St. Mary’s: ‘Hotbed’ of Aviation Development
(uroc.umd.edu photo)
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Aerospace companies that want to get their operations off the ground should consider Maryland, says a July 25 Site Selection investment profile. More than 9,000 such companies currently operate in the state. The profile points out that St. Mary’s County is “a hotbed of military and civil aviation development,” and notes that the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), NAS Pax River, University of Maryland UAS Operations and Research Center, and the Maryland Autonomous Technologies Research Innovation and eXploration Lab (MATRIX) operated by UMD are all located in the Mother County. The investment profile was prepared under the auspices of the Maryland Department of Commerce.
NASA is preparing to enact the Trump administration’s proposed spending plan, which includes a nearly 50% cut to the agency’s science programs, reports Aviation Week.
NASA budget cuts could end exploration of the outer solar system, reports Scientific American, and the US planetary science community is worried about plans to discard a nuclear technology that has powered dozens of NASA missions over the past 50 years.
A new executive order from President Donald Trump will streamline federal regulation governing commercial rocket launches, a move that could benefit Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and other private space ventures, reports Reuters via MSN.
The Pentagon says that DefSec Pete Hegseth does not support revoking women’s right to vote, reports Navy Times, despite his having reposted a video last week about Christian nationalist pastors who say they want to repeal the 19th Amendment and oppose women serving in certain combat and leadership positions. A Pentagon press secretary said that Hegseth is a “very proud Christian and has those traditional Christian viewpoints.” Pressed to clarify which traditional Christian viewpoints in the video Hegseth held, the press secretary declined to do so.
Some Democratic female veterans in Congress called for Hegseth’s resignation after he shared the video, reports Military Times.
California-based USV maker Seasats said its Lightfish drone came within meters of a Chinese warship as the autonomous surface vessel was in transit from San Diego to Japan, reports Breaking Defense. “It’s pretty common to pass within five or 10 miles of a tanker — in the middle of ocean, there’s really not much traffic going on,” said CEO Mike Flanigan. But “for 20 minutes, we basically were shadowed by a Chinese destroyer very closely.”
China is claiming that it chased away the US warship USS Higgins that was conducting a freedom of navigation operation last week near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, reports USNI News. “China’s statement about this mission is false,” a spokesperson for US 7th Fleet said in a statement. “USS Higgins (DDG-76) conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations.”
Amid recent debate over aircraft carriers’ utility and vulnerability, analysts tell Breaking Defense that global interest is strong. At least for now in the Indo-Pacific, the increased deployments of existing carriers and the push to acquire more suggests they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.
Poland has awarded a $3.8 billion F-16 modernization deal to the US, reports Defense News. The country plans to upgrade its 48 F-16 C/D Block 52+ fighter jets to the F-16V standard. The contract is to be performed by Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor.
Lockheed Martin and Southern Methodist University will collaborate on the Philippines fighter jet program, reports Manila Standard. Lockheed and SMU are teaming up to drive digital innovation and workforce development as part of its F-16 Block 70 solution for the country’s multi-role fighter program.
Tech company Kratos is developing a new autonomous aircraft for the US Marine Corps, reports Defense News. The Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie drone is known for its versatility and many warfighting capabilities. The Valkyrie is becoming a program of record and will be the first Collaborative Combat Aircraft in production and fielded for the Marines, Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco said.
The US Navy has awarded a $258 million contract to Raytheon for the engineering, manufacturing, and development of SM-2 Block IIICU All Up Rounds missiles, reports Seapower Magazine. The new contract is for the follow-on integration and test phase of a development program.
CEO Thomas Bell of Leidos, the government contractor known for IT, said his company is poised for a breakaway in maritime autonomy, reports Defense One. “We’re not seen as at the vanguard of this, but we’re about to surprise people,” Bell said.
Boeing workers who have been on strike since Aug. 4 are asking members of Congress to urge the company back to the bargaining table, reports Barron’s. Some 3,200 members of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 837 have been on strike since early this month after rejecting a contract proposal. Products produced at the affected sites in Missouri and Illinois include the F-15 and F-18 combat aircraft, the T-7 Red Hawk Advanced Pilot Training System, and the MQ-25 unmanned aircraft.
The Partnership for Public Service research finds that, particularly among Republicans, there is growing support for greater presidential power over the federal workforce, reports Federal News Network. In 2024, nearly 90% of Republicans agreed that a nonpartisan civil service was important for a strong democracy. This year, that number has dropped to 66%. The new survey conducted in spring 2025 finds that trust in the federal government remains low. The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan organization that promotes good government and conducts research on federal institutions.
A new study by the Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland finds that majorities of Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly favor the government regulating artificial intelligence, reports Yahoo!Finance. The White House’s AI Action Plan opposes government regulation of AI programs, saying that it would impede the US becoming the dominant force in artificial intelligence globally.
The Trump administration’s AI plan, which outlines more than 90 federal policy actions, includes support for the buildout of data centers, semiconductor fabrication plants; and the nation’s electric grid; creates rules for government contractors in an attempt to eliminate “ideological bias” in chatbots; and withholds funding from states that have “burdensome” AI regulations, reports CBS News.
The espionage trail for a US Navy sailor accused of spying for his native China has begun, reports Military.com. Chinese-born Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, is accused of seven counts of conspiracy, espionage, and charges related to unlawfully sending defense information to a foreign government. Wei allegedly sold military secrets to a Chinese spy while assigned to a San Diego-based warship.
Nonprofit organization SmileHub’s new report on the Best States for Disabled Veterans in 2025 finds that Maryland received an overall rank of 4th. SmileHub compared each of the 50 states using 22 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of veteran-owned businesses to total VA spending per veteran to the share of homeless veterans.
Contracts:
eSimplicity Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland, is being awarded a $99,244,904 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of the Navy and Marine Corps Spectrum Center, and Naval Information Warfare Developmental Center, to provide spectrum management support services. The contract will include a 60-month ordering period with no options. Work will begin September 2025 and is expected to be completed by August 2030. Services under the contract will be performed in Annapolis Junction, Maryland (30%); Fort Meade, Maryland (12%); Norfolk, Virginia (12%); Suffolk, Virginia (11%); Oak Harbor, Washington (11%); Silverdale, Washington (3%); Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii (3%); Jacksonville, Florida (3%); San Diego, California (3%); Naples, Italy (3%); Yokosuka, Japan (3%); Naval Support Activity Bahrain (3%); and Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam (3%). Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) appropriations in the contract’s minimum amount of $10,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2025. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. The requirement was competitively procured through the System for Award Management website (Sam.gov) as an unrestricted, competitive procurement with three offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Regional Directorate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N00189-25-DZ032).
Benaka Inc., New Brunswick, New Jersey, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for a design-bid-build construction of an area maintenance support activity and vehicle maintenance shop. The amount of this action is $19,679,000. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $19,707,000. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Richmond, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 14, 2027. Fiscal 2025 military construction, Army Reserve funds in the amount of $19,679,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, is the contracting activity (W912QR-25-C-A020).
Miami Nation Stronghold LLC, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for construction of a multi-purpose athletic field complex. The amount of this action is $10,236,166. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 23, 2026. Fiscal 2024 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $10,236,166 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-25-C-0009).
Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $9,455,097 modification (P00044) to contract W58RGZ-25-C-0003 for global aviation maintenance services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $197,827,313. Work will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2025. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance, Army; and fiscal 2025 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $9,455,097, were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command Redstone, Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Poplicus Incorporated dba Govini, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for Ark AI software-as-a-service platform software licenses. The amount of this action is $49,000,000. 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 Aug. 14, 2030. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W9128Z-25-D-A002).
Modern Technology Solutions Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $16,016,620 modification (P00012) to a previously awarded contract (FA8806-25-C-B001) for the addition of mission focused assessment and authorization effort on the Program Management Office, Systems Engineering, Integration and Testing. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $131,987,548 from $115,970,929. Work will be performed at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 10, 2030. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,014,435 are being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity.
Turf Care USA Inc., Riverton, Wyoming, was awarded a $7,578,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Joint Base Langley-Eustis grounds maintenance services. This contract provides for non-personal services to include all personnel, equipment, tools, supervision, and other items and services for grounds maintenance. Work will be performed at Fort Eustis, Newport News, Virginia; and Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 8, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and five offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,014,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 633rd Contracting Squadron, Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia is the contracting activity (FA4800-24-F-0042).
Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $97,064,456, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed price, and cost only indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity type contract action for submarine high data rate (SubHDR) antenna pedestal group (APG) repair services and parts procurement. The work to be performed under this contract is for depot level repair, maintenance, and upgrade services to SubHDR APGs. This contract includes an initial ordering period of five years with a five year option period. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia (90%); and Newport, Rhode Island (10%), and is expected to be completed by August 2035. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,075,432 (100%) will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following award of the basic contract, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, and two offers were received following a solicitation posted to SAM.gov. Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, Rhode Island, is the contracting activity (N66604-25-D-Y500).
Ashford Leebcor Enterprises IV LLC, Williamsburg, Virginia (N69450-22-D-0002); CCI Solutions LLC, Anchorage, Alaska (N69450-22-D-0003); Dawson Enterprises LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii (N69450-22-D-0004); P&S Construction Inc., North Chelmsford, Massachusetts (N69450-22-D-0005); Southeastern Industrial Barlovento JV-2, Destin, Florida (N69450-22-D-0006); VHB LLC, Boyds, Maryland (N69450-22-D-0007); Walga Ross Group 3, Joplin, Missouri (N69450-22-D-0008); and Webb LLC, Springfield, Virginia (N69450-22-D-0009), are awarded a combined maximum value $92,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the capacity of their respective, previously-awarded, contracts for general building projects. Award of this modification brings the total cumulative value for all eight contracts combined to $411,000,000. Work will be performed in Florida and is expected to be completed by November 2026. No funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity.
Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a task order contract (HQ0034-16-A-0015). The amount of this action is $12,214,797. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,140,182 are being obligated at the time of the award. The cumulative total of the contract is $71,717,690. The purpose of this contract is to provide assessments, policy recommendations, and support for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics. The work will be performed in Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics in the Pentagon and the Mark Center. The estimated contract completion date is Feb. 20, 2031. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting authority.
