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Highlands Today

$48 Million Defense Contract Goes To Avon Park

DETAILS REMAIN A MYSTERY

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: October 2, 2007

AVON PARK — A Virginia Beach defense contractor has been awarded a $48 million contract to develop and manufacture something, but a week of telephone calls has produced no answers about what exactly will go there or what it will do.

On Sept. 25, DefenseLink, a Web site operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, reported that Global Technical Systems of Virginia Beach was given a $47,951,100 contract "to provide development and manufacturing support for Airborne and Ground Sensor Systems and related Avionics Sensor Systems, Control Systems and interfaces for the United States Special Operations Command and Department of Defense." The special operations command goes by the acronym SOCOM.

The work, DefenseLink said, "will be performed in Avon Park, Fla., and is expected to be completed by September 2012."

The contract was advertised on the Internet by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head, Md. GTS submitted the only offer.

Three calls to GTS were not been returned. On Tuesday afternoon, an e-mail arrived from Terry Spitzer, CEO.

"The short of it is SOCOM has asked us not to comment," Spitzer said.

Cathy Thornton, a public affairs officer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, did return calls, but has been unable to explain what is being built, or if it will be built at Avon Park Air Force Range.
"This is a services contract, not the actual construction of a $48 million building or anything," Thornton said. "The contract is for a 12-month base year plus four 12-months options. This initial requirement is for approximately $2 million."

Thornton was unable to explain what would be built under the contract, and she also declined to provide anyone with the Navy who could explain.

The initial order is for USSOCOM to design and manufacture synthetic aperture radar systems for the DOD, Thornton said. Synthetic aperture radar uses data from an airplane or satellite to cast a narrow beam over immobile or slow targets. It is also used in remote sensing and mapping.

Jim Brantley, who handles publicity for the Fleet Forces, which commands the Navy's Atlantic fleet, said Friday he contacted other military sources.

"It has nothing to do with us," he said. Fleet Forces has been bombing targets at the range, and plans to begin using live ammunition.

"They have not heard anything about this," Brantley said. "They are falling back to some of the folks back in Norfolk. They have not heard of the company. They didn't know there was such a big contract out there for such a big amount, and they are looking into it."

Ronald Riedel, an engineer who is the range support manager at the bombing range, said Tuesday he had not heard about the contract, but should have because the Navy is required to notify the Air Force if the Navy installs something permanently on an Air Force base.

An attempt on Tuesday to telephone Lt. Col. John B. Pechiney, commander of the Avon Park Air Force Bombing Range and Training Facility, was unsuccessful on Tuesday.

Avon Park City Manager C.B. Shirey also had not heard about the contract.

GTS sells technical services and high-tech product solutions for sensor technology and storage area networks. Established in 1997, GTS focuses on engineering services and obsolescence refreshment for electronic systems and components, specifically in the development of upgrades to existing radar and weapon systems, used by the Navy, Coast Guard, and Special Forces, according to its Web site.
GTS also operates facilities in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Oxford, Miss.

Bombing Range

The Avon Park Air Force Range is a 106,000-acre bombing and gunnery range located in Highlands, Okeechobee and Polk counties. It is used to train pilots and ground troops, and to maintain aircraft.
The bombing range, 10.5 miles southeast of Avon Park, has opened approximately 82,000 acres to public access for hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, and related activities.

Between 1942 and 1977, the United States acquired 218,883 acres. During World War II, Avon Park Army Air Field was used as a training base for B-17 aircraft crews. The base was deactivated in 1947, and in 1949 the site was transferred to the Air Force.

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