DefSec: China Building ‘Great Wall of Self-Isolation’
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Speaking before the graduates of the US Naval Academy last week, DefSec Ash Carter criticized China’s actions in the South China Sea and warned the Chinese government that it is on a path to build a “great wall of self-isolation,” The Washington Times reports. China plays by its own rules, a model DefSec Carter said that “is out of step with where the region wants to go, and it is counterproductive, far from a ‘win-win.'” For a complete transcript of DefSec Carter’s commencement address, click here.
The US Navy has an $848 million shortfall in its current operations and maintenance accounts, Defense News reports, and while there will be no impact to forces already deployed, continuing problems “would likely delay some deployments.”
Congress heard testimony late last week about a shortage of flyable fighter jets at Naval Air Station Oceana, The Virginian Pilot reports. USNI reports that three of four F/A-18s are not ready to go to war and it could take up to a year for the Navy to pull together enough reserve fighters, service officials told members of the House Armed Services Committee. At the same time as the testimony before lawmakers, two Super Hornets collided off the coast of North Carolina, Popular Mechanics reports.
The Boeing F/A Super Hornet is a possible two-engine solution as the Royal Canadian Air Force contemplates its next generation of fighters, Skies Magazine reports.
The Australian government outlined last week its local industry’s involvement in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program, IHS Jane’s 360 reports.
Leonard Glenn Francis, a businessman based in Singapore, was legendary on the high seas for his charm and his appetite for excess, The Washington Post reports. For years, he showered Navy officers with gifts, dinners, prostitutes, and cash bribes so they would look the other way as he swindled the Navy to refuel and resupply its ships. Read Craig Whitlock’s investigative report, “The man who seduced the 7th Fleet.”
Colleen O’Hare of Piney Point participated in the 500 For the Fallen, a 24-hour-a-day relay run from 9 am May 26 to 5 pm May 30, with handoffs at war memorials and historic sites on the more than 500 miles from Concord, MA, to the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, VA, Gatehouse Media’s Wicked Local reports. Ms. O’Hare’s husband, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ray O’Hare, died in July 2000 in a T-38 crash during a test mission at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
While the country honored all of the men and women who have served the US in uniform, MSN featured a few famous faces — from Clark Gable to Elvis — who also defended the red, white, and blue.
Contracts:
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, TX, is being awarded a $10,209,050 modification to delivery order 5503 previously issued against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification provides for the procurement of retrofit modification hardware and diminishing manufacturing source components required for F-35 Block 3F upgrades. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (90 percent); and Baltimore, MD (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Fiscal 2014 and 2015 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy); fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force and Marine Corps); and international partner funds in the amount of $5,104,526 will be obligated at time of award, $956,701 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases of the Marine Corps ($4,760,145; 47 percent); Air Force ($1,832,552; 18 percent); Navy ($608,067; 6 percent); and international partners ($3,008,287; 29 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity.
ASRC Communications Ltd., Beltsville, MD, has been awarded a $22,722,306 firm-fixed-price contract for the acquisition of base operations support services. Work will be performed at Vance Air Force Base, OK, with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2016. Fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $22,722,306 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a competitive acquisition with six offers received. The Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, 338th Specialized Contracting Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA3002-16-C-0004).
BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services, Rockville, MD, has been awarded a $49,619,052 modification to exercise an option (P00521) to previously awarded contract FA2517-06-C-8001 to manage, operate, maintain and logistically support the Solid State Phased Array Radar Systems. Work will be performed at Beale Air Force Base, CA; Cape Cod Air Force Station, MA; 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, 2017. Fiscal 2016 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $47,672,244 are being obligated at the time of award. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, CO, is the contracting activity (FA2517-06-C-8001).
Abacus Technology Corp., Chevy Chase, MD, has been awarded a $7,685,757 modification (30) to previously awarded task order FA8721-15-D-0009 0002 for engineering and technology acquisition support services. This modification adjusts the not-to-exceed amounts in order to accommodate a request for equitable adjustment. Contractor will provide disciplined systems and specialty engineering; technical and information assurance services; support, and products using established government, contractor, and industry processes. Work will be performed at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2016. This contract involves foreign military sales to Thailand, Poland, Morocco, Oman, and Romania. Fiscal 2015 and 2016 research, development, test and evaluation; other procurement; and operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,915,338 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA,, is the contracting activity.
Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, CA, is being awarded a $9,799,984 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, including options, for Technical Engineering, Advisory, and Management Support facilities life cycle management support. This contract provides the Missile Defense Agency with advisory and assistance services to include, but are not limited to, facility and infrastructure planning and programming and real property asset management; facilities and infrastructure design, acquisition, construction, and configuration management; integration and operations functions to synchronize strategic planning, acquisition, and financial management activities; and site activation, deployment, and integration for real property buildings and infrastructure during Ballistic Missile Defense System mission deployments. The requirements in this contract involve the global BMDS facilities and infrastructure for the agency to site, acquire, develop, oversee design and construction of, operate, and sustain facilities in a cost effective manner for the MDA mission, while ensuring environmental compliance and enhancing the safety and quality of the workplace. Requirements include facilities life-cycle management, site activation planning and programming, design, engineering, construction oversight, sustainment, demolition and disposal, deployment, and integration for geographically dispersed locations. Work will be performed in the National Capital Region; Huntsville, AL; Dahlgren, VA; Fort Drum, NY; Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA; Fort Greely, Alaska; Pacific Missile Range Facility, Hawaii; Clear Air Force Station, Alaska; Romania; Poland; Japan; Qatar; and Saudi Arabia, with an expected completion date of June 2017. Fiscal 2016 research and development funds in the amount of $1,970,000 are being obligated at time of award. This contract was competitively procured. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, AL, is the contracting activity (HQ0147-16-C-0039).
