F-35 Fleet Upkeep Becoming More Challenging

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.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office is weighing how to fix a newly discovered glitch that halted deliveries of the Lockheed Martin fighter jet for 30 days in Fort Worth, reports the Star-Telegram. The problem was linked to a primer that is supposed to be applied as a protective layer on aluminum fasteners to prevent corrosion. Upkeep of the F-35 fleet will become more challenging as the Pentagon prepares for what the program’s manager has called a “tsunami” of new production.

US Air Force bombers conducted drills over South Korea, reports Reuters, raising tensions with North Korea just days before President Donald Trump began his 12-day, five country visit to Asia. In remarks made at the president’s first stop at Yokata Air Base in Tokyo over the weekend, President Donald Trump warned that “no dictator” should underestimate the US, reports International Business Times, a thinly veiled reference to North Korea. On Sunday, North Korea warned President Trump against making “reckless remarks,” reports AFP.

Lawmakers have agreed on a new package of sanctions on North Korea, reports Reuters. The Senate Banking Committee will likely act on the legislation this week, while President Donald Trump is on his first trip to Asia since taking office.

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye completed its first aerial refueling, reports Shephard Media. During the four-hour flight, 10 dry plugs and two wet plugs were performed, resulting in the successful transfer of more than 1,700 pounds of fuel from a KC-130 Hercules.

The Air Force’s 45th Space Wing supported SpaceX’s successful launch of the KoreaSat-5A satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket Oct. 30 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, reports UPI. Meanwhile elsewhere last week, 10 new Earth-imaging satellites were launched aboard an Orbital ATK Minotaur C rocket and placed in an orbit 310 miles above the Earth, reports C4ISRNET. There were six SkySat spacecraft and four miniature Dove satellites launched at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California

Billionaire Richard Branson is expanding with a third space-based company, Vox Orbit, reports Popular Mechanics. Vox Orbit’s particular niche will be commercial and government contracts.

A report from Mangum Economics says Hampton Roads lost 9,700 jobs between September 2016 and September 2017, reports WTKR.com. The report was conducted on behalf of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe cited cuts to defense spending as a continuing reason for the job decline. “[Hampton Roads] got hit hard with sequestration. That’s been my argument since day one,” Gov. McAuliffe said. “We’ve got to diversify. We can’t just rely on defense.”

Lockheed Martin will develop a giant unmanned subsea vehicle called Orca, reports The Engineer. Officially referred to as the Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, or XLUUV, Orca will have long-range autonomous capabilities.

The Lebanese Army received the first two A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft from the US late last month, reports Defense News. The two aircraft are the first of six that will be provided by the US.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense says a Yemeni ballistic missile was intercepted over northeast Riyadh on Saturday whose target was an airport in Saudi Arabia, CNN reports.

After 18 months of review, the VA announced plans to “further explore” adding ailments to the list of compensable conditions VA presumes were caused by exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War, Stars and Stripes reports.

Dr. Chris Wilhelm, the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division’s customer advocate for science and technology lead, gave attendees at the recent MEDA fall conference background on the government’s technology transfer program, reports South Potomac Pilot. “It’s important for our organizations to ensure we’re allowing the private sector to keep aware of all the partnering opportunities that are available on our installations,” Wilhelm said.

Contracts:

Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded $260,345,336 for modification P00010 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price (N00019-17-C-0034) for procurement of 196 Tomahawk Block IV all-up-round vertical launch system missiles and spares in support of the Navy. In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of spare parts and support for the government of the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (23.95 percent); Walled Lake, Michigan (12.41 percent); Camden, Arkansas (10.76 percent); Gainesville, Virginia (7.5 percent); El Segundo, California (6.5 percent); Glenrothes, Scotland (4.4 percent); Fort Wayne, Indiana (3.7 percent); Clearwater, Florida (3.4 percent); Middletown, Connecticut (3.1 percent); Spanish Fork, Utah (2.46 percent); Ontario, California (2.4 percent); Midland, Ontario, Canada (2.21 percent); Vergennes, Vermont (1.96); Dublin, Georgia (1.9 percent); Berryville, Arkansas (1.7 percent); Westminster, Colorado (1.14 percent); Simsbury, Connecticut (0.73 percent); Moorpark, California (0.71 percent); Valencia, California (0.69 percent); Hollister, California (0.69 percent); Mesa, California (0.6 percent); East Camden, Arkansas (0.55 percent); South El Monte, California (0.51 percent), and various locations inside the continental US (6.03 percent). Work is expected to be completed in August 2019. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 weapons procurement (Navy); and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $260,345,336 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Navy ($256,702,665; 98.6 percent); and the government of the United Kingdom ($3,642,671; 1.4 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Norfolk Dredging Co., Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded a $9,649,750 firm-fixed-price contract for Craney Island eastward expansion, main dike dredging and debris removal in Portsmouth, Virginia. Bids were solicited via the Internet with two received. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2018. Fiscal 2018 civil works funds in the amount of $9,649,750 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-18-C-0002).

General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a firm-fixed-price, bridge contract for $29,330,743. This contract provides professional program management services for continued information technology (IT) application support and management for the Military Health System. The initial award is from Nov. 04, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018, with an additional six-month option at an estimated value of $10,413,282. The total estimated contract value is $29,330,743. This bridge contract was a sole-source acquisition under General Services Administration’s IT Schedule 70 and fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance funds. This sole-source bridge contract is to maintain the current support and service for Defense Health Agency health IT applications while transitioning to a new IT platform. The Defense Health Agency, Contract Operations – Health Information Technology, San Antonio, Texas is the contracting activity (HT0015-18-F-0008).

22nd Century Technologies Inc., McLean, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0001); AASKl Technology Inc., Tinton Falls, New Jersey (HC1028-18-D-0002); Ace Info Solutions Inc., Reston, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0003); ActioNet Inc., Vienna, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0004); AECOM XNet LLC, Germantown, Maryland (HC1028-18-D-0005); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., Mclean, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0006); CACI Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0007); CSRA LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0008); ECS Federal LLC, Fairfax, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0009); General Dynamics One Source LLC, Fairfax, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0010); IAP C4ISR, Cape Canaveral, Florida (HC1028-18-D-0011); IndraSoft Inc., Reston, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0012); Leidos Innovations Corp., Gaithersburg, Maryland (HC1028-18-D-0013); ManTech Advanced Systems Intl Inc., Herndon, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0014); NES Associates LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0015); NetCentrics Corp., Herndon, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0016); Next Tier Concepts Inc., Vienna, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0017); Phacil Inc., Arlington, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0018); Qbase LLC, Beavercreek, Ohio (HC1028-18-D-0019); Solers Inc., Arlington, Virginia (HC1028-18-D-0020), were awarded a suite of not-to-exceed multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contracts for providing a full range of information technology (IT) services and solutions required by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and other agencies of the federal government. The face value of this action is $10,000 (a $500 minimum guarantee to each contractor), funded by no year defense working capital funds. The total cumulative face value of the contracts is $17,500,000,000 (cumulative ceiling amount) for all ID/IQ contracts issued in both the full and open and small business set-aside suites combined. This notification is for the full and open suite only. Performance will be at locations across the globe wherever DoD IT services are required. Proposals were solicited via www.FBO.gov, and 72 proposals were received. The period of performance is a five-year base period and five one-year option periods. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Manhattan Construction Co., Arlington, Virginia, is being awarded a $63,308,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an Electronic Science and Technology Laboratory at Naval Research Laboratory. The work to be performed provides for the renovation and restoring of buildings 75 and 65 to provide research, testing and laboratory facilities for the electronic science and technology mission. The contract also contains three unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $68,597,328. Work will be performed in Washington, District of Columbia, and is expected to be completed by November 2019. Fiscal 2015 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $63,308,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N40080-18-C-0005).

Asturian Group Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, is being awarded $9,691,737 for firm-fixed-price task order N4008518F4124 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-17-D-5045) for Building M123 repairs at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The work provides for critical repairs and energy efficiency measures to the historically significant Building M123 which was constructed in 1828. The project will renovate spaces and electrical and mechanical system and architectural finishes will be provided in the renovated areas. Structural repairs will occur within the facility at areas included in the renovation, and also at the main entry porch, stairways, and egress pathways in order to comply with fire and life safety codes. Hydronic heating systems will be repaired or replaced in areas that are being renovated, as well as lighting and power repairs. Fire suppression and mass notification systems shall be repaired and provided in areas where the deficiencies exist. Primary facility electrical repairs include the replacement of the main electric service and replacing main distribution systems. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by November 2018. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $9,691,737 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.