The High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range has cut down on contractors due to budget cuts for fiscal year 2008.
According to a statement issued by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command, 30 contract workers have been laid off so far and another seven have left of their own accord.
HELSTF has two primary support contractors, according to the statement TRESCO Inc., of Las Cruces, the facility support contractor, and Northrup-Grumman, of Albuquerque, the technical support contractor.
The SMDC/ARSTRAT statement reports TRESCO has released 23 of its 50-person work force, while Northrop-Grumman has released seven of its 62. Both contractors coordinated these actions with the HELSTF facility director. As of Feb. 11, seven additional Northrup-Grumman employees voluntarily resigned in order to pursue employment opportunities elsewhere.
HELSTF is currently carrying out high-power chemical laser testing for the Air Force. This testing is scheduled to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2008, according to the statement. HELSTF must have customer support to remain active and open; if additional customers fail to emerge, there may be additional reductions in contractor staff.
HELSTF's budget has been reduced from $16 million for fiscal year 2007 to $2.8 million for FY 2008, according to the statement. However, Congress has provided $6 million of additional funding, so HELSTF has an operating budget of $8.8 million for FY 2008. The budget difference makes a reduction in contractors inevitable, the statement said.
Too bad. It was an interesting place to work. However, given that chemical lasers are a technological dead end, its not surprising. Also given how the place was managed...oy.
Will, just a note to say 17.5 passed C for fy09. I'm under the dome at the moment waiting for the wind to blow. Customers are lining up. Short line albeit but they are there. Lost D Flores to a MC accident. Sad. Enuf. Enjoy your day.
ReplyDeleteHeard that Bolshweiler (sp) also passed on. Rather sad that.
ReplyDeleteThe budget for this year is supposed to be a going away present (or so I've hard) for Domincei. Without the old man in office who knows what's going to happen to a lot of stuff in NM.
Now who the frak is the harley enthusiast that's in teh chem group...*boggle* it's simply been too long since I pushed a photon (or helped).
How's the LVC holding up? Who is the contact now for it? I may have a need...;)
Will, At the moment of this posting, we are three days from "out the gate!" Yep, this time the layoff notices are for real, and HELSTF has become an historical monument at best....very sad for those that have put 25+ years of sweat and dedication into this magic MIRACL machine. That includes Mark,Jeff an Dave who we will be eulogizing in the Device Room on Wednesday. It is surreal to still be here with all of the nasties drained from the tanks and the HAMDS alarms turned OFF. Truly, the end of an era!!
ReplyDeleteFluids Boss
gawd.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping to walk through the LSTC one last time. So many missed opportunities there. Good times. hard times. Fascinating times.
I am sorry to have let, but knew that I couldn't survive there any longer under the regime in place at the time. I went for months without time off: 14-16 weeks was the longest stretch.
I'll see if there's some way to call or make contact with people before the last day. :(
It truly is the end of an era.
Sadly, this extends to directed energy systems in general. Maybe we offered too much for too long and delivered too little in the end.
ReplyDeleteThe Army continues to bounce around on electromagnetics in general. Lasers are certainly one element of the spectrum. Hopefully, the Army, and DoD in general, are continuing to feel their way around the EM spectrum. The other services continue to develop these capabilities.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the Army will learn soon.
OCP:
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the Army has had a problematic relationship with technology in general, not just mastering the EM spectrum.
They either promise too much and go wild or they grumble and treat it rather distrustfully. The FCS wasn't the first time that the Army has tried to replace all its vehicles at once: there was a similar program with HEAVY vehicles in the arly 1990s.