Bird Strike Grounds Navy Aircraft at Pax

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.

An E-6B Mercury, a nuclear command-and-control plane, hit a bird at NAS Patuxent River on Oct. 2, reports Navy Times. The Navy doomsday aircraft was assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 20. The Navy estimates the damage at about $2 million. Live Science reports that every year about 3,000 wildlife-strike incidents are reported for military aircraft and another 2,300-plus for civil aircraft.

US forces continued withdrawal from northern Syria on Sunday and headed for Iraq, NBC News reports, while efforts continued for a Kurdish evacuation from the area under the terms of the US-Turkey cease-fire agreement.

DefSec Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley met with the Senate and House armed services committees last week and offered assurances the counter-Islamic State fight remains a top priority, reports Defense News.

Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, says the F-35 is performing well in the real world, but challenges incorporating it into a DoD simulation system will delay the defense department from being able to move into full-rate production, reports USNI News. Bloomberg reports that the remaining testing includes 64 simulator mission trials and some weapons and cybersecurity evaluations.

James Mattis addressed comments by President Donald Trump calling the former defense secretary “the world’s most overrated general.” Mr. Mattis told attendees at a dinner in New York last week, “I stand before you … really having achieved greatness. I mean, I’m not just an overrated general. I am the greatest, the world’s most overrated.” The remark by the president didn’t seem to faze Mattis, Military Times reports. Flashback to December 2016 Washington Post reporting, when Mr. Trump announced his selection of the Marine general to the position.

While the rest of the Army’s geographic commands focus their efforts on shifting to the near peer fight, US Army North has concerns closer to home, reports Army Times. Those concerns range from protecting US borders, receiving soldiers for major mobilization and preparing soldiers for natural disasters, and coordinating training for the unthinkable – a nuclear or biological attack on the US.

At the US Army Annual Meeting and Exposition last week, Army generals and federal officials addressed catastrophic incidents and scenarios and how the service would respond, Army Times reports.

NAWCAD Patuxent River and NAWCAD Webster Outlying Field provided assistance in rescue efforts after Hurricane Dorian, reports dcmilitary.com. After the hurricane had moved on from Grand Bahama, a NAVAIR team and an unmanned surface vehicle equipped with sonar arrived at Abaco Island to assist disaster responders.

The Marine Corps announced last week a correction to the Marines identified in the iconic Iwo Jima flag raising photo taken in 1945, reports Marine Corps Times. Originally, Pfc. Rene A. Gagnon was the Marine identified on the far side of the pole, who had a bit of his helmet showing. Cpl. Harold P. Keller is now identified as that Marine.

Another man who died during the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center has been identified, Patch.com reports. The 1,645th victim was identified through DNA testing of remains that were recovered more than 18 years ago.

Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings died last week at the age of 68. Maryland Matters takes a look at the legacy left behind by the Baltimore native and national leader. WTOP News reports the body of the representative will lie in state in the US Capitol on Thursday.

Contracts:

BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $7,930,867 modification (P00050) to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract N00421-15-C-0008. This modification exercises an option to provide engineering and technical services for integrated communications and information systems radio communications to Navy ships in support of the Ship and Air Integration Warfare Division, Naval Air Warfare Center – Webster Outlying Field. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (60%); California, Maryland (30%); Bath, Maine (5%); and Pascagoula, Mississippi (5%), and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,300,000 will be obligated at time of award, none 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.

National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $8,562,960 modification (P00005) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-19-D-B043) with four one-year option periods for moisture wicking T-shirts. This is an indefinite-delivery contract. Locations of performance are Virginia, North Carolina, and Arkansas, with an Oct. 30, 2020, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Air USA Inc., Edgewood, New Mexico (FA4890-20-D-0001); Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC., Newport News, Virginia (FA4890-20-D-0002); Blue Air Training, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA4890-20-D-0003); Coastal Defense, Mill Hall, Pennsylvania (FA4890-20-D-0004); Draken International, Lakeland, Florida (FA4890-20-D-0005); Tactical Air Support, Reno, Nevada (FA4890-20-D-0006); Top Aces Corp., Mesa, Arizona (FA4890-20-D-0007), have been awarded a combined not-to-exceed $6,400,000,000 multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Combat Air Force contracted air support operations. Contractors will provide complete contracted air support services for realistic and challenging advanced adversary air threats and close air support threats. Work will be performed in multiple locations across the Combat Air Force and provide complete services including, but not limited to: aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, aircraft systems support, pilots, aircraft maintenance, support equipment, in addition to program, quality, and contract management to meet military requirements and is expected to be completed by Oct. 29, 2024. This award is the result of a full and open, competitive acquisition and eight offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,800,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.