US to Sell Anti-Radiation Missiles to Australia

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the Internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

The US State Department approves a $138 billion sale of 110 anti-radiation missiles to Australia to, in part, “use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense,” reports Flight Global. The missiles will arm its Boeing EA-18G Growler aircraft.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has launched proposals to regulate the operation of small drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, in the continent, reports Air Transport World.

The F-35 is going to the Paris Air Show after all, a reversal of the US Air Force’s announcement two weeks ago, reports Flight Global.

The US Air Force plans to allow a defense company to pick its new electronic-attack jet, reports Defense News, evoking serious concerns among some industry executives and watchdog groups.

The Reaper has grown into a key Close Air Support (CAS) tool for the US military and should not be viewed primarily as an Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance (ISR) asset, reports Breaking Defense. The Reaper gives the A-10 a run for its money in urban CAS environment.

US Census director resigns amid build up to 2020, reports FCW.

Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein explains why the administration fired James B. Comey, reports The Baltimore Sun. Mr. Rosenstein is the former US attorney from Maryland with a reputation for putting the law above politics.

President Trump’s decision on Tuesday to fire the FBI director Comey immediately fueled calls for an independent investigator or commission to look into Russia’s efforts to disrupt the election and any connections between Mr. Trump’s associates and the Russian government, reports The New York Times. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says that this bolsters the case “for a special congressional committee to investigate Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.”

Politico reports Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) rejects calls for a special prosecutor.

Tensions between airlines and passengers have reached a tipping point for the industry. Video shows that chaos erupted at Fort Lauderdale’s airport, where police tackled passengers after another flight-cancellation uproar, reports CBS News.

Florida-based Sprint Airlines canceled flights this month, due to an alleged “illegal work slowdown,” have cost the airlines $8.5 million in lost revenues. Air Transport World reports, Spirit Airlines seeks a temporary restraining order against the Air Line Pilots Association “compelling an immediate end to this illegal work slowdown” that the airline said has cost it millions since the beginning of the month.

The Trump administration announced that it will arm Syria’s Kurdish fighters “as necessary” to recapture the key Islamic State group stronghold of Raqqa, despite intense opposition from NATO ally Turkey, which sees the Kurds as terrorists, reports Military Times.

As manhunt ends, top African warlord Joseph Kony eludes justice, Voice of America reports.

Contracts:

BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Rockville, Maryland, has been awarded a $48,487,511 modification (P00562) to exercise an option on previously awarded contract FA2517-06-C-8001. Contractor will manage, operate, maintain, and logistically support the Solid State Phased Array Radar Systems. Work will be performed at Beale Air Force Base, California; Cape Cod Air Force Station, Massachusetts; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; Thule Air Base, Greenland; and Royal Air Force Fylingdales, United Kingdom, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2018. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $48,487,511 are being obligated at the time of award. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity.

Schuyler Line Navigation Co. LLC, Annapolis, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $8,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Thule Air Base sea lift support. Contractor will provide all management, labor, and services to accomplish the functions and responsibilities of receiving cargo from vendors, providing in‐transit origin storage, loading, offloading, and transporting cargo to and from Denmark and Thule Air Base, Greenland. Work will be performed in Denmark and Thule Air Base, Greenland, and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2018. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with three offers received. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,038,666 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Detachment 1, Copenhagen, Denmark, is the contracting activity (FA2523‐17‐D‐0001).

Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. LLC, Newport News, Virginia, is being awarded a $44,571,768 modification (P000010) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-15-D-0026) to exercise an option in support of the Contracted Air Services (CAS) program. The CAS program provides contractor owned and operated Type III High Subsonic and Type IV Supersonic aircraft to Navy fleet customers for a wide variety of airborne threat simulation capabilities. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (44 percent); Point Mugu, California (37 percent); and Atsugi, Japan (19 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2018. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,470,727 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

T.A. Consulting Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N00189-17-D-0014); PB&A Inc., Austin, Texas (N00189-17-D-0015); and Southeastern Archaeological Research Inc., Springfield, Virginia (N00189-17-D-0016), are being awarded an estimated $23,437,207 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include provisions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders for commercially available cultural services support to include program and project management support; historian support; archiving; curator support; publishing; archeology; museum specialists; photography; and conservation support at various locations. The contract will include a three-year base ordering period and six-month option period with the option at Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 – option to extend services.  If the option is exercised, the total estimated value of the contracts combined will be $27,450,647. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the U.S. and percentage of work cannot be determined at this time. Work is expected to be completed by May 2020; if the option is exercised, work will continue through November 2020. No contract funds will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will be obligated as individual orders are issued. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website as a small business set-aside for multiple awardees, with three offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

REEMA Consulting, Gaithersburg, Maryland (N00189-17-D-0017); Mission Services Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00189-17-D-0018); ATSG Corp., Fairfax, Virginia (N00189-17-D-0019); Cowan and Associates, Arlington, Virginia (N00189-17-D-0020); Immersion Consulting, Annapolis, Maryland (N00189-17-D-0021); Veteran Engineering and Technology LLC, Colorado Springs, Colorado (N00189-17-D-0022); and Target Systems, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (N00189-17-D-0023), are being awarded an estimated $9,291,701 multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract that will include provisions for the placement of firm-fixed-price task orders for commercially available business operations support to include program management; budget analysis and financial program support; administrative support; public affairs support; information technology support; event coordination and logistics support; and social media support at various locations. The contract will include a three-year base ordering period and six-month option period with the option at Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8 – option to extend services. If the option is exercised, the total estimated value of the contracts combined will be $10,882,842. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the US and percentage of work cannot be determined at this time. Work is expected to be completed by May 2020; if the option is exercised, work will continue through November 2020. No contract funds will be obligated at the time of award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds will be obligated as individual orders are issued. This contract was competitively procured with the solicitation posted to the Federal Business Opportunities website as a small business set-aside for multiple awardees, with 12 offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk Contracting Department, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

National Industries For the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,454,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Army physical fitness uniform jackets. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. This was a mandatory procurement set aside for Ability One non-profit agencies. Locations of performance are Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, with a May 9, 2018, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2017 through 2018 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-17-D-B022).