Former Pax Test Pilot to Lead Next NASA ISS Mission

Jasmin Moghbeli, then a pilot assigned to Marine Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1, conducts her final flight in an AH-1 “Cobra” at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ, in June 2017, before reporting to Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, later that year to attend the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class of 2017. (US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Christian Cachola)

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.

LT COL Jasmin Moghbeli, a Marine Corps pilot and astronaut, will lead NASA’s next space station mission, reports Navy Times. Moghbeli will serve as the commander of the upcoming SpaceX Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station. The research mission is slated to launch August 17. Moghbeli is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Pax River.

Pax River test pilot instructor LT CMDR Doug Schmidt recently headlined the CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show, reports Dayton Daily News. In an interview with his hometown newspaper before the July 22-23 show, Schmidt said early in his youth he knew he knew he wanted to be a pilot. Why the Navy and not the Air Force? Schmidt said he wanted to do the most challenging thing a pilot can do — land on an aircraft carrier.

Some US defense contractors are lobbying Congress to restore a tax credit that partially expired last year, reports Defense News. Two lawmakers are criticizing Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics over the millions of dollars they have spent lobbying to fully restore a research and development credit Congress enacted in 2017. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) called the tax breaks “nothing but corporate handouts.”

On Thursday, US Senate lawmakers approved their version of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, which outlines $886 billion in defense spending next fiscal year and mandates a host of program and policy changes for the military, reports Military Times.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen touted his vote Thursday to pass the FY24 NDAA in the Senate, his office reports. Among the provisions in the bill is the relocation of the Joint Spectrum Center from Annapolis to the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade. The NDAA also authorizes $62 million for aircraft development and maintenance facilities at NAS Pax River and $38 million for the hydrant fueling system at Joint Base Andrews.

Van Hollen also has joined other lawmakers in introducing a bill that would prevent the closure of Air National Guard fighter squadrons at a time when pilot and maintenance manning are at critically low levels, his office reports. The Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act will ensure the Air Force maintains 25 ANG fighter squadrons across 22 states, according to the legislation. Van Hollen noted that the 175th Wing of Maryland’s Air National Guard plays an integral role in keeping the nation safe.

Air & Space Forces Magazine reports why the USAF is wary of this new bill. Retired Air Force fighter pilot MAJ GEN Donald Shepperd, in an opinion piece for The Hill, wrote that the “Air National Guard provides an avenue to help rebuild fighter capacity within existing budgets — if we fully leverage it.” He said that the significant role the Air Guard plays in today’s Air Force is unappreciated by many.

TEDCO, Maryland’s economic engine for tech companies, announced its new board of directors earlier this month, reports PRNewswire. Former delegate John Bohanan was named to the board. Bohanan served on the staff of Rep. Steny Hoyer for 22 years and as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for St. Mary’s County from 1999 until 2015. For 21 years, he was principally responsible for interfacing with the congressional district’s two largest military installations – NAS Pax River and Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center. Ellen Flowers-Fields has been named vice chair of the board. She has more than 25 years of experience in workforce development and human capital management and is currently serves as associate vice president for Continuing Education and Workforce Development at the College of Southern Maryland.

Maryland’s former governor Martin O’Malley has been nominated by President Joe Biden to head the Social Security Administration, reports NBC News. SSA has been operating without a Senate-confirmed commissioner for two years.

The investigation into the F-35 fighter jet crash at Hill Air Force Base in Utah in October 2022 found that the crash was due to a computer glitch caused by turbulence, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. The July 27 report found the crash was caused by a glitch in the aircraft software system which occurred after the pilot, who survived with minor injuries after ejecting from the jet, flew too close into the turbulence left by the wake of the F-35 ahead of him.

The US Air Force probe into a T-38C Talon training jet crash in Mississippi last November found that a bird collided with the aircraft’s windshield and shattered the canopy, broke the plane’s engines, and prompted the pilot to eject, reports Air Force Times. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The jet, valued at $8.5 million, was destroyed.

The House Oversight subcommittee heard testimony last week from three former defense officials on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), reports The Hill. The trio — a former US Navy pilot, a retired Navy commander, and an ex-Air Force intelligence official — warned that the sightings “potentially” pose national security risks. They also said that the government has been far too secretive about such incidents.

Air Force MAJ David Grusch told the House Oversight Committee that he is under threat for revealing information about secret operations, reports Army Times. Grusch said top government officials have hidden a top-secret program to find and study alien UFOs.

Sailors could lose time off they earned during the pandemic under the Navy’s special leave accrual policy — if they don’t use it before the end of September, reports Navy Times. The service is altering its policy: sailors can keep 90 days of leave in their special leave accrual balance rather than 120 days.

US troops serving in Ukraine are now eligible for hazard pay, reports Military Times. Imminent danger pay will be offered to troops who serve in areas where they could be harmed by hostile fire or mines, insurrection, civil war, or terrorism.

The US expects to begin delivering Abrams tanks to Ukraine in September, reports Politico. The Pentagon is sending older M1A1 models instead of the more modern A2 version, which would have taken a year to get to Ukraine.

A new study finds that artificial intelligence could take more jobs from women than men in next decade, reports The Hill. McKinsey Global Institute’s “Generative AI and the future of work in America” predicts nearly 30% of hours currently worked across the US could be automated by 2030.

The US Air Force aims to bring new fighter pilots, air planners, and other reservists to Europe, reports Air Force Times, as the military looks to relieve active-duty troops stretched thin by efforts to deter Russia amid the war in Ukraine. “We’re going to put in some requests for some Guard units or reserve units to come fill some [air patrol] taskings, so our active duty can get a [much]-needed rest after doing that for a couple years,” said GEN James Hecker.

US District Judge Reggie Walton has vacated Bowe Bergdahl’s dishonorable discharge from the US Army, reports CNN, roughly six years after the former soldier was convicted of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy after abandoning his outpost in Afghanistan in 2009.

Years of delays are preventing the US offshore wind industry from taking off, reports CNN, and it’s still hitting snags. The US has seven turbines spinning over its oceans: five off the coast of Rhode Island and two near Virginia. That’s a fraction of the clean wind energy capacity that has been constructed in Europe and China. Wind is falling behind a booming solar industry, reports The Washington Post.

Contracts:

KBR Wyle Services, Lexington Park, Maryland, has been awarded a $24,973,847 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the development of robust capabilities to better understand and predict motion, perform data association, Initial Orbit Determination, and maneuver detection. This contract provides for better understanding chaotic orbits in the XGEO domain, N-body problems, and improved gravity models including developing and evaluating Space Situational Awareness frameworks, with an emphasis on non-traditional orbits, to understand the technical trades associated with the larger SSA architecture. Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed August 31, 2028. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $7,093,144 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA9453-23-C-X001).

Aerostar, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (FA868423-D-B116); AEVEX Aerospace LLC., Solana Beach, California (FA868423-D-B117); Altum Trading Co., Edmond, Oklahoma (FA868423-D-B119); Ampcus, Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (FA868423-D-B121); AnaVation LLC., Reston Virginia (FA868423-D-B122); Anduril Industries Inc., Costa Mesa, California (FA868423-D-B115); Anvyl Technologies, Denver, Colorado (FA868423-D-B124); Applied Research Associates, Dayton, Ohio (FA868423-D-B126); ARCTOS, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA868423-D-B127); ASI, McLean, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B144); ASRI, Orlando, Florida (FA8684-23-D-B162); ASTI, Herndon, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B146); ASURE, Scottsdale, Arizona (FA8684-23-D-B160); BAE Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire (FA8684-23-D-B150); Ball Aerospace, Broomfield, Colorado (FA8684-23-D-B151); BridgePhase, Arlington, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B153); BTAS, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8684-23-D-B155); Cambridge International Systems Inc., Arlington, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B158); COLSA, Huntsville, Alabama (FA8684-23-D-B159); Constellation Software Engineering, Annapolis, Maryland (FA8684-23-D-B114); Crossflow Technologies, Albertville, Alabama (FA8684-23-D-B118); Cryptic Vector, Liberty Township, Ohio (FA8684-23-D-B180); Cubic Defense Application, San Diego, California (FA8684-23-D-B123); Cynnovative, Arlington, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B125); DCEVTECH, College Park, Maryland (FA8684-23-D-B128); DittoLive Inc., San Francisco, California (FA8684-23-D-B129); EPS Corp., Tinton Falls, New Jersey (FA8684-23-D-B130); Genasys Inc., San Diego, California (FA8684-23-D-B131); General Atomics Aero Systems Inc., Poway, California, (FA8684-23-D-B132); General Dynamics Mission System, Fairfax, Virginia (FA8684-23-D-B137); GIRD Systems, Cincinnati, Ohio (FA8684-23-D-B156); Giuseppe Space Enterprises, Woodland Park, Colorado (FA8684-23-D-B161) HAVIK Solutions LLC., San Diego, California (FA8684-23-DB163); Image Insight, Inc., East Hartford, Connecticut (FA868423DB164); Innovative Management Concepts, Sterling, Virginia (FA868423DB165); IRTC, Huntsville, Alabama (FA868423DB166); Jacobs Technology Inc., Severn, Maryland (FA868423DB167); JHNA, Clifton, Virginia (FA868423DB168); Kratos Technology and Training Solutions Inc., San Diego, California (FA868423DB169); L3 Harris, Space and Airborne Systems, Clifton, New Jersey (FA868423DB134); L3Harris ISR, Greenville, Texas (FA868423DB135); Logistic Services International, Jacksonville, Florida (FA868423DB136); Mantech, Herndon, Virginia, (FA868423DB138); Mile Two LLC, Dayton, Ohio (FA868423DB139); Next Tier Concepts, Fairfax County Vienna, Virginia (FA868423DB152); Nimbis, Oro Valley, Arizona (FA868423DB154); NTT Data Services, Herndon, Virginia (FA868423DB157); Omni Consulting Solutions, El Segundo, California (FA868423DB142); Pacific Defense Strategies, El Segundo, California (FA868423DB147); Riverside Research, Arlington, Virginia (FA868423DB171); Sabre Systems Inc., Warminster, Pennsylvania (FA868423DB172); Sev1Tech, Woodbridge, Virginia (FA868423B173); Sierra Nevada Corp., Englewood, Colorado (FA868423DB174); Signature Research Inc., Calumet, Michigan (FA868423DB175); Simulation Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA868423DB176); Skayl, Westminster, Maryland (FA868423DB181); SRC, North Syracuse, New York (FA868423DB177); Strategic Technology Consulting, Toma River, New Jersey (FA868423DB178); TeleDevices LCC, Duluth, Georgia (FA868423DB179); Tybram LLC, Jacksonville, Florida (FA868423DB112); UDRI, Dayton, Ohio (FA868423DB133); Uni Robotics, San Francisco, California (FA868423DB140); Vana, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA868423DB141); Viasat, Tempe, Arizona (FA868423DB143); Virginia Tech Applied Research, Arlington, Virginia (FA868423DB145); Visionist Inc., Columbia, Maryland (FA868423DB148); and VTS, Folsom, California (FA868423DB149), have been awarded a $900,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for yielding cost-effective warfighting capabilities. These contracts provide for the development of innovative approaches that bring multi-domain systems capabilities, the characterization of new technologies and systems through studies, recurrent demonstration, and rapid development to enable rapid prototyping, and test and capability transition. Future work under this multiple-award contract will be completed via the Fair Opportunity process. The locations of performance are to be determined at the contract direct order level and are expected to be completed by July 28, 2033. These awards are the result of fair and open competition, and 70 offers were received. Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Chenega Security California Corp., Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $61,036,754 firm-fixed-price contract for Fire Protection, Emergency Management, and Emergency Medical Services IV. This contract provides fire protection, emergency management, and emergency medical services for Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Work will be performed at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2029. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and five offers were received. Fiscal 2023 and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $516,050 are being obligated at time of award. The 45th Contracting Squadron, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA2521-23-C-0015).

VentureScope LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Defense Accelerator as a Platform for Enterprise Results. This contract provides for an award to a Small Business Innovative Research Phase III to provide an innovation accelerator program that extends the existing SBIR that supports the AFWERX refinery to become repeatable and scalable “Innovation Accelerator as a Platform” that aligns projects to stakeholder needs and develops a foundational business case for institutional adoption. Work will be performed as indicated in the contract award or based on each task order and is expected to be completed by August 1, 2028. Fiscal year and type of funds will be based on the ordering agency with a $250,000 minimum order and $5,000,000 maximum order for each ordering period. Funds in the amount of $1,300,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA2280-23-D-0004). (Awarded July 27, 2023)

Erie Forge and Steel, Erie, Pennsylvania (N00104-23-D-GZ01); Steel America, Norfolk, Virginia (N00104-23-D-C001); Collins Machine Works, Portsmouth, Virginia (N00104-23-D-C101); Bender CCP, Vernon, California (N00104-23-D-C201); and North American Forgemasters, New Castle, Pennsylvania (N00104-23-D-GY01), are awarded an estimated $137,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for the procurement of waterborne surface shafts. Each contract is for a five-year period with no options. Work will be completed by July 2028. All work will be performed in the various contractor facilities identified at task order level that cannot be determined at this time. Working capital funds (Navy) in the amount of $2,500 will be obligated ($500 on each of the five contracts) to fund the contracts’ minimum amount, and funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. The requirement is full and open competition with five offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $16,536,228 nine-month, firm-fixed-price, and cost-plus-fixed-fee bridge task order (M9549423F0019) under the General Services Administration One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services contract (GS00Q14OADU108) to continue professional services support at Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM) Headquarters. This task order will provide a range of professional programmatic support services to the major directorates within the command headquarters such as logistics services program support, information technology program support, operations support, planning support, government and external affairs support, facilities program support, and enterprise content management support. Work will be performed at Arlington, Virginia (55%); McLean, Virginia (15%); Washington, DC (10%); Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (10%); Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan (5%); and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California (5%); with an expected completion date of May 31, 2024. This task order includes a three-month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this task order to $22,061,282. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $16,536,228 are being obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This task order was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.505(b)(2)(i)(C). MCICOM, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M95494-23-F-0019).

Maritime Applied Physics Corp., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $9,870,402 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded Small Business Innovative Research Phase III contract N00024-22-C-2228 for Global Advanced Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), Unmanned Multirotor Areal Relay Vehicles, and other GARC payloads. The award is in conjunction with the Fiscal 2023 appropriation for the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies program to expeditiously transition technologies from development into production. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (74%); and Essington, Pennsylvania (26%), and is expected to be completed by January 2025. Fiscal 2023 Defense-Wide Procurement funds in the amount of $9,870,402 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(5) (authorized or required by statute). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-22-C-2228-P0006).

Archetype I LLC, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $9,385,267 firm-fixed-price contract for financial, real estate analytical, advisory and consulting support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of July 27, 2028. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,385,267 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-23-F-0106).

Dark Wolf Solutions LLC, San Diego, California (N0003923D1004); Geo4S Technologies LLC, Catonsville, Maryland (N0003923D1005); ISPA Technology LLC, Lithia, Florida (N0003923D1006); Moebius Solutions Inc., San Diego, California (N0003923D1007); Objective Function Systems LLC, Canoga Park, California (N0003923D1008); ODME Solutions LLC, Del Mar, California (N0003923D1009); Opal Soft Inc., Sunnyvale, California (N0003923D1010); Raft LLC, Reston, Virginia (N0003923D1011); TapHere! Technology LLC, Manassas, Virginia (N0003923D1012); TDI Technologies Inc., Coronado, California (N0003923D1013); and The Marlin Alliance Inc., San Diego, California (N0003923D1014), are awarded a $100,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for the development and integration of new software solutions to emerging Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communication, Computers, and Intelligence requirements, as well as modification and enhancement of existing systems. The focus area of this contract is agile software design, development, modification, integration, related test and evaluation support, and software systems engineering support. This contract further focuses on the use of data analytics techniques such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to design, develop, modify, integrate, and support new software development, and to sustain existing software programs. This contract also encompasses the functions needed to support these main areas such as development of training embedded in the software, online help resources, and Configuration Management support. Each contract includes a five-year ordering period and five-year option ordering period. The option period, if exercised, would bring the cumulative estimated value of the contract to $200,000,000. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and ordering is expected to be completed in June 2028. If the option is exercised, the ordering period could continue until June 2033. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This requirement was solicited as a small business set-aside via the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command E-Commerce Central website and the Federal Business Opportunities website, with 54 timely offers received. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Technologies Corp., doing business as Pratt and Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded an $81,418,740 fixed-price incentive (firm-target), cost reimbursable modification (P00017) to a previously awarded contract (N0001920C0011). This modification adds scope to procure Air Force unique F135 propulsion system spares, to include conventional takeoff and landing spare engines, power modules, gearboxes, fan modules and nozzle modules for the F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (18.9%) (labor surplus area); Middletown, Connecticut (8.9%); Kent, Washington (7.8%); North Berwick, Maine (4.4%); El Cajon, California (3.3%) (labor surplus area); Cromwell, Connecticut (3.3%); Whitehall, Michigan (3.3%); Portland, Oregon (2.2%); San Diego, California (2.2%); South Bend, Indiana (2.2%); Columbus, Georgia (2.2%); Hampton, Virginia (1.1%); Manchester, Connecticut (1.1%); Cheshire, Connecticut (1.1%); Elmwood Park, New Jersey (1.1%); and various locations within the U.S. (36.9%), and is expected to be completed in October 2025. Fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $81,418,740 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.

Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $14,859,833 modification (P00101) to contract W31P4Q-21-F-0033 for aviation systems engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 6, 2024. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Source America, Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a $12,073,537 modification (P00004) to contract W9124D-23-D-0008 for total facility maintenance at Fort Knox. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 31, 2023. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity.

Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., Manassas, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,521,472 modification (P00003) to cost-plus-fixed-fee contract HR001123C0013 to exercise Option One of the Liberty Lifter program. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $25,200,818 from $5,679,346. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (16%); Cambridge, Massachusetts (14%); Arlington, Virginia (14%); Indianapolis, Indiana (14%); Clackamas, Oregon (14%); Astoria, Oregon (14%); and Vancouver, Washington (14%), with an expected completion date of July 2024. Fiscal 2022 and 2023 research and development funds in the amount of $121,398 and $6,746,215, respectively, are being obligated at the time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.