March 29, 2024

F-35 Squadron Passes Safe-for-Flight Test

F-35 Safe-for-Flight

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.

A US Navy F-35C Lighting II squadron netted a safe-for-flight operations certification last week, hitting another milestone on the way to initial operational capability, reports Navy Times. Pentagon officials say that could come as soon as late February.

North Korea is criticizing South Korea for its decision to purchase foreign weapons — Israeli-made Green Pine Block C radar systems, US-made P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and other military hardware — saying the move is equivalent to violating their military agreement to reduce tensions, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Military officials have identified the five KC-130J crew members killed in a midair collision off the coast of Japan on Dec. 6, Air Force Times reports. They are Lt. Col. Kevin R. Herrmann, Maj. James M. Brophy, Staff Sgt. Maximo Alexander Flores, Cpl. William C. Ross, and Cpl. Daniel E. Baker. they were killed when their KC-130J collided with an F/A-18. The two pilots, Herrmann and Brody, and aircrew members Flores, Ross, and Baker were assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, out of Iwakuni, Japan.

President Donald Trump said in a tweet that he would review the case of the former Army commando charged with killing a suspected Taliban bomb-maker in Afghanistan, reports MSN News. Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, accused of premeditated murder, could face the death penalty if he is convicted in the 2010 slaying. President Trump said that at the request of many, he will look into the case.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group and the Essex Amphibious Ready Group started integrated operations in the Arabian Sea last week, supporting operations in Afghanistan, reports USNI News.

Australia is being urged to work with the US on the next generation of attack submarines, reports The Australian Financial Review, saying the US Congress is under pressure to find ways of making up what is expected to be a shortage of submarines in the future.

A new Dartmouth College study says Veterans Affairs hospitals outperform private-sector medical options in most cases, reports Military Times. This comes at a time when the administration supports shifting more veterans care into the private sector.

The Trump administration wants the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of a ban on transgender people serving in the military while it fights legal challenges to the new policy, reports The Hill.

Retired Capt. Zachary “Bo” Henry died last month after a long battle with myelodysplastic syndrome, reports DC Military. After several assignments at NAS Pax River, Capt. Henry served as its executive officer and then as commanding officer from July 9, 2004, to July 20, 2006. He retired with full honors in 2006 after serving in the Navy for a little more than 29 years. He lived in Leonardtown. He was 63.

Hiring Our Heroes President Eric Eversole talked with Military Times about the challenges military spouses face when looking for jobs in the civilian sector, including common misperceptions that employers have about this group. Mr. Eversole also offered tips for how to address military family life in your next job interview.

The Fleet Readiness Center East celebrated its 75th anniversary with a ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, reports Carteret News-Times. FRC East operates under the Naval Air Systems Command, headquartered at NAS Pax River, as one of eight fleet readiness centers around the world.

A local teacher has started a petition drive to “save Oxon Cove Park” in Prince George’s County from becoming the site for a new stadium for the Washington Redskins, reports Maryland Matters. Recent news reports outline a potential land swap between the state of Maryland and the federal government — a deal that could lead to Redskins owner Daniel Snyder building a new stadium on the 300-acre site along the Potomac River.

Contracts:

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded a $92,361,661 not-to-exceed firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Phase 1 integrated logistics support for 22 F/A-18E and 6 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft in support of the government of Kuwait under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (85 percent); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (8 percent); New Orleans, Louisiana (5.5 percent); China Lake, California (.5 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (.5 percent); and Gulf Port, Mississippi (.5 percent), and is expected to be completed in December 2020. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $38,792,947 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 US Code. 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-19-C-0033).

CRL Technologies Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded an $84,327,079 cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for lead systems integrator contractor support services to perform engineering, technical and project management for a wide variety of new and existing programs and platforms in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s AIRWorks organization. Work will be performed in Lexington Park, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; five offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-19-D-0026).

Envisioneering Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00173-19-D-2002); R&M Technology Solutions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (N00173-19-D-2003); Technology Service Corp., Arlington, Virginia (N00173-19-D-2005); Remcom Inc., State College, Pennsylvania (N00173-19-D-2004); and Cutlass Systems Engineering LLC, Laurel, Maryland (N00173-19-D-2001), are awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for Modeling, Analysis, Research, and Simulation (MARS). The cumulative face value on this multiple award contract is a combined $48,400,000. This action does not include options. Work will be performed at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia (90 percent); and depending on each task order, one of the following contractor’s facility – Alexandria, Virginia; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; State College, Pennsylvania; Laurel, Maryland (10 percent). This contract has a five-year ordering period and is expected to be completed Dec. 11, 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated as task orders are issued. This contract is one of five contracts being competitively procured under a request for proposal #N00173-16-R-JH03 for which six proposals were received. The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is awarded $35,034,283 for modification P00001 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00030-19-C-0003) for research and development, and sustainment efforts for the US SSBN Fire Control Sub-system (FCS), the UK FCS and the U.S. SSGN Attack Weapon Control System, including training and support equipment and US/UK Shipboard data system. Work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (98 percent); Kings Bay, Georgia (1 percent); and Dahlgren, Virginia (1 percent), with an expected completion date of September 2019. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $23,665,513; fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,666,207; fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,857,813, and UK funds in the amount of $2,844,750 are being obligated on this award. Funds in the amount of $5,666,207 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

Kearney & Company PC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a labor-hour contract option with a maximum value of $8,799,484 for audit services of the Marine Corps General Fund financial statements. Work will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2019. This contract is the result of a competitive acquisition for which four quotes were received. The contract had a 15-month base period plus three individual one-year option periods, with a maximum value of $38,372,103. This award brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $29,328,747. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Navy funds in the amount of $8,799,484 are being obligated at the time of this option award. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Contract Services Directorate, Columbus, Ohio, is the contracting activity (HQ0423-16-F-0114).

Textron Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana, is awarded a $314,288,369 modification to previously awarded letter contract N00024-17-C-2480 for the procurement of additional long lead time material (LLTM) for the Ship to Shore Connector program, Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 100 Class Craft 109 through 118, for the continuation of pre-fabrication activities for LCAC 109 through 112, and for the initial procurement of LLTM for LCAC 119 through 123. The SSC Program is the functional replacement for the existing fleet of vehicles, which are nearing the end of their service life. It is an Air Cushion Vehicle designed for a 30-year service life. The SSC mission is to land surface assault elements in support of Operational Maneuver from the Sea, at over-the-horizon distances, while operating from amphibious ships and mobile landing platforms. SSC provides increased performance to handle current and future missions, as well as improvements which will increase craft availability and reduce total ownership cost. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana (46 percent); Leesburg, Virginia (18 percent); Mandal, Norway (8 percent); Gloucester, United Kingdom (7 percent); Livonia, Michigan (7 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (4 percent); Eatontown, New Jersey (2 percent); Gold Beach, Oregon (2 percent); Riverdale, Iowa (2 percent); Huntington Beach, California (2 percent); Metairie, Louisiana (2 percent), and is expected to be complete by July 2023. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the combined amount of $235,716,277 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

AC FIRST LLC., Germantown, Maryland, was awarded a $129,918,292 modification (0002 37) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0048 for logistics support services, maintenance, supply, and transportation services. Work will be performed in Bagram, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 21, 2019. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $12,500,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $65,615,581 cost-type term order for Xdomain technology through research, evolution, enhancement, maintenance, and support software and report. The scope of this effort is to provide engineering, programmatic and technical expertise, to include: requirements definition/analysis, research, systems engineering, software engineering, development testing, software integration, quality control, configuration management, system integration, interoperability testing, security analysis/implementation, lab-based security assessment testing support, system installation planning, system component procurement, on-site installation/configuration, site security assessment testing support, system familiarization, and system operational support. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia; and Rome, New York, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 15, 2023. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $250,000; and fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $72,615 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-19-F-0003).

CORRECTION: The Nov. 8 announcement that Deloitte & Touche LLP, Arlington, Virginia, was awarded an $18,056,941 firm-fixed-price contract to provide a cyberspace analytics capability was announced early, and incorrectly stated the estimated date of completion and amount of obligated funds. The contract was actually awarded Dec. 12, 2018; the estimated date of completion is Nov. 11, 2023; and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $8,736,000 were obligated at the time of the award. All other information in the announcement was correct.

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