Fire on Navy Ship Under Investigation
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.
Officials are investigating a fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard on Sunday that injured more than a dozen sailors and several civilians, ABC News reports. The fire is believed to have stated in a cargo hold on the ship docked at Naval Base San Diego, reports Navy Times. The chief of Naval Operations issued this statement Sunday.
First and second class midshipmen will begin to returning to the US Naval Academy this month under a staggered plan, reports Navy Times.
The US Air Force wants to expand the boundaries of the test and training range at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, reports Air Force Times. That proposal is meeting opposition from members of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation. The new boundaries would extend into a national wildlife refuge.
Spain is set to receive new Eurofighter combat aircraft to expand its existing fleet and to begin the process of replacing its Boeing EF-18 Hornet fleet, reports janes.com.
Ever wonder what separates a Navy pilot from an Air Force pilot? Aerotime Hub says there are several differences between the two, from the requirements to their various pilot wings.
The Drive reports that for the past few weeks, US military activity in the skies has increased near Taiwan and the Philippines. Tensions between the US and China continue to heighten, reports The National Interest, and China seems to be looking to Soviet military strategy and practices as a possible approach to confronting American power.
China is calling the recent US approval of the sale of F-35s to Japan a threat to its country and Russia, reports EurAsia Times. Beijing has expressed concern that having such advanced jets in the region which could be detrimental to the security of both China and Russia.
The Trump administration is working to secure 10 icebreakers for the US Coast Guard, reports The Drive. This comes after President Donald Trump ordered the Coast Guard to review its existing icebreaker plans and to look into the possibility of buying or leasing additional ice-capable ships, including nuclear-powered types.
South Korea wants the US to revive talks with North Korea, reports The Associated Press. Japanese defense officials believe North Korea is diversifying and strengthening its latest missiles, reports UPI News.
Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the top US commander in the Middle East, sees Iran’s decision-making abilities in “disarray” after a US drone strike killed a senior Iranian commander in January, reports Bloomberg, but the general doesn’t expect the lull to last.
Retired US Navy admiral James Stavridis tells Voice of America that the US needs to keep the current number of troops in Afghanistan in order to protect the progress that has been made there. He urges a period of stability.
The Pentagon’s director of defense research and engineering for modernization, Mark Lewis, will perform the duties of the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, reports Defense News. The undersecretary and his deputy stepped down from their positions last month.
The US, China, and the United Arab Emirates are sending unmanned spacecraft to Mars in quick succession beginning this week, reports The Associated Press. The UAE spacecraft is set to launch July 15, with China’s launch around July 23. The US launch is targeted for July 30, according to NASA. Here are some quick facts about Mars 2020 Mission Perserverance Rover.
Maryland and Virginia senators said last week that they believe the Trump administration’s reopening guidelines for federal agencies are “unsafe” for employees, reports Federal News Network.
Military Times reports that the COVID-19 rate among military members is growing at twice the nationwide rate.
Marine Forces Japan has returned to health protection condition Charlie, reports Marine Corps Times, increasing restrictions on Marines in hopes of slowing the spread of COVID-19 after its recent return to Okinawa, Japan. Two USMC camps have been placed on lockdown. Okinawa wants tougher prevention measures from the US after it learned more than 60 Marines at the two bases reportedly tested positive, reports The Guardian.
Though the pandemic has lowered basic training graduation rates this year, Army and Air Force leaders say they are not expecting shortfalls in their end-strength numbers, reports Army Times. They credited the expected success to historically high retention rates.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt has returned to it homeport, reports UPI News, after its six-month deployment. The carrier pulled into San Diego on Thursday led by a new captain who came aboard after the previous commanding officer was fired over the handling of a massive COVID-19 outbreak on board.
Contracts:
Filius Corp., Centreville, Virginia, has been awarded a $70,617,597 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for the AN/TYQ-23A (V)1 Tactical Air Operations Module weapons system logistics support. The contractor will provide all labor, tools, equipment, technical data/manuals, materials, supplies, parts, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) service bulletins and services necessary to perform contractor logistics support on TYQ-23A (V)1 in accordance with OEM standards (commercial standards if third party is performing service/repair), including software/firmware upgrades. This support will also include emergency and preventative maintenance for any future technologies designed to be implemented in the TYQ-23A. Work will be performed in Centreville, Virginia, and is expected to be completed July 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with five offers received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,300,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8217-20-D-0005).
Blue Rock Structures Inc., Pollocksville, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6300); Daniels & Daniels Construction Co. Inc., Goldsboro, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6301); Joyce & Associates Construction Inc., Newport, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6302); Military & Federal Construction Co. Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6303); Quadrant Construction Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6304); and TE Davis Construction Co., Jacksonville, North Carolina (N40085-16-D-6305), are awarded a $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price modification to increase the maximum dollar value of indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award construction contracts for general construction services within the Marine Corps Installations East area of responsibility. After award of this modification, the total maximum dollar value for all six contracts combined will be $339,000,000. Work will be performed at Navy and Marine Corps installations at various locations including, but not limited to, North Carolina (90%); Georgia (3%); South Carolina (3%); Virginia (3%); and other areas of the US (1%). The work to be performed provides for general construction services including, but not limited to, new construction, demolition, repair, alteration and renovation (total/partial/interior/exterior) of buildings, systems and infrastructure, which may include civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and communication systems; installation of new or extensions to existing high voltage electrical distribution systems; extensions to the existing high pressure steam distribution systems, potable water distribution systems and sanitary sewer systems; additional storm water control systems; painting; removal of asbestos materials and lead paint; and incidental related work. Work is expected to be completed by December 2020. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operations and maintenance (Marine Corps); and military construction funds (Marine Corps). The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $35,346,618 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-16-C-4316) to continue performance of the repair, maintenance, upgrades and modernization efforts on the USS Helena (SSN 725) dry-docking selected restricted availability (DSRA). Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia. The contracted requirements include advance and new work efforts necessary to repair, and maintain full unrestricted operation of the submarine, as well as upgrades and modernization efforts required to ensure the submarine is operating at full technical capacity as defined in the availability work package during the Chief of Naval Operations scheduled availability. Work is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $35,346,618 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), this contract was not competitively procure; only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirement. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
L3 Technologies Inc., Camden, New Jersey, is awarded a $34,999,948 fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract for the detail design and fabrication of a prototype Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV). This contract includes options for up to eight additional MUSVs, logistics packages, engineering support, technical data, and other direct costs, which, if exercised, will bring the cumulative value of this contract to $281,435,446. Work will be performed in Morgan City, Louisiana (72.7%); Arlington, Virginia (9.8%); Jeanerette, Louisiana (8.1%); New Orleans, Louisiana (6.6%); Worthington, Ohio (1.7%); Lafayette, Louisiana (0.9 %); and Gautier, Mississippi (0.2%), and is expected to be completed by December 2022. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2027. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $34,999,948 will be obligated at the time of award, and $29,779,038 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities (now beta.SAM.gov), and five offers were received. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-6312).
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum, Maryland, is awarded an $11,300,000 not-to-exceed, cost-plus fixed-fee contract for the procurement of transitional development and sustaining engineering services for the Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR), to include software support activity transition, low/slow/small capability development and ground weapons locating radar improvements. The G/ATOR program is managed within the portfolio of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $2,217,296; and fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $3,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured and was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 US Code 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $7,845,596 hybrid (cost-no-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to provide US Forces Korea with information technology, architecture and engineering, command and control networks and associated systems support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed in Pyongtaek, South Korea, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2025. The 411th Contracting Support Brigade, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea, is the contracting activity (W91QVN-20-F-0440).
