever-expanding automotive industry footprint here with the grand opening of its manufacturing facility recently The company is an automotive parts supplier and manufactures polyurethane seating foam for the Nissan Titan, Altima and Rogue.

Woodbridge Alabama recently established its newest location in Southpoint Industrial Park in Tanner, inside the Huntsville city limits of Limestone County.

Currently, the plant ships to its customers located in Tennessee and Mississippi. In 2019, Woodbridge will begin supplying armrest parts and seating foam for two additional customers.

Woodbridge Alabama created 130 jobs already and is looking to hire about 25 more teammates at various levels.

People interested may send their resumes to: woodbridge_alabama_hr@woodbridgegroup. com or go online to apply at www.woodbridgegroup.com. n

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL

Business Briefcase CFD Research Promotes Cayson to COO CFD Research has announced the promotion of Steve Cayson to Chief Operating Officer from his previous role as vice president.

Cayson will be charged with developing the infrastructure and strategies required to position the company for continued growth and supporting the company’s mission to deliver breakthrough solutions and expert service offerings.

“As CFD Research continues to grow and win opportunities like EXPRESS, the need for a forward-thinking COO with Steve’s reputation and experience is crucial to accelerating our growth,” CFD Research President/CEO Sameer Singhal said.

Cayson served 25 years in the Army and joined CFD Research in 2015.

“I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to serve in this new leadership role for CFD Research,” Cayson said. “The future is bright for our company and I’m looking forward to working with our operations team, engineers, and scientists to build on the growth we have experienced.” n Trideum Awarded Prime Aerial Target Systems 2 Support Contract Huntsville-based Trideum Corp.has received the Aerial Target Systems 2 multiple-award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity prime contract awarded by the U.S. Army Contracting Command - Redstone.

The multiple award IDIQ contract is worth more than $93 million over a five-year period of performance.

The contract provides high performance unmanned aerial target systems support to the U.S. Army.

Trideum will manage the work under the contract from its Huntsville office. n

CFD Research Receives Army EXPRESS Contract CFD Research has been awarded a Blanket Purchase Agreement as a small business prime for the Expedited Professional and Engineering Support Services Program Technical Domain.

The EXPRESS program, managed by the Army Contracting Command-Redstone, implements a cooperative environment to support Team Redstone’s mission with advisory and assistance services.

Since 2005, more than $12 billion has been awarded through the EXPRESS Technical Domain to support high-technology, high-quality, relevant, and responsive advisory and assistance services to Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), and Program Executive Offices for Aviation and Missile and Space. EXPRESS is a cornerstone contract vehicle that enables Team Redstone to acquire cost-effective support.

“The EXPRESS award marks a major milestone for CFD Research and supports our strategic goal to leverage core research and development capabilities into on-site support for government customers,” said CFD Director of Business Development Steve Cayson. “We assembled Team CFD Research to provide extensive experience across the entire EXPRESS Technical Domain and apply our innovative ideas, technologies, and approaches to deliver breakthrough solutions for our customers and the warfighters.” n

PPG to Supply Windshields, Cockpit Side Windows for Dassault “We are excited to be building on this relationship.”

PPG will supply windshields and cockpit side windows to Dassault Aviation for the new Falcon 6X. This marks the first time PPG will supply flight-deck windows for a Dassault Aviation production program.

The Falcon 6X jet will be the world’s first ultra-widebody business jet. The aircraft will be equipped with uniquely shaped, lightweight glass windshields and cockpit side windows by PPG. “The Falcon 6X twinjet is designed to achieve a 5,500-nautical-mile range, and PPG’s lightweight windshields will support that requirement while providing the safety and reliability for which PPG transparencies are known,” said Steve Kight, PPG global director, general aviation transparencies. “PPG is pleased to be working with Dassault Aviation on the innovative transparencies for its newest Falcon jet. We completed much of the design work in advance of the program, so we are in a good position to meet Dassault Aviation’s ambitious schedule.”

PPG will produce the windshields and cockpit side windows for the Falcon 6X at its Huntsville plant.

“While PPG supplies Dassault Aviation with replacement cockpit windows manufactured at the Huntsville facility for Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 business jets, these are the first original-equipment flight-deck windows we are providing to the company for a production aircraft,” Kight said. n

Amanda Howard Sotheby’s Ranked No. 1 in State Amanda Howard Sotheby’s International Realty placed at the top of the list for America’s Best Real Estate Agents by REAL Trends and sponsored by Adwerx.

Amanda’s Team was ranked first in the Team Professionals - Transaction Sides category and No. 2 in Team Professionals - Sales Volume for Alabama.

REAL Trends America’s Best Real Estate Agents ranks over 13,800 U.S. real estate sales associates solely based on their excellence in real estate sales during the 2017 calendar year. All production numbers are independently verified by a third-party in order to ensure accuracy and report integrity To qualify for inclusion, real estate teams must have closed at least 75 transaction sides or $30 million in sales volume in 2017. Howard’s team served 861 families in 2017 ranking it No. 1 in Alabama and No. 25 in the nation, as recorded by REAL Trends.

“We feel grateful, honored and proud to be ranked as the No. 1 real estate team in Alabama,” said Howard, CEO of Amanda Howard Sotheby’s International Realty. “This achievement is a representation of the care and detail we put into each client that we serve, and the determination it takes to maintain a successful real estate career in a competitive market.

“We are thankful for the opportunity we have to serve our extraordinary clients and community, and are excited to celebrate this special achievement together.”

The ranking of REAL Trends Best Real Estate Agents in Alabama can be found at https://www.realtrends.com/rankings/americas-best. n

August 2018

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RETAIL

MidCity Huntsville Posts “Open Letter to Trader Joe’s” Huntsville’s Rocket City legacy is based on the “right stuff” and the city’s newest entertainment/retail/dining complex is doing the “write stuff” to lure a business.

MidCity Huntsville has followed up a Facebook campaign with its own “Open Letter to Trader Joe’s”.

RCP Cos., the developers of MidCity Huntsville – the 100-acre mixed-use community on the site of the former Madison Square Mall on University Drive – posted the letter urging the food retailer to open a store here.

In fact, MidCity Huntsville even had an artist’s rendering of a Trader Joe’s at the complex.

The letter opens: “Dear Captain Dan Bane & The Trader Joe’s Crew: “You may have noticed a blitz on your website recently. That’s because the phenomenal people of Huntsville, AL, want you to hear loud and clear how passionate we are about bringing Trader Joe’s here.”

By Bud McLaughlin

The letter to Trader Joe’s Chairman/CEO Dan Bane and his “crew” touts the city’s history, technology, education, rankings in national publications and lifestyle while also dropping a couple names, such as Jeff Bezos, Facebook and ToyotaMazda.

It closes: “So this is an open letter to you, Captain Bane, and your outstanding Trader Joe’s Crew to set sail to Huntsville, the star of Alabama, and anchor down at MidCity. We’ll take care of the mini-lobster here.

“Over & Out, “Your friends at MidCity Huntsville” So, with or without Trader Joe’s, when completed, MidCity will include a total of 350,000 square feet of specialty retail, at least 150,000 square feet of high-tech office space, a wide range of inspired dining options, a 100+ room boutique hotel and 560 amenity-rich residential units. At least 70 percent of the businesses at MidCity will be new-to-market. n

Open Letter to Trader Joe’s from Mid-City Huntsville

Target Your Advertising to Reach Business Leaders in Madison County!

To advertise in Huntsville Business Journal Call 256.533.8078, Visit www.huntsvillebusinessjournal.com or e-mail carolyn@eventhuntsville.com

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Huntsville BUSINESS JOURNAL