CNO: Navy 7,000 Short on New Recruits

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.

Acting Chief of Naval Operations ADM Lisa Franchetti told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that the Navy is likely to miss its recruiting goals this year. “We started out the year thinking we’d be about 13,000 short,” Franchetti said. “We’re going to be about 7,000 short. We’re doing better month by month than we were last year.”

The Air Force will miss its annual enlisted recruiting goal across all three components for the first time since 1999, reports Air Force Times. The service made it about 90% of the way to its goal of 26,877 enlisted recruits, falling short by nearly 2,700 airmen, said BRIG GEN Christopher Amrhein of the Air Force Recruiting Service. Last week, the Air Force said it would fall short of its pilot training goal.

The US State Department has approved the sale of 25 more F-35s to South Korea, reports Breakfast Defense. The deal has an estimated price tag of $5.06 billion. South Korea already has a standing order for 40 F-35A models. This new deal would increase South Korea’s fifth-gen fighter fleet by more than 50%.

The US Air Force’s newest aircraft and weapons, and combat drones, are headed to the Pacific region, reports The Drive. The service revealed its Pacific Air Forces Strategy 2030 at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference last week at National Harbor, MD. It details the AF’s future Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, an artificial intelligence-loaded and weaponized unmanned companion vehicle similar to the “loyal wingman” concept.

Defense company executives attending the cyber conference said the Air Force’s desires are clear, reports Defense News. “That’s helpful, especially for companies that want to invest and lean forward and see how we can get speed,” said David Alexander, president of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

Today’s CCA effort evolved out of the Avatar program, reports Defense One, launched under then-DefSec Ash Carter sometime before 2016. But it took time just to persuade service leaders of the need for autonomous helper drones, said Will Roper, a former Air Force acquisition chief.

Proposed cost limits on CCA in the US House have drawn opposition from the Air Force, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. In its version of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, the House approved a provision setting cost limits of $3 million each for an “expendable” CCA, $10 million for an “attritable” CCA, and $25 million for an “exquisite” model, defined as one meant to be reused and whose loss would be deemed not acceptable.

Two former generals, Philip Breedlove and Ben Hodges, are urging House Republican members to approve more aid to Ukraine, reports Stars and Stripes. The retired generals said Ukraine is at a critical juncture in the war and has the momentum to take back occupied territory despite a slower-than-expected counteroffensive. They defended the arming of Ukraine as vital to American strategic interests.

Some Republican senators are urging President Joe Biden immediately provide the missiles Ukraine needs to win its war against Russia, reports The Hill. “It is essential that the United States immediately provide ATACMS so Ukraine can achieve vital objectives before winter and deny Russia the ability to fortify its positions,” reads a letter signed by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AK), Roger Wicker (R-S), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Washinton Examiner reports that China has imposed sanction on Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin over arms deals with Taiwan under the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the People’s Republic of China.

US Army GEN Charles Flynn, the service’s Pacific commander, warns of China’s military threat, reports Army Times. Flynn was speaking at a conference at Fort Moore, GA, when he said that Chinese political and military leaders are likely to make serious choices on how to use their military power at some point in the next decade. He said the Indo-Pacific and Asia “is the most consequential region at the most consequential time, and it has the most consequential adversary that has both the capability and the will, and it demonstrates it every single day to conduct operations to counter the United States.”

A collaborative autonomy corridor in Southern Maryland is creating high-skill jobs and innovation, reports The Business Journals. Key partners in the region include the University of Maryland; University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland, NAVAIR, NAWCAD, Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head, NSWC Dahlgren, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wallops Flight Facility; NAS Pax River, and Army, Navy, and NASA federal laboratories.

Northrop Grumman officials announced last week an agreement with Space Forge, a British company that plans to manufacture semiconductors in orbit, reports C4ISRNET. Through the arrangement, Northrop will provide technical and business advice, collaborate on design and testing, and offer training for Space Forge on microelectronics development.

BAE Systems has announced that it is partnering with Canadian firm Cellula Robotics to showcase its underwater drone next year, reports Defense News. The Herne, an extra-large drone, is designed so it can be launched and recovered in several ways, including from harbors, ships, or submarines.

BAE Systems and QinetiQ are exploring the possibility of joining forces in to collaborate in the aerial drones and mission management systems sector, reports Defense News.

The Navy decommissioned the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain earlier this month in San Diego, CA, reports Times of San Diego on MSN. The ship was originally commissioned in 1988. It supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch, the Global War on Terrorism, maritime security operations in the North Arabian Gulf, and counter-piracy operations during its more than 35 years in service.

Littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee was decommissioned earlier this month in Mayport, FL, reports Navy Times. The LCS had been in service less than 10 years. Service officials admit the ships stand little chance of surviving a conventional battle against China or another nation’s navy.

The USS Marinette is ready for service in the US Navy, reports WTAQ radio. The ship was commissioned Saturday in Wisconsin. The Marinette is part of the Freedom variant littoral combat ship fleet.

CMDR Brandon T. DeHaan, second-in-command of the Navy Pay and Personnel Support Center was fired Sept. 1, reports Navy Times. Navy Personnel Command officials said the relief came after an investigation into DeHaan, and that sailor pay and benefits were not impacted.

VA officials aren’t planning to restart deployment of its new electronic health records system until at least next summer, reports Military Times, but lawmakers are warning even that may be too optimistic, given continued software problems.

Contracts:

The Compass Systems Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $9,669,974 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N6833523F0389) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N6833518G0035). This order provides engineering, technical and program management support, as well as incidental supplies in support of technology advancement in the fields of machine learning; artificial intelligence; augmented reality; and command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Aircraft Prototype Systems Division. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in September 2024. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $810,000; fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $420,705; and fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and evaluation (Defense-wide) funds in the amount of $25,248, will be obligated at the time of award, $420,705 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. NAWCAD, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

The MIL Corp., Bowie, Maryland, is awarded a $224,378,154 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering, technical, and program management services and associated supplies in support of cyber warfare requirements and operations for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Digital Analytics Infrastructure and Technology Advancement Group, and the Cyber Warfare Department. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, Maryland (60%); and various locations that will be determined at the task order level (40%) and is expected to be completed in September 2028. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside; seven offers were received. NAWCAD Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042123D0021).

Analytic Services Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (HQ003423D0032); and Systems Planning & Analysis Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (HQ003423D0033), are awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, time and materials, and labor-hour contract line item numbers to provide analytic and technical support services. The total amount of this action is $1,500,000,000. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Future obligations will be drawn from operations and maintenance; and research, development, test and evaluation accounts. The total if all options are exercised is $1,500,000,000. The contractors will provide acquisition and sustainment oversight support, capability portfolio management, engineering and agile methodologies, acquisition intelligence, policy analysis and support, business and financial support, international programs and security, legislative analysis and support, data science, data analytics, data governance, and technical support. The work will be performed at the Pentagon Reservation and other sites within the National Capital Region. The estimated completion date is Sept. 28, 2028. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a not-to-exceed $100,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00002) to a previously awarded contract (N0001923C0009). This modification exercises an option to procure software licenses, prototypes, digital twins, and associated test hardware required to support F-35 Block Four early capability development for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%); Nashua, New Hampshire (16%); Baltimore, Maryland (9%); Orlando, Florida (5.5%); El Segundo, California (2%); San Diego, California (2%); Torrance, California (2%); Buffalo, New York (1%); Clearwater, Florida (1%); Northridge, California (1%); and Tucson, Arizona (0.5%), and is expected to be completed in March 2026. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $3,687,689; fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,687,688; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $1,624,623 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

KPMG LLP, McLean, Virginia is awarded a $30,848,758 seven-month firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable-no-fee bridge task order (M95494-23-F-0002) under the Department of Navy Financial Improvement Program IV contract (N00189-22-D-Z015) to continue financial improvement and audit readiness support services for the Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Installation and Logistics. This task order will provide continued assistance in the financial remediation of current and future audit deficiencies related to property, plant, equipment, inventory and related property, other asset segments and the acquire-to-retire, plan-to-stock, procure-to-pay and order-to-cash business mission areas. Work will be performed at the Pentagon and Naval Support Facility Arlington, Virginia (20%); Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (16%); Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California (7%); Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (7%); Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (7%); New Orleans, Louisiana (1%); Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii (2%); and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia (40%), with an expected completion date of April 27, 2024. This task order includes a four month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this task order to $47,941,886. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $20,721,133 are being obligated at time of award. This task order was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.505(b)(2)(i)(G). Marine Corps Installations Command, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M95494-23-F-0002).

Aerostar SES LLC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (W91238-23-D-0018); EA Engineering, Science and Technology Inc. PBC, Hunt Valley, Maryland (W91238-23-D-0019); ERRG-Stell JV, Martinez, California (W91238-23-D-0020); and Hltli JV LLC, Maxton, North Carolina (W91238-23-D-0021), will compete for each order of the $49,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide munitions support for the Air Force. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 14, 2028. US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, California, is the contracting activity.

Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $19,645,446 modification (P00081) to contract W31P4Q-21-F-0095 for modeling and simulation engineering services. Work will be performed at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 14, 2025. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds; and fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $19,645,446, were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting authority.

Milani Construction LLC, Washington, DC, was awarded an $18,084,999 firm-fixed-price contract for road widening. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed at Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 24, 2025. Fiscal 2023 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $18,084,999 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting authority (W912DR-23-C-0032).

Noblis Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $12,093,087 firm-fixed-price contract for support services. 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 Sept. 14, 2024. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $19,137,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-22-C-2300 for the incorporation of additional work items in support of the ongoing Combat System Availability for DDG 1002. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia (25%); Dublin, Pennsylvania (20%); National City, California (20%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (18%); Baltimore, Maryland (4%); Pensacola, Florida (3%); Exeter, New Hampshire (3%); Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2%); Mobile, Alabama (2%); and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 3%) and is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $19,137,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Groton, Connecticut, was awarded an $8,642,960 modification (P00001) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001123C0054 to develop models for the Advanced Propulsor, Experimental (APEX) program. The modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $18,004,008 from $9,361,048. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (36%); Concord, Massachusetts (35%); Arlington, Virginia (18%); Pawcatuck, Connecticut (9%); and San Diego, California (2%), with an estimated completion date of August 2024. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and engineering funds in the amount of $8,642,960 were obligated at time of award. This contract stems from a competitive acquisition in accordance with Broad Agency Announcement HR001122S0046. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Perdigita LLC, Fulton, Maryland, was awarded a $7,734,190 fixed-price, level-of-effort task order to provide advisory and assistance services for Headquarters Air Combat Command Flight Operations Division mission support. Work will be performed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2028. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with nine offers received. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,734,190 are being obligated at time of award. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center at Langley AFB, Virginia, is the contracting activity (FA4890-23-F-0079). (Awarded Sept. 13, 2023)

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $79,022,995 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-6259 to exercise options for Navy engineering design, development, and supporting material. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by December 2024. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $974,324 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Baron Communications, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $10,494,756 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electrical maintenance and repair services. This contract provides for facility investment services for electrical maintenance and repair services. Work will be performed at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia (73%); Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia (22%); Naval Weapon Station Yorktown, Virginia (3%); Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia (1%); Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia (1%); and other Hampton Roads, Virginia, locations and is expected to be completed by September 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $97,479 will be obligated via recurring work task order issued at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the sam.gov website, with two offers received. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N4008523D2502).

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a firm-fixed-price, level-of-effort, and time-and-materials contract (HQ003423C0104) valued at $98,872,652 to provide support to the Office of the Chief Prosecutor. Fiscal 2023 and 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,831,295 are being obligated at the time of award. The total, if all options are exercised, is $98,872,652, which is also the cumulative total of the contract. This contract serves to provide for a team of experts to provide translation, transcription, and interpretation services to the Office of the Chief Prosecutor. Personnel shall be cleared for work with classified materials, including Top Secret and higher, and shall be capable of traveling to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (NAVSTA GTMO). The work will be performed at locations in the National Capital Region as well as at NAVSTA GTMO. The estimated contract completion date is March 14, 2028. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.