Published: 08.28.2008

Raytheon gets add-on Tomahawk deal

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems was awarded an $87.4 million modification to an existing contract for the procurement of 103 Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, the U.S. Defense Department said Wednesday.

The order includes 72 missiles that can be launched from ships via a vertical launching system, along with 32 missiles with capsules for launching from submarines.

The Tomahawks, for the Navy, are expected to be completed by July 2010, and about a third of the work will be done in Tucson.

Raytheon has been building the Block IV Tomahawk for about four years. The missile uses a two-way satellite data link for in-flight redirection.

Published: 08.28.2008

Canon links with UA, looks to tech park

By Jack Gillum

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Imaging giant Canon USA Inc. is negotiating a lease to establish a research-and-development center at the University of Arizona Science and Technology Park, UA officials said.

The center would be home to research under a new collaboration between Canon, a global maker of computer and digital-imaging equipment; and the UA’s College of Optical Sciences. The deal also comes with a $3 million research grant for the university.

It also would add another major high-tech tenant to the tech park at 9000 S. Rita Road. The park already is home to IBM Corp., Raytheon Missile Systems and General Dynamics.

“It’s a huge deal,” said Bob Breault, chairman of Breault Research. Four decades ago, “the hope was that we’d get a Kodak or a Canon to set up shop in Tucson. Now we do.”

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 – 3:00 PM MST

Phoenix Business Journal – Mike Sunnucks

Northrop Grumman Corp. received a $6.5 million U.S. Army order to fast track construction of what is thought to be super-secret drone used by the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan. The work will be done in Sierra Vista, home to the U.S. Army’s Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca.

The Pentagon originally awarded Northrop a $22.5 million contract to build the Hunter Green Dart in 2007. The new award aims to speed up deployment of more Green Darts. The U.S. has used drones in the two war zones, in particular in the hunt for Al-Qaeda leaders and Osama Bin Laden.

Los Angeles-based Northrop (NYSE: NOC) has not commented on the nature of the Green Dart and company officials did not respond to a request for comment on the new contract.

UA makes U.S. News’ top 100 list; ASU ranked 121st

RENÉE SCHAFER HORTON

Published: 08.22.2008

Tucson Citizen

The University of Arizona held steady at 96th in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of 262 public and private U.S. universities that offer a wide range of undergraduate degrees as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.

Arizona State University ranked 121st, but landed on a new list this year – “Up and Comers” – innovative institutions that college officials identify as poised to move up in the rankings.

UA tied for 96th with five other schools, but when ranked against other public universities, UA placed 45th in a five-way tie out of the top 50 public universities in the national category. UA ranked 45th last year. ASU did not make the top 50.

Published: 08.19.2008

Additional contract for Tucson company

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Tucson-based Applied Energetics Inc. has received a follow-on U.S. Army contract option for its chemical-detection technology.

The Light Filament Sensor program, as it’s called, is designed to identify trace amounts of chemicals from stand-off distances.

The $351,286 award was added on to a previous September 2007 contract from the Army Research Organization, the company announced Monday. The total value of the program is now up to more than $740,000.

Published: 08.19.2008

Ridgetop Group gets DOE contract

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the Tucson nanotechnology company, Ridgetop Group Inc., with a $100,000 contract for monitoring experiments.

The Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant is for developing prognostics, or tests that predict the remaining useful life of electronics, for networks in nuclear physics experiments, the company announced Monday.

In May, Ridgetop was among hundreds selected for multibillion-dollar U.S. Navy contracts.

Published: 08.15.2008

UA, ASU get OK for solar energy effort

Regents back $6.7M project using tax funds

By Aaron Mackey

FLAGSTAFF — Researchers at the UA and ASU are hoping seed money from state tax dollars will help transform Arizona into an industry leader in solar energy research and policy.

Under a joint project between the two universities that was approved by the Arizona Board of Regents on Thursday, researchers will use $6.7 million to develop better solar energy technologies that can then be spun off into private enterprises.

Using state tax money that was approved by voters in 2000, researchers at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University plan to look at ways to improve solar technology and develop new ways to harness energy from the sun.

A bright shining light on Tucson’s economy: solar

By Joe Pangburn
Inside Tucson Business
(third of four parts)

If there’s one thing Southern Arizona has plenty of, it’s sun. It is Arizona’s most abundant renewable source of energy. Plenty of sun equals a great place to develop solar power.

In recent years, two European solar companies, Solon America Corporation and Schletter Inc., established their respective first United States offices in Tucson.

“Pursuing the chances of solar-power across the globe, we decided to start our U.S. operations in Tucson,” said Martin Hausner, CEO of Schletter Inc. in the company’s announcement. “We looked at locations in Phoenix and Flagstaff, as well as cities in Colorado and California, but we found Tucson most appealing.”

Tucson is one of 25 cities designated as a Solar America City by the U.S. Department of Energy. Of the 25, Tucson is the only one the department labels as having excellent resource potential for flat plate collectors.

Shaping the region’s economy: aerospace and defense

By Joe Pangburn
Inside Tucson Business
(Second of four parts)

Aerospace and defense is arguably the largest industry in Southern Arizona with 20,000 to 30,000 people employed at about 200 companies that bring in revenues totalling between $5 billion and $6 billion annually, according to Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Inc. (TREO).

Tucson is among the top five metro areas in the United States for its concentration of companies and employees in aerospace and defense.

For job seekers with active federal or military security clearances, the website Clearancejobs.com ranks Tucson No. 5 for defense jobs.

The aerospace and defense industry has enjoyed a history in Tucson dating back to the 1925 opening of Davis-Monthan Field, as it was known at the time. It was the nation’s first municipal airport.

Published: 08.08.2008

Tucson container-control firm a success story

By Jack Gillum

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

From missiles to nuclear fuel rods, one Tucson company is making sure its customers’ sensitive products show up safely at their destinations.

Tucson-based AGM Container Controls Inc. makes gizmos that shippers and consumers may take for granted: valves that regulate pressure, sensors that sniff out excess moisture and tubes of desiccant that keep a container’s contents dry.

The company is expanding to meet increased demand that drove its 33 percent growth in shipments last year. Construction is proceeding on a 21,000-square-foot building to meet that demand.

AGM’s chief executive attributes much of the company’s success to its corporate structure as an employee-owned company.

President and CEO Howard N. Stewart says giving workers a stake in the business makes for a better working environment for the more than 100 salaried and hourly employees.