The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) on Behalf of the National Aerospace Leadership Initiative Consortium, is being awarded a $20.4 million contract to provide for National Center for Aerospace Leadership.
The center will focus on future technological advancements necessary to aid the region’s aerospace, aviation and defense manufacturing industries with the goal of providing new opportunities for industry and expanding job growth. The funding will be used for eventual construction of a facility as well as for programming within CCAT.
The effort will be a partnership between U.S. industry, academic and government teams from Connecticut, Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to the CCAT web site, the center’s focus will include:
* Gas turbine engines, fuel cells and total power systems needs
* The vital needs of the manufacturing supply chain to remain globally competitive and ready to meet the rapidly changing needs of America’s military.
* The rapid and effective transition of key advances in technologies including lasers, nanotechnology and next generation manufacturing to meet US industrial competitiveness needs.
* The use of advanced computational modeling to assure the capture and use of both academic and industrial knowledge to increase speed to deployment at reduced risk and assure that the US Air Force’s ability to meet its mission is second to none.
* The capabilities of the local workforce, ensuring that they are capable of building and operating the next generation of industrial tools and processes needed to manufacture and service the advanced power and propulsion systems of the future.
Solicitation began October 2004, negotiations were completed May 2005, and work will be complete by December 2007. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, VA, issued the contract (FA9550-05-1-0345).
* John B. Larson’s Office, News Release: Dodd, Lieberman And Larson Announce $21 Million To Create National Center For Aerospace Leadership In CT