March 29, 2024

F-35 Called Safe, Despite Wrong Bolts

F-35 bolts

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.

DoD’s acquisition chief Ellen Lord says the F-35 fleet is safe to fly, despite an unknown number of under-strength bolts in critical areas of the jet, reports Air Force Magazine. Potentially the entire fleet of 400-plus F-35s are affected. Lord has “looked at samples” of the mixed-up fasteners and said, “Right now we have assessed that there is no structural compromise of the aircraft.”

Testing suggests the US Navy’s $13 billion super-carrier isn’t ready to defend itself in combat, reports Business Insider. The Pentagon’s weapons testing office reported three critical combat systems on the USS Gerald R. Ford that “reduce the overall self-defense capability of the ship.”

VA deputy secretary is fired after “loss of confidence,” reports Military Times. Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie abruptly fired James Byrne, the second-highest department official, saying he had lost confidence in Mr. Byrne’s ability to perform the job. The department has had four different secretaries and four more acting secretaries in the past five years. VA’s top health official post has been vacant since President Donald Trump took office.

Afghan security forces averaged one insider attack every four days in the closing months of 2019, Task & Purpose reports on findings from the special inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

The dozens of troops treated for traumatic brain injuries after an Iranian missile strikes on Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, are eligible for Purple Hearts, reports Military.com, if their individual services decide to award them.

The Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald, wrecked in a deadly 2017 accident, returns to sea, reports Defense News. The ship will get a full shakedown of its navigation, mechanical, electrical, propulsion, communications, and combat systems to verify its readiness to rejoin the fleet. The collision off Japan claimed the lives of seven sailors.

The Hill reports DOD’s inspector general will review military use of a cancer-linked chemical spread, in part, by its use in firefighting foam. Abbreviated as PFAS, it has contaminated water in at least 425 military sites.

 

 

More evacuees from China are expected to arrive for quarantine at four US military bases, reports Military Times. Flights from China carrying US State Department evacuees and other American citizens will arrive at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Travis Air Force Base in California, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, and Fort Carson, Colorado. Evacuees will be screened and quarantined for the coronavirus that has sickened at least 17,000 people worldwide.

US Forces Korea imposes a mandatory 14-day quarantine for US troops returning from China, reports Military Times, to avoid the spread of the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China.

The fiasco in Iowa’s Democratic Caucus is being called a “total meltdown,” reports Politico. The breakdown of the technical system that was to tabulate totals set off bedlam in the first contest for the Democratic presidential nomination, triggering competing claims of victory and stoking doubts about the legitimacy of the eventual outcome.

Somewhere off the coast of a tiny island in the South China Sea small robotic submarines snoop around, looking for underwater obstacles as ­remotely controlled ships prowl the surf. Overhead multiple long-range drones scan the beachhead and Chinese military ­fortifications deeper into the hills. Marine Corps Times provides an inside look at how Marines and robots will fight side by side.

The Broadway show “Hamilton” is set for release by Disney in fall 2021, reports Deadline. Disney, paying $75 million for worldwide rights to the show that won 11 Tony Awards in 2016, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, cinched the deal with a commitment for a wide global theatrical release for the 2-hour, 40-minute movie.

Contracts:

Lyon Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-20-D-0001); BMFT JV, Chesapeake, Virginia (N50054-20-D-0002); Colonna’s Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-20-D-0003); Fairlead Boatworks, Newport News, Virginia (N50054-20-D-0004); and East Coast Repair and Fabrication, Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-20-D-0005), are each awarded a fixed-price, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide messing and berthing barges support in support of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia. Lyon Shipyard Inc. is awarded $82,029,325; BMFT JV is awarded $87,651,824; Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. is awarded $96,692,648; Fairlead Boatworks is awarded $97,020,569; and East Coast Repair and Fabrication is awarded $109,260,981. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative ceiling value of this contract to $109,260,981. Work will be primarily performed in the Hampton Roads area, Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2021; if options are exercised, work is expected to be completed by February 2025. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $60,000 ($12,000 minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated at time of award, and funding in the amount of $60,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This multiple award contract was procured as a small business set-aide via Federal Business Opportunities with six offers received. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Colonna Shipyards Inc., Norfolk, Virginia, is being awarded a $10,536,728 firm-fixed-price contract for a 75-day shipyard availability for the regular post shakedown availability of USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10). Work will include Pump Room 1 and 2 renewal, tow modifications, Pump Room 7 and 8, ladder install, bilge preservation main engine rooms, line shaft bearing annual maintenance, freeze protection pipe heat trace instillation, freeze protection mission bay installation, perform annual stern ramp maintenance, install fuel sensors in diesel fuel service system, modify diesel fuel bunking piping, stern ramp upgrades, fire station isolation valves, adaptive force package temporary sensitive compartment information facility installations and temporary sensitive compartment information facility adaptive force package heating ventilation and an air condition upgrade install. This contract includes a 75-day base period and three options, which if exercised would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $10,711,518. Work will be performed at Colonna Shipyard Inc. and is expected to be completed by May 15, 2020. Navy working capital contract funds in the amount of $10,536,728 are obligated for fiscal 2020, and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the beta.SAM.gov website and two offers received. The Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-20-C-6712).

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