March 29, 2024

Biden Proposes $715B Defense Budget

Defense Budget
US Department of Defense photo

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

President Joe Biden rolled out his defense budget for the next fiscal year, reports Defense News. He is asking for $715 billion for the Pentagon. The FY22 proposed budget represents a 1.6% increase over this year. Military Times reports that the White House said military pay and readiness will not suffer by the flat budget plan. Washington Times reports the stay-the-course move won’t please GOP defense hawks or progressive Democrats.

The Danish government received its first F-35A Lightning II last week in a ceremony in Fort Worth, TX, reports janes.com. “The security situation around the world is increasingly complex. Being able to defend yourself and your allies is crucial. For peace. For stability. For freedom and democracy,” said Trine Bramsen, Denmark’s minister of defense.

Patrick Mitchell, former CEO of the Maryland Broadband Cooperative, has been indicted on federal charges of bribery and embezzlement, reports The Baltimore Sun. Mitchell is accused in a scheme to take money from a US Navy contract to build out fiber optic cable from Wallops Island, VA, to NAS Pax River.

DefSec Lloyd Austin is scheduled for trips to Israel, Germany, the United Kingdom, and NATO headquarters in Belgium, reports The Hill. He will meet with US allies amid rising tensions with Russia and indirect nuclear talks with Iran.

The US is considering sending warships into the Black Sea in a show of support for Ukraine amid Russia’s increased military presence on Ukraine’s eastern border, reports CNN.

Russia is sending 10 vessels to the Black Sea, reports The Drive. The deployment is part of a larger series of readiness drills, but comes amid a continuing and worrisome Russian military buildup near the country’s borders with Ukraine, according to the report.

Sunday morning on “Meet the Press,” StateSec Antony Blinken said “it would be serious mistake” for China to strike at Taiwan and expressed “real concerns” about Russia’s massing of forces on the border with Ukraine, reports Politico.

China has condemned the transit of the USS John S. McCain through the Taiwan Strait last week, reports UPI. The US Navy said the guided-missile destroyer’s movement was part of a routine exercise. Beijing also issued new threats to Taiwan, reports US News & World Report, saying Taiwan’s military wouldn’t stand a chance if China chose to invade.

Boeing said Friday that some of its 737 MAX airplanes might have electrical problems, reports NPR. Several airlines again were pulling dozens of the troubled jets out of service.

US Space Force will establish its field command site at the Los Angeles Air Force Base, reports Military Times.

 

 

LT GEN Duke Richardson, the Air Force’s top uniformed acquisition official, announced the newest F-15EX variant will be called the Eagle II, reports Defense News. The service plans to buy at least 144 F-15EXs to replace the F-15C/D fleet.

The nonprofit Blue Star Families military support organization is conducting another online poll, reports Military Times, asking military families about their access to the coronavirus vaccine, in order to help decision makers “remove barriers” to getting the vaccine.

A vaccine produced by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research started clinical testing last week, reports Army Times, and researchers hope it will combat variants of SARS-COV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Veterans advocates want the return of the annual Memorial Day motorcycle ride around the National Mall in Washington, DC, reports Military Times. They are waiting for Pentagon planners to respond to requests for help making the event safe amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

RADM Trent DeMoss, head of Commander Fleet Readiness Centers, was removed from his position, reports USNI News. His removal followed a preliminary review of a sexual harassment complaint against DeMoss.

Army COL Michael Schoenfeldt, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade deployed in Europe, returned to his home station of Fort Hood, TX, and was relieved of his duties last week based on his poor judgment while in command, reports Army Times.

The US Navy medic who shot and wounded two sailors last week before he was killed by police at Fort Detrick was a laboratory technician assigned to a naval medical research center on the base, reports Navy Times. One of the sailors who was injured has been released from the hospital and the other remains in critical condition.

A bill on Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk would ban celebratory balloon releases, reports WTOP News. The bill is sponsored by Lower Eastern Shore Del. Wayne Hartman, and bill prohibits any state or local organization, entity or person older than 13 from “intentionally releasing … a balloon into the atmosphere,” with minimal exceptions. It also puts in place a fine for those who violate the law.

First lady Jill Biden announces the priorities of the newly relaunched Joining Forces initiative at the White House on April 7, 2021. She is surrounded by monitors showing the virtual audience for the event. (White House photo)

First lady Jill Biden laid out the next steps of the military families initiative she started during the Obama administration, reports The Hill, previewing a major focus of her work in the White House.

Contracts:

Pacific Architects and Engineers Applied Technologies LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $15,484,842 modification (P00007) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable contract (N0042121C0011). This modification exercises an option to provide system operations, laboratory and field testing, marine operations and target support services, engineering, range sustainability, maintenance, data reduction and analysis in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Atlantic Ranges and Targets Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in June 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,600,250; fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $440,000; fiscal 2021 working capital (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $250,700; and fiscal 2021 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $98,000 will be obligated at time of award, $440,000 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Chitra Productions LLC, Norfolk, Virginia, was awarded a $25,000,000 order-dependent contract to create and strengthen networks that connect the Combat Capabilities Development Command with academia, industry and government agencies to facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas, the production of knowledge and the development of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workforce. Bids were solicited via the internet with 12 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 7, 2026. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-21-D-0004).

HUBZone Headquarters Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, was awarded a $25,000,000 order-dependent contract to create and strengthen networks that connect the Combat Capabilities Development Command with academia, industry and government agencies to facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas, the production of knowledge and the development of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workforce. Bids were solicited via the internet with 12 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 7, 2026. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-21-D-0005).

Terasense Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded a $25,000,000 order-dependent contract to create and strengthen networks that connect the Combat Capabilities Development Command with academia, industry and government agencies to facilitate the exchange of scientific ideas, the production of knowledge and the development of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workforce. Bids were solicited via the internet with 12 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 7, 2026. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-21-D-0006).

ASRC Federal Data Networx LLC, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded a $9,398,391 firm-fixed-price contract to support information technology services for the US Army Dental Information Systems Center Corporate Dental Systems program office. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Beltsville, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of April 8, 2021. Fiscal 2010 Defense Health Program funds in the amount of $9,398,391 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Health Contracting Activity, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (W911QY-20-C-0020).

Federal Resources Supply Co., Stevensville, Maryland, was awarded a $14,601,733 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 20 armored recovery vehicles, spare parts, technical manuals, training and maintenance. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Stevensville, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 9, 2021. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Brazil) funds in the amount of $14,601,733 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-21-F-0208).

General Atomics, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $22,164,736 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) – Track A program. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (71%); Louisville, Colorado (19%); Rockville, Maryland (3%); Seattle, Washington (4%); and Cullman, Alabama (3%), with an estimated completion date of October 2022. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $2,175,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement HR001120S0031. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001121C0066).

National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $20,994,706 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for coats. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Virginia and North Carolina, with an April 8, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-21-D-B106).

UPDATE: Gaithersburg Farmers Supply Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland (SPE8EC-21-D-0081), has been added as an awardee to the multiple award contract for agricultural equipment, issued against solicitation SPE8EC-17-R-0007 and awarded June 12, 2020.

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