F-35 Joins Philippines’ Training Exercise for 1st Time

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 military exercise in the Philippines, Balikatan, has begun with US and Australian troops participating. For the first time, F-35B Lightning IIs join the training in Southeast Asia, reports Stars and Stripes.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force stood up its first operational F-35A Lightning II unit last week, reports IHS Jane’s 360.

Four US senators have introduced a bill that seeks to block the transfer of F-35s to Turkey until that country gives up on the deal to procure S-400 air defense systems from Russia, reports Airforce Technology.

Trump administration officials have given tacit approval to Taiwan to buy more than 60 F-16s, reports South China Morning Post. US presidents since Bill Clinton have repeatedly rebuffed that country’s requests for new fighter jets that could provoke China.

US commanders facing off against growing Chinese and Russian fleets want more submarines in the Pacific, reports Breaking Defense. That will be a challenge as the Navy is struggling to keep its subs in service and out of extended repair availabilities.

President Donald Trump’s threat to close the US border with Mexico this week is no bluff, reports NBC News. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, on a Sunday morning talk show, “You can take the president seriously.”

Two Marine pilots died in an AH-1Z Viper helicopter crash in Arizona, reports Marine Corps Times. The incident occurred during a training mission at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

NASA canceled the first all-female spacewalk, scheduled to take place Friday, reports Florida Today. The reason? There was only one spacesuit that best fit both female astronauts.

The Trump administration has condemned Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro for what it said was his reliance on foreign military personnel to stay in power and renewed a warning to Russia against getting involved, reports Military Times.

The Maryland National Guard’s four top leaders are women, and three are African-American, reports Military Times. Maj. Gen. Linda L. Singh has been the highest-ranking commander of the state’s military since 2015. She’s the first African-American and first woman to serve as adjutant general for the Maryland Guard.

The Coast Guard should develop more equitable personnel policies to address the large number of women leaving the service, a new RAND Corp. study says. The Coast Guard wanted to find out why women are leaving at a much higher rate than men, reports The New London Day. Find details in the research brief here.

The Washington Post reports that the US government is working to safeguard against hacking and disinformation campaigns as it prepares for the 2020 Census, when it will count about 330 million people largely online for the first time.

The New England Patriots say Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino, 81, has died, reports Navy Times. The Naval Academy halfback was nicknamed the “Winchester Rifle.” In 1960, he became the first Navy player to win the Heisman.

Contracts:

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $151,287,000 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification (P00016) to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the procurement of long-lead items for the manufacture and delivery of 21 F-35 Lightning II Lot 14 low-rate initial production aircraft for the governments of Australia (15) and Norway (6). Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (30 percent); El Segundo, California (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Florida (10 percent); Nashua, New Hampshire (5 percent); Nagoya, Japan (5 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2022. International partner funds in the amount of $151,287,000 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchase for the governments of Australia ($108,170,000; 71 percent); and Norway ($43,117,000; 29 percent) under a cooperative agreement. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

MLT Systems LLC, Stafford, Virginia, is being awarded a $44,822,205 firm-fixed-price task order (M67854-19-F-3000) under previously awarded contract N00178-10-D-6179 for Program Manager Advanced Amphibious Assault support services for business, acquisition, logistics, engineering, and test and evaluation (T&E) related activities to include acquisition policy and program documentation development; program analysis; logistics management support to include government furnished property maintenance; financial management; engineering; and T&E support. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia (74 percent); Camp Pendleton, California (18 percent); Aberdeen, Maryland (5 percent); and Albany, Georgia (3 percent); and is expected to be completed by April 23, 2023. Fiscal 2019 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $8,297,486; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,067,314 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The base contract was competitively procured via SeaPort, Zone 2 – National Capital Region, with four offers received. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-F-3000).

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Baltimore, Maryland, is being awarded a $13,429,873 firm fixed-price contract modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-18-C-4208) to exercise options to procure Machinery Control System (MCS) consoles and cabinets for the DDG 51 new construction ship program and DDG 51 midlife modernization program and associated land based engineering sites. The DDG 51 Class MCS provides control and monitoring capability of the ship’s auxiliary, damage control, electrical, and propulsion systems. As part of its electrical capability, the MCS interfaces with the ship’s power generation and electrical distribution system. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (90 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) in the amount of $13,429,873 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Thor Solutions LLC, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $9,482,581 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, multiple award contract for professional and administrative support services to support Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC Pacific) corporate operations. Support includes total force manpower management; material control; travel services; facilities operations; data management and visualization; and general administrative support. This is one of three multiple award contracts. All awardees will have the opportunity to compete for task orders during the ordering period. This two-year contract includes two, two-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $28,719,124. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, and work for the base period is expected to be completed March 31, 2021. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through March 31, 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued using working capital funds (Navy); and operations and maintenance (Navy) funds. This contract was competitively procured via Request for Proposal N66001-18-R-0177 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central website. Nineteen offers were received and three were selected for award. NIWC Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-D-3421).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $7,241,880 advance acquisition contract modification (P00002) to a previously awarded cost-reimbursable contract (N00019-18-C-1028). This modification extends the period of performance and provides additional funding to procure long lead components, material, parts and associated efforts required to maintain the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System planned low rate initial production, lot 4 production schedule. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (25.3 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (22.7 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (20.2 percent); Bridgeport, West Virginia (8.2 percent); Red Oak, Texas (4.7 percent); Vandalia, Ohio (.2 percent); various locations within the continental US (15.1 percent); and various locations outside the continental US (3.6 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,241,880 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.