GAO: Aircraft Readiness Goals Not Being Met

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.

A Government Accountability Office report released earlier this month finds that more than two dozen military aircraft fleets haven’t met their annual combat-readiness goals in at least a decade, reports Navy Times. The GAO report studied 49 types of airframes — the bulk of the US’s military airpower — across the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. Among the 26 fleets not meeting goals at all from fiscal 2011 to 2021 are the Navy’s F/A -18E/F and the Corps’ F-35B and F/A-18A-D.

Defense contractor Boeing said it is revamping its defense unit after setbacks including Air Force One, reports C4ISRNET. Boeing will reorganize its defense unit, which reported delays of key programs, rising costs, and quality concerns as well as $2.8 billion in third-quarter losses. The company said it will consolidate defense, space, and security business into four divisions from eight.

House Democrats are expected to choose its top leaders for the next Congress without any major confrontation, reports Politico, ensuring a united front as they enter the minority. Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said that they will step aside. In a statement issued Thursday, Rep. Hoyer said he will continue his service “in a different role.” “I will continue my work to advance the mission of Pax River, Webster Field, Indian Head, Ft. Meade, NSA, and Joint Base Andrews that provide so many benefits to our national security while spurring economic opportunity for our communities,” he said.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is threatening to delay passage of the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill until January when Republicans take control of the House, reports Defense News. House Republicans backed McCarthy as the new speaker last week, reports The Wall Street Journal. A roll-call vote in January will make it official.

The Navy hopes its new funding model can cut submarine maintenance delays by 2026, reports Defense News. RADM Jon Rucker said he thinks the service can implement industry best practices starting in fiscal 2026 and, by the end of that fiscal year, get to almost zero delay days.

The amphibious transport dock ship John P. Murtha is underway again after returning to San Diego last Tuesday from deployment to address a problem with the ship’s lube oil system, reports Navy Times. The ship got underway earlier this month, but the vessel had to return to port to evaluate the maintenance issue.

A House Oversight and Reform Committee report found that 60 instructors in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps have been accused of sexual misconduct against high school cadets in the past five years, reports Military.com. Of those, allegations against 58 instructors were substantiated by law enforcement or school officials. The information “paints a disturbing picture of how some JROTC instructors are using their positions of authority to exploit and abuse students who have placed their faith and trust in the US military,” said Stephen Lynch, chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, in a news release.

Fort Meade has opened a resiliency center to serve as a hub for wellness and mental health services available for those who work at the installation, reports The Baltimore Sun. Deon Viergutz, president of the Fort Meade Alliance Foundation, the alliance’s fundraising arm said the services can be done anonymously. “No records, no creating a file,” he said.

Louisiana State University of Alexandria has partnered with Fort Polk to establish an LSUA branch of STARBASE, reports KPLV television. The Defense Department’s STARBASE program aims to expose young people to the technological environments, STEM careers, and positive civilian and military role models found on military bases. STARBASE’s primary focus is a program for fifth-graders.

The US Department of Energy said it will give out $7 billion from last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law to fund up to 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs, reports Maryland Matters. The hubs are defined as “a network of clean hydrogen producers, potential clean hydrogen consumers and connective infrastructure located in close proximity” to be sited across the country.

 

 

South Korea officials said that North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Thursday, reports The Associated Press. This came hours after North Korea threatened to launch “fiercer” military responses to the US bolstering its security commitment to South Korea and Japan. The missile was launched toward eastern waters.

A Department of Defense cyber official said that Russian forces “underperformed expectations” in both the cyber and military space, reports The Hill, as the West fears the Kremlin would unleash destructive cyberattacks against Ukraine as part of its invasion.

Military veterans are escaping economic uncertainty by starting their own businesses, reports Military.com. A report from Gusto, a payroll management company, showed that 10.7% of all new business owners in America were veterans, citing a 100% increase in the number of veteran-owned businesses from the last year Census data was collected.

Last Wednesday, NASA successfully launched its Artemis 1 rocket, reports C4ISRNET, sending the US on a path to reach the moon’s lunar surface for the first time in 50 years, reports C4ISRNET. Earlier flights had been postponed due to some technical difficulties and Hurricane Ian. Live updates of the moon mission can be found here, reports Space.com.

Maryland has approved 10 mobile sports betting licenses, and the state’s Lottery and Gaming Control Agency hopes betting can start the day before Thanksgiving, reports WTOP News.

Maryland lawmakers want to create a Chesapeake National Recreation Area that they say would elevate the Chesapeake Bay’s public profile and help attract more federal dollars toward improving the public’s access to the water, hiking trails, historic sites, and other places of interest, reports Bay Journal. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. John Sarbanes introduced a draft bill that would unify historically important sites as well as partner parks in the region under a single banner.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center’s official winter forecast shows colder weather and higher chances of precipitation, reports The Hill. The 90-day outlook forecasts say the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and Northeast will see above-average precipitation, and the Southwest, Southern, and Gulf Coast states are all looking dry.

Gregory White, US Postal Service executive manager of strategic initiatives, told Congress last week that USPS is ready for its peak holiday season, reports Federal News Network. He told a congressional subcommittee that service performance “is much better now” than in the lead-up to the holiday seasons in 2021 and 2020.

Contracts:

Adams Communication and Engineering Technology Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $37,470,104 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursement indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for non-recurring and recurring efforts required to fabricate, assemble, and support prototyping, system integration, and installation of depot modifications associated with engineering changes to H-53 aircraft for the Navy, Marine Corps and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in New River, North Carolina (40%); Miramar, California (35%); Patuxent River, Maryland (5%); Norfolk, Virginia (5%); McGuire, New Jersey (5%); Yuma, Arizona (3%); Okinawa, Japan (3%); Pohang, Korea (2%); and Manama, Bahrain (2%), and is expected to be completed in November 2027. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; four offers were received. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001923D0009).

Technology Management Group Inc., King George, Virginia, is awarded a $16,800,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide technical and analytical services for combat and material development; project/program management; science and technology; networking and communication; research, development, test and evaluation; technical and analytical; and stakeholder liaison support to the Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program. It also provides technical and analytical services that support requirements generation; research, development, testing and evaluation; acquisition program management, strategic analysis and planning, Joint Operation Concept reviews, and technical analysis related to nonlethal weapons intermediate force capabilities for both counter-personnel and counter-materiel capability gaps and solutions, and human effects characterization. The maximum dollar value, including five ordering periods, is $16,800,000. Work will be performed in San Antonio, Texas (25%); Virginia Beach, Virginia (25%); Quantico, Virginia (12.5%); Fort Eustis, Virginia (12.5%); Washington, DC (12.5%); and MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (12.5%), and is expected to be completed by May 2027. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount $1,077,506 are being obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside and solicited through the System for Award Management website, with three proposals received. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-23-D-7205).

PD Power Systems LLC, Springfield, Virginia, was awarded a $482,000,000 maximum indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 72-kilowatt ground power units. This contract provides for testing and production of 72-kilowatt ground power units, along with associated data deliverables including, test reports, provisioning, and technical manuals. Work will be performed in Springfield, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 17, 2032. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and eight offers were received. Fiscal 2023 procurement funds in the amount of $5,878,740 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8532-23-D-0002).

Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,705,256 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development. This contract provides for research and development on the application of advanced data processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to aid platform cognitive capability and next sortie reprogramming. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 18, 2026. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and six offers were received. Fiscal 2022 research and development funds in the amount of $1,500,000; and fiscal 2023 research and development funds in the amount of $50,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-23-C-1054).

Raytheon Missile and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded an $113,938,855 modification (P00008) to a previously awarded, fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract (N0001921C0723). This modification provides for the production and delivery of additional AIM-9X production Lot 22 requirements to include: 145 AIM-9X Block II all up round tactical missiles (104 for the Army; 41 for the Navy); one Block II Captive Air Training Missile for the Air Force; 14 Block II special air training missiles (11 for the Army; 3 for the Air Force); eight Block II captive test missiles (5 for the Army; 3 for the Air Force); 42 all up round containers (31 for the Army; 9 for the Air Force; and 2 for Foreign Military Sales (FMS)); four spare advanced optical target detectors for the Navy; two spare advanced optical target detector containers for the Navy; 11 spare Block II guidance units (live battery) (7 for FMS; 4 for the Navy); nine spare Block II+ guidance units (live battery) for FMS; 13 guidance unit containers for FMS; 55 spare Block II Captive Air Training Missile guidance units (inert battery) (32 for the Navy; 15 for the Air Force; 8 for FMS); one tail cap for FMS; 13 Block II tactical sectionalization kits (10 for the Navy; 3 for FMS); one Block II+ tactical sectionalization kit for FMS; 30 Block II Captive Air Training Missile sectionalization kits (27 for the Navy; 3 for FMS); three spare Block II electrical units for the Navy; one multi-purpose training missile for the Navy; three support equipment for FMS; 10 general purpose controllers for FMS; three other lot spare assets (1 for the Navy; 1 for the Air Force; 1 for FMS); and non-recurring engineering associated with Systems Improvement Program III transition to production activities. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (21.64%); North Logan, Utah (28.09%); Linthicum Heights, Maryland (18.88%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (11.46%); Murrieta, California (8.42%); Saint Albans, Vermont (7.75%); Ann Arbor, Michigan (1.44%); Warrington, Pennsylvania (1.22%); and various locations within the continental US (1.10%) and is expected to be completed in November 2025. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $55,534,418; fiscal 2022 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $30,299,446; fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $926,999; fiscal 2022 missile procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $12,799,324; fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force) funds in the amount of $2,688,518; and FMS customer funds in the amount of $11,690,150 will be obligated at the time of award; $59,149,935 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $23,345,867 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-only order under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00024-22-G-5311 for the procurement of AEGIS Modernization kits for Navy guided-missile destroyers and allied nations. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (57%); and the governments of Japan (42%) and Australia (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (77%); and Chesapeake, Virginia (23%), and is expected to be completed by March 2026. Fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,716,424 (42%); FMS Japan funds in the amount of $9,703,613 (42%); fiscal 2022 Defense-wide procurement funds in the amount of $2,793,463 (12%); fiscal 2021 Defense-wide procurement funds in the amount of $475,506 (2%); FMS Australia funds in the amount of $205,663 (1%); and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $201,198 (1%) will be obligated at time of award, of which $475,506 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This order was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1) — only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N0002423F5301).

GTP Consulting Engineers Inc., Duluth, Georgia (W9128F-23-D-0001); Robert and Co., Atlanta, Georgia (W9128F-23-D-0002); Argus Consulting Inc., Overland Park, Kansas (W9128F-23-D-0003); Enterprise Engineering Group Inc., Anchorage, Alaska (W9128F-23-D-0004); Austin Brockenbrough and Associates LLC, Richmond, Virginia (W9128F-23-D-0005); Pond and Co., Peachtree Corners, Georgia (W9128F-23-D-0006); Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company Inc., Kansas City, Kansas (W9128F-23-D-0007); and AECOM-GTP USACE Omaha Fuels JV, Atlanta, Georgia (W9128F-23-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $98,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect-engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 13 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 18, 2029. US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha, Nebraska, is the contracting activity.

National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded an estimated $13,860,000 firm-fixed-price requirements contract for Advanced Combat Helmet suspension system pad sets. This is a one-year base contract with four one-year option periods. Locations of performance are Pennsylvania and North Carolina, with a Nov. 17, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-23-D-B002).

Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind Inc., Winston Salem, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $7,761,285 modification (P00009) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE1C1-21-D-B100) with four one-year option periods for fire-resistant environment ensemble, operational camouflage pattern, intermediate weather outer layer jackets. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Georgia, Arizona, Mississippi, and Washington, DC, with a Nov. 22, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.