5,400 Job Cuts to Hit Pentagon This Week
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About 5,400 US Defense Department employees will lose their jobs this week, the Pentagon said Friday, reports Government Executive. The cuts are the first in what is expected to be a 5% to 8% reduction of the civilian workforce. The department employed 764,000 civilians as of June 2024, according to Office of Personnel Management data, which means more than 61,000 people could be fired.
The White House wants an 8% cut to the US Defense Department budget, reports Military Times. DefSec Pete Hegseth ordered senior military officials to develop a plan that would slash defense spending by $50 billion, a dramatic cut which could reshape military end-strength and readiness for decades. The proposed cuts included a reduction in the Middle East and Europe military commands, reports The Hill. Exempted from the cuts: 17 entities, including a program to modernize nuclear weapons, Virginia-class submarines, attack drones, surface ships, missile defense, and cybersecurity.
The military funding shift puts the Trump administration at odds with Congress, reports The Hill, where Republicans had planned to increase the Pentagon’s $850 billion budget by $100 billion — part of a package meant to enact Trump’s wider agenda. Democrats say the effort is a sham that will not only fail to save taxpayers money but also undermine America’s defense capabilities.
DoD is reviewing “non-essential” consultancy contracts for termination, reports Breaking Defense. A Feb. 18 memo from Steven Morani, who is performing the duties of DoD’s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, mandates an assessment of “the essentiality of contracts … for the purpose of terminating or descoping contracts for activities that are not essential for the Department to fulfill its statutory purposes.”
President Donald Trump fired the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff GEN CQ Brown on Friday, reports BBC. Brown was the highest-ranking officer in the country. His dismissal comes amid a wave of administration shake-ups, including efforts to cut up to 10% of the federal workforce.
Air Force LT Dan Caine is Trump’s pick to lead Joint Chiefs of Staff to replace Brown, reports The Hill. The president said Caine was an “accomplished pilot, national security expert, successful entrepreneur, and a ‘warfighter’ with significant interagency and special operations experience.”
Hegseth on Friday said he was removing ADM Lisa Franchetti as the chief of naval operations, unceremoniously ending the tenure of the first woman to become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reports Breaking Defense. GEN James Slife, the Air Force’s No. 2 officer, also will be replaced, Hegseth said. On “Fox News Sunday,” the defense secretary defended the firings, reports The Hill. “There is civilian control of the military. Nothing about this is unprecedented,” he said.
A new policy requires federal employees to detail their work efforts in order to keep their jobs, reports CNN on MSN. Federal workers began receiving emails Saturday asking them to explain what work they did last week, as Trump adviser Elon Musk announced that “failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
In the past few weeks, more than 200,000 federal workers at more than a dozen agencies have had their roles eliminated, reports WTOP News. Here’s a list of the agencies.
The wife of a Connecticut man who died in last month’s collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport has filed what are believed to be the first legal claims over the crash that killed 67 people, reports Military Times. The claims by Rachel Crafton were filed against the Federal Aviation Administration and the US Army, with each seeking $250 million for alleged wrongdoing that led to the collision and death of Casey Crafton.
The US Navy relieved the commanding officer of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group 8 one week after the carrier collided with a civilian cargo carrier in the Mediterranean, reports Navy Times. CAPT Dave Snowden was relieved Feb. 20 due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the Navy said in a brief release. The aircraft carrier Truman arrived at a US naval base in Greece for repairs following the collision near the Suez Canal, reports Stars and Stripes.
Salvage efforts have begun in San Diego following a Navy EA-18 Growler on Feb. 12, reports Navy Times. Two crew members ejected from the jet before it crashed Feb. 16 off the southern California coast, ABC News10 San Diego reported at the time.
The Navy has retired its last EP-3E Aries II, reports Seapower Magazine, after the electronic reconnaissance aircraft’s 45 years of service to the fleet. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), the sole remaining operator of the EP-3E, farewelled the last EP-3E.
A retired and demilitarized AV-8B Harrier II+ was inducted into the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, AZ, earlier this month, reports Flying magazine. “This is a unique opportunity to preserve and share a vital chapter in aviation history while playing a valuable role in inspiring future generations,” said COL Mark Amspacher, AV-8B Weapon Systems Program Office (PMA-257) program manager.
The US Air Force has awarded Pratt & Whitney a contract worth up to $1.5 billion to continue sustaining the F119 engine that powers the service’s F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, reports Breaking Defense. The contract spans three years. The single-seat F-22 flies with two engines and is often hailed for its ability to “supercruise,” or soar at supersonic speeds without using afterburners.
Trump has expressed frustration about delays of the specially outfitted pair of Boeing 747s that will serve as the next Air Force One aircraft, reports CNBC on MSN. The jets are years behind schedule. Trump said he’s considering buying used planes to serve as Air Force One amid the Boeing delays, reports AP News. Speaking to reporters aboard one of the two nearly 35-year-old Boeing 747-200 aircraft in current use, he said, “We’re looking at alternatives, because it’s taking Boeing too long.” He said he is considering buying used Boeing aircraft, perhaps from an overseas seller.
General Atomics announced it is in talks with Saudi Arabia for the potential sale of MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, reports Defense News. The deal would provide more US-made equipment to the Middle Eastern nation. In the past, the kingdom has purchased drones from including China and Turkey.
General Atomics has secured funding from the US Department of Energy for fusion energy research, reports Nuclear Engineering International. As part of the Fusion Innovative Research Engine Collaboratives, DOE has awarded more than $107 million to six projects nationwide.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service and Coast Guard Cyber Command are investigating a security breach of the US Coast Guard, reports Navy Times. A technological error impacted the scheduled payments of 1,135 members.
The US and South Korean militaries conducted an aerial exercise involving at least one US B-1B bomber and multiple fighter jets in the allies’ first joint drill of Trump’s second term, reports Military Times. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said South Korean F-35 and F-15 fighter jets and American F-16s were involved in the exercise.
Contracts:
KBR Wyle Services, Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $176,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site. This contract provides for operations and equipment maintenance support, site modernization, and recapitalization efforts to the existing legacy Space Domain Awareness capabilities at Maui. Work will be performed in Maui, Hawaii, and is expected to be completed by April 15, 2032. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $254,178 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9451-25-D-X001).
Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912DY-25-D-0062); Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (W912DY-25-D-0063); and Aecom + Tetra Tech JV, Boston, Massachusetts (W912DY-25-D-0064), will compete for each order of the $48,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for engineering and architectural services. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 17, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Huntington-Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, was awarded a $44,955,000 cost-plus- incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-24-C-2106) for long-lead-time material to make ready for the accomplishment of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Refueling and Complex Overhaul. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2026. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $43,335,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This work will be accomplished by Huntington Ingalls Incorporated in accordance with 10 US Code 3204(a)(1). Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 13, 2025)
PD Power Systems LLC, Springfield, Virginia, was awarded a $114,587,508 firm-fixed-price contract for prime power distribution systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 20, 2030. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W909MY-25-D-0001).
Webworld Technologies Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (P00002/FA7014-23-D-0004); Inflow logistics LLC, San Antonio, Texas (P00001/FA7014-23-D-0005); 1 Mission Partners, Haymarket, Virginia (P00001/FA7014-23-D-0006); Innovative Approach LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (P00002/FA7014-23-D-0007); and Karthik Consulting LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (P00001/FA7014-23-D-0008), have been awarded a $100,000,001 modification to the previously awarded multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to increase the ceiling, update the ordering guide, and revise the performance work statement. These modifications bring the total cumulative face value of the contract from $99,999,999 to $200,000,000. Work will be performed at the Pentagon, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 3, 2028. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Northrup Grumman Systems Corp., Annapolis, Maryland, is awarded a $15,166,056 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price modification to a previously-awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N61331-22-D-0002) to exercise an option for depot level repair, maintenance, and modifications in support for the AN/AQS-24 Sonar Mine Detecting Set (all variants), common post mission analysis, and intermediate level test equipment to support the Navy for the currently deployed airborne mine countermeasures systems. Work will be performed in Annapolis, Maryland (95%); and Panama City, Florida (5%), and is expected to be completed by March 2026. There will be no funding assigned at the time of this modification. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, Panama City, Florida, is the contracting activity.
East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $14,596,867 firm, fixed-price contract (N3220525C5002) for lay berth of Military Sealift Command’s expeditionary sea base vessel USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4). This contract includes unexercised options for extended lay berth, three industrial assist periods, and a regular overhaul which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative value of this contract to $31,407,323. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, beginning April 15, 2025, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2026, if all options are exercised. Contract is incrementally funded. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $8,461,691 are obligated for fiscal 2025 and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was a small business set-aside solicited via the sam.gov website and one offer received. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220525C5002).
