F-35 Office Eyes More Pilot Simulator Training
Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin F-35 media kit
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.
US Navy CAPT Robert Betts, program manager of the F-35 training management office, said the program is looking at reducing live training hours for the fighter jets’ pilots and moving to simulators as a way to cut sustainment costs, reports National Defense. Betts was speaking at the annual Training Simulation Industry Symposium last week in Florida. “Cost is the number one enemy of the F-35 enterprise,” Betts said.
Director of the National Security Agency and head of US Cyber Command GEN Paul Nakasone told a House Armed Services Subcommittee that his focus is on developing Cyber Command’s 133 teams, reports Defense Systems. He said he has concerns about creating a cyber force designed after the US Space Force, as was suggested by a member of the committee.
An executive order signed by President Joe Biden last week will overturn three executive orders former President Donald Trump issued against Chinese social media apps like Tik Tok and WeChat, reports Defense Systems. The previous orders never took effect because of legal challenges. Trump’s order sought to ban the use of the apps in the US.
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency experts are asking the defense industry to develop revolutionary enabling technologies for artificial intelligence and unmanned aircraft that would put the US ahead of its adversaries, reports for Military & Aerospace Electronics. DARPA is looking to identify promising technologies and move them to the next phase of development.
Three experts from the Center for Strategic and International Studies offer the best combination of visual data and technical explanation of China’s third aircraft carrier, reports Breaking Defense. It is looking like it will be the world’s second largest economy’s first “catapult assisted takeoff but arrested recovery” carrier, according to CSIS.
DefSec Lloyd Austin said that an extremist group like al-Qaida may be able to regenerate in Afghanistan and pose a threat to the US within two years of the American military’s withdrawal from that country, reports The Associated Press.
A sea mine planted by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck a cargo ship in the Red Sea on Friday, reports AP. Saudi TV did not provide any further details. The Saudi-led coalition tried to tackle the problem but they have few useful tools, reports Breaking Defense.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his government to be prepared for both dialogue and confrontation with the Biden administration, reports NPR. That came just days after the US and others urged the North to abandon its nuclear program and return to talks.
GEN Mark Milley told the Senate Appropriations Committee that he was shocked by the report last week of the military guns that had been lost or stolen, reports Military Times. He said he will consider a “systematic fix” to how the armed services keep account of their firearms. The AP investigation report on the weapons said that some were resurfacing in violent crimes, reports CBS News.
A labor shortage and slight increase in the volume of military household goods shipments is creating chaos this year for some military families with permanent change of station orders, reports Military.com.
Kathryn Monet, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans CEO, says the end of pandemic financial protections along with housing challenges could lead to “an unprecedented wave of veterans homelessness” in coming months, reports Military Times.
The European Council now says that countries in the European Union can gradually lift travel restrictions on several nations, including the United States, reports UPI.
The US Embassy in Afghanistan ordered a near-complete lockdown late last week because of a spike in coronavirus cases among employees, reports Military Times.
One million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were on their way Friday to Palestinians courtesy of the Israeli government, reports UPI.
A change in the law will allow service members to file medical malpractice claims for damages against the Defense Department, reports Military Times. Service members have had limited options for redressing such wrongs due to the Feres doctrine, which has banned service members from suing the military for decades.
The remains of three brothers from Wisconsin who were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor were identified last week, reports Navy Times. The Navy ship USS Barber, launched in 1943, was named in their honor. The remains of a Navy sailor from Thomas WV, who also died in the Pearl Harbor attack were identified, too, Navy Times reports.
Lockheed Martin in Owego has donated $75,000 to the State University of New York at Broome’s student emergency fund, which is meant to support students facing financial hardship, reports Binghamton Homepage. The company said that more than 300 of SUNY Broome’s alumni work for them.
Contracts:
Compass Systems Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $12,997,634 cost-plus-fixed-fee order N68335-21-F-0345 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This order provides threat drivers and requirements analysis, porotype development and experimentation, engineering support, modeling and simulation analysis, rapid prototyping to include fabrication, integration, lifecycle logistics support and forward deployed operations in support of command, control, communication, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology advancement to enhance communications techniques with operational mapping and network intelligence technology. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Maryland (38%); Yuma, Arizona (20%); Tampa, Florida (13%); Johnstown, Pennsylvania (10%); Braggs, Oklahoma (10%); San Diego, California (6%); and Virginia Beach, Virginia (3%), and is expected to be completed in June 2023. Fiscal 2021 procurement (DoD) funds in the amount of $818,228 will be obligated at the 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.
DSA LLC, Gadsden, Alabama, is awarded a $9,880,551 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the exercise of Option One for grounds maintenance and snow removal at Naval District Washington, DC, installations. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $19,941,857. The work to be performed provides for all managerial, supervision, labor, tools, materials, equipment and transportation necessary to accomplish work for grounds maintenance and snow removal. Work will be performed in Washington, DC; Quantico, Virginia; and Bethesda, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by June 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $3,228,109 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N40080-20-D-0303).
KPMG LLP, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a firm fixed price contract HQ0034-21-F-0254 for a maximum amount of $7,565,848. This action is a task order to existing blanket purchase agreement HQ0034-19-A-008. The purpose of this contract is for the Next Generation Resource Management System (NGRMS) support services to provide the development and delivery of a single integrated program/budget submission for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) fiscal and budgetary matters. Work performance will take place at the Pentagon and McLean, Virginia. Fiscal 2021 and 2022 research, development, technology, and evaluation funds will be funded in the amount of $2,992,198 at the time of the award. The expected completion date is Dec. 13, 2023. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
