GAO Critical of How F-35 Spare Parts Are Tracked

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 reveals that more than 1 million F-35 fighter jet spare parts worth at least $85 million have gone missing over at least the past five years, reports Navy Times. Since the government does not have a system to track the parts, officials might not truly know how many spare parts are actually in the global pool, where they are, or their total value, according to the report published last month. GAO made these recommendations: That the Defense Department take steps to ensure that all spare parts in the global spares pool are accountable under a contract; that DoD develop a process for contractors to report losses; and that spare parts that are excess, obsolete, or unserviceable are disposed of.

Gold Star families are trying to change a law that takes away survivors’ benefits for spouses who remarry before age 55. With the so-called “remarriage penalty” being reevaluated in Congress, Military Times reports on an advocate’s updates and military widows’ personal experiences.

The Department of Veterans Affairs requirement that a small percentage of its full-time, work-from-home staff return to the office could be the first wave in a tsunami of federal workers resuming their pre-pandemic routines — or searching for new jobs, says Federal Times. At stake is the future of the government workforce of nearly 2 million employees, an unknown total of whom are still working remotely despite the official end of the coronavirus pandemic May 11.

America’s B-2 Spirit fleet resumed flying operations Monday, ending a five-month safety pause after one of the stealth bombers caught fire on a Missouri runway late last year. But, reports Military.com, it remains unclear what exactly led to the earlier incident and whether a fix was made to the fleet.

The Oregon Air National Guard’s Kingsley Field will become home to the US Air Force’s third formal training F-35A training unit, reports Air & Spaces Forces Magazine. Some 20 F-35s will replace the 27 F-15Cs now at the base.

Space Force will look at how to hack targets from space, says Defense One, but military officials say they spend less time discussing satellites affecting ground targets than the vulnerability of US satellites to hacking from Earth, which has already happened. To begin to figure out how to do that, two Space Force troops are embedded with the 16th Air Force, which, among other missions, supplies cyber specialists to US Cyber Command.

Retired Marine Corps colonel Hank Vanderborght has been promoted to chief operations officers at Lexington Park, MD-based Precise Systems, reports GovConWire. Vanderborght had previously been a senior vice president.

GEN Eric Smith has been nominated by President Biden to be the next commandant of the US Marine Corps, reports The Hill. He is currently the assistant commandant. The current top Marine, GEN David Berger, is preparing to retire.

The US military this month briefly posted pictures of a powerful bomb, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to penetrate deep into the earth and destroy underground facilities able to enrich uranium, reports Military.com. The photos appeared as The Associated Press reported Iran’s progress constructing a nuclear facility likely beyond the range of the GBU-57, which the US developed in the 2000s, concerned Iran was building its nuclear sites underground.

North Korea has announced plans to launch its first military spy satellite in June and described space-based reconnaissance as crucial for monitoring the United States’ “reckless” military exercises with South Korea, reports Military.com. The statement came a day after AP News reported North Korea notified Japan’s coast guard that the launch, sometime between May 31 and June 11, might affect waters in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island.

US Pacific Air Forces began positioning RQ-4 Global Hawks at Yokota Air Base in Japan from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, reports Aviation Pros.

A Chinese J-16 fighter jet conducted an “unnecessarily aggressive” maneuver in front of a US Air Force RC-135 last month over the South China Sea, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. This is the second time the US has accused Chinese pilots of unsafe actions over the South China Sea. On December 21, a Chinese J-11 fighter “performed an unsafe maneuver” and came within 20 feet of another RC-135.

The Taliban and Iran exchanged heavy gunfire Saturday on the Islamic Republic’s border with Afghanistan, killing and wounding troops while sharply escalating rising tensions between the two countries amid a dispute over water rights, reports Military.com.

Ukraine launched a major drone attack on Moscow on Tuesday though all of them were destroyed by air defense systems, Russia’s defense ministry said. The attack came just weeks after the Kremlin was hit in a drone strike that Russia blamed on Ukraine, and simultaneously with the latest wave of Russian airstrikes on Kyiv, reports Reuters. The Ukrainian drones struck wealthy districts of Moscow, Russia said in what one politician called the most dangerous attack since World War II.  Meanwhile, Russia launched a massive new air assault on Kyiv for the third time in 24 hours.

Military.com reports Serhii Popko, a senior Kyiv military official, described overnight Saturday as the Russians’ “most massive attack” on Kyiv, with Iranian-made Shahed drones. The attack lasted more than five hours, with air defense reportedly shooting down more than 40 drones.

The latest military aid package from the US to Ukraine will total about $300 million, reports Marine Corps Times. The new package will include additional munitions for drones.

Russia’s and Ukraine’s heavy use of drones is spawning UAV dogfights as the warring parties try to keep the skies clear. It’s a risky strategy, given that both drones will likely be taken out. Task & Purpose links to a short video posted by Ukrainian armed forces its drones flying over convoys, surveilling battlefields, and in one brief bit of footage, taking out a Russian drone by crashing into it at top speed.

About 200 Ukrainian soldiers have begun training on Abrams tanks at military ranges in Germany, reports Stars and Stripes. The Ukrainian soldiers, who comprise an armored battalion, are joined by an additional 200 soldiers focused on the unique refueling and maintenance requirements needed to keep the M1A1 Abrams system operating.

Germany has awarded Krauss-Maffei Wegmann a production contract for 18 new Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks for $563 million to replenish the same number of Leopard 2A6 vehicles supplied to Ukraine, reports Breaking Defense.

Big week for the CV90, the armored combat vehicles designed by Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration. Breaking Defense reports the vehicles are going “operational” in Ukraine this week and the Czech Republic’s government has become a new customer with a $2.2 billion contract to buy 246 MkIV CV90s. The buy includes seven different variants of the CV90 and 140 of the platforms, the majority of which feature a turret with a 30 millimeter cannon. A total of 10 vehicles will be delivered to the Czech Ministry of Defense in 2026 with remaining platforms supplied through to 2030.

Officials from 20 states have asked Janet Yellen, the Treasury Department secretary, for some clarity on what will happen if debt bill doesn’t pass by June 5, reports The Hill. They want to know what Treasury plans to do to ensure no government default on debt occurs, as well as a “detailed explanation for the date the department expects to cease extraordinary measures.”

Navy Federal Credit Union has announced it will offer a paycheck assistance program to help service members and certain other credit union members if their Defense Department-issued pay is disrupted, reports Military Times.

The state’s gas tax will go up to 47 cents per gallon on July 1, reports Maryland Matters.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office filed two lawsuits Tuesday against several manufacturers that used PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in firefighting foam and a host of other consumer products, reports The Baltimore Sun. Impacted military bases include NAS Pax River, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Joint Base Andrews, and Naval Research Lab, Chesapeake Bay Detachment.

US Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) look to propose the Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act as an amendment to the fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, reports The Hill. The lawmakers want to make fentanyl trafficking a priority for the Pentagon by classifying it as a national security threat.

Veterans Affairs medical facilities have dropped their mandatory mask requirements, reports Military Times.

The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training received $3 million in federal funding, reports WBAL TV Baltimore on msn.com. “When I looked at that check, and I saw $3 million, I mean, that’s big money,” said retired COL Walter J. Mitchell, an MCVET board member. “Our goal has always been to return the veterans to their communities as productive citizens.” MCVET) is a nonprofit designed to provide homeless veterans and other veterans in need with comprehensive services that will enable them to rejoin their communities as productive citizens, according to the group’s website.

Contracts:

Aero Simulation Inc., Tampa, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B003); Aerospace Training Systems Partners JV LLP, Norman, Oklahoma (FA8621-23-D-B004); Aviation Training Consulting LLC, Altus, Oklahoma (FA8621-23-D-B005); Craig Technical Consulting Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B006); CTE II JV LLC, Orlando, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B007); CymSTAR LLC, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (FA8621-23-D-B008); Delaware Resource Group of Oklahoma LLC (DRG), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (FA8621-23-D-B009); Falconry Training Solutions JV, Lakewood, Colorado (FA8621-23-D-B010); Fidelity Technologies Corp, Reading, Pennsylvania (FA8621-23-D-B011); Innovative Training Solutions LLC, Oviedo, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B012); J.F. Taylor Inc., Great Mills, Maryland (FA8621-23-D-B013); Logistic Services International Inc., Jacksonville, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B014); Nova Technologies, Tallahassee, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B015); Phoenix Defense Ventures LLC, Gilbert, Arizona (FA8621-23-D-B016); Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8621-23-D-B017); PTC Solutions JV LLC, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (FA8621-23-D-B018); Radiance Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8621-23-D-B019); Spirit Simulation Inc., Niceville, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B020); Trusted Readiness Solutions LLC, Camas, Washington (FA8621-23-D-B021); Alion Science and Technology Corp., McLean, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B023); American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B024); Aero XR Solutions LLC, Orlando, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B025); Azure Training Systems JV LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan (FA8621-23-D-B026); The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri (FA8621-23-D-B027); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B028); CACI Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B029); CAE USA Inc., Arlington, Texas (FA8621-23-D-B030); Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (FA8621-23-D-B031); FlightSafety Services Corp., Centennial, Colorado (FA8621-23-D-B032); General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B033); HII Defense and Federal Solutions Inc., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8621-23-D-B034); Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida (FA8621-23-D-B035); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B036); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B037); TRU Simulation + Training Inc., Goose Creek, South Carolina (FA8621-23-D-B038); Veraxx Engineering Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (FA8621-23-D-B022); and Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi (FA8621-23-D-B039), have been awarded a $32,500,000,000 ceiling, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Training Systems Acquisition IV to provide for the analysis, design, development, production, installation, integration, test, and sustainment for Air Force training systems encompassing complex aircrew, maintenance, and system-specific training systems in support of warfighter training at operating locations worldwide. Work will be performed in the contiguous U.S. and worldwide, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2033. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition, and 37 offers were received. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,000 per awardee for the initial task order are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Simulators Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Rockwell Collins Inc. Government Systems, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (W911NF-23-D-0005); Sierra Nevada Corporation, Sparks, Nevada (W911NF-23-D-0006); Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (W911NF-23-D-0007); Peraton Labs Inc., Basking Ridge, New Jersey (W911NF-23-D-0008); Barbaricum LLC, Washington, DC (W911NF-23-D-0009); Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Defense Systems Sector, McLean, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0010); By Light Professional IT Services LLC, McLean, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0011); Parsons Government Services Inc., Centreville, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0012); Enterprise Information Services LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0013); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0014); Alion Science and Technology Corporation, McLean, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0015); and Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (W911NF-23-D-0016), will compete for each order of the $450,000,000 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price) contract to enable and accelerate Army modernization transformational overmatch capabilities. Bids were solicited via the internet with 27 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2033. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Red Peak Technical Services LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a $136,238,161 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide lifecycle support for technical data products to naval aviation weapons systems, to include support for the following: technical data management, technical publishing, technical library/repository/data control center, logistics information technology, independent quality assurance, digital and physical access, control, content, transaction/exchange, and protection, and technical data content’s suitability and completeness for intended use analysis and configuration audits in support of the Naval Air Systems Command, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC) Headquarters Logistics Technical Data Department. Work will be performed in Cherry Point, North Carolina (37.34%); Patuxent River, Maryland (26.21%); San Diego, California (18.5%); Jacksonville, Florida (9.13%); Lakehurst, New Jersey (5.5%); and China Lake, California (3.32%), and is expected to be completed in June 2028. 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 as a small business set-aside, one offer was received. COMFRC, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N6852023D0011).

Walsh Federal LLC, Chicago, Illinois, is awarded a $24,929,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction of an air traffic control tower at Webster Outlying Field, Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland. Work will be performed in Saint Inigoes, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 22, 2024. Fiscal 2019, 2020, and 2021 military construction (Navy) funds in the amount of $24,929,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025. This contract was competitively procured via the System for Award Management, with nine proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N40080-23-C-0007).

GSD Services LLC, Rockville, Maryland, is awarded a $75,605,209 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operations support at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. Work will be performed in Twentynine Palms, California, and is expected to be completed by June 2032. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative value to $117,779,714. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,605,209 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Department of Defense Solicitation Portal in the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment and the SAM.gov website, with four offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-23-D-3603).

Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded an $8,608,084 modification (P00042) to contract W91RUS-17-C-0044 for administration, IT engineering and logistics support for United States Central Command. Work will be performed in Camp Afrijan, Kuwait, with an estimated completion date of May 30, 2024. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,608,084 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $60,335,000 cost reimbursable modification (P00038) to a previously awarded contract (N0001919C0008). This modification adds scope to procure long lead components, material, parts, and associated support, in support of maintaining the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems production schedule for two unmanned air vehicles and one main operating base for the Navy. Work will be performed in Red Oak, Texas (31.1%); Baltimore, Maryland (27.1%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (13.8%); Salt Lake City, Utah (10.7%); San Diego, California (5.4%); Longueuil, Quebec (2.8%); San Clemente, California (2.2%); Vandalia, Ohio (1.5%); various locations within the continental US (CONUS) (5%); and various locations outside CONUS (0.4%), and is expected to be completed in May 2024. Fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $60,335,000 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.

National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, was awarded a $30,000,000 cost-no-fee contract to obtain objective, expert, independent analysis of selected topics from respected subject matter experts in selected fields to inform Army decision processes and address national security threats through advances in various scientific disciplines. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2028. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W911NF-23-D-0002). 

Textron Systems Corp., Hunt Valley, Maryland, is awarded a $19,595,296 firm-fixed-price order (N0001923F2544) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N0001921G0008) to provide unmanned aircraft systems intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services for the Department of Defense, other government agencies, and domestic and overseas contingency operations. Work will be performed in various locations outside the continental US (80%); and Hunt Valley, Maryland (20%), and is expected to be completed in April 2029. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,595,296 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

OSI Federal Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (H92415-23-F-0110), was awarded a firm-fixed-price order with a value of $7,963,051 for GETAC rugged laptops and upgrades with a delivery of 60 days after the date of the order in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF-AT&L) Program (Tactical Local Area Network) TACLAN. Fiscal 2023 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,963,051 were obligated at time of the award. The blanket purchasing agreement was solicited and issued using a competitive 100% Small Business Set-Aside, brand name or equal acquisition strategy in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405-3. USSOCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems, Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Greenlawn, New York, is awarded a $18,943,442 firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of 18 AN/UPX-50(C) digital identification boxes and 50 retrofit kits to convert AN/UPX-41(C) to AN/UPX-50(C) in support of the Navy and Coast Guard. Work will be performed in Greenlawn, New York (70%); Austin, Texas (18%); and Manassas, Virginia (12%), and is expected to be completed in October 2025. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $541,045; fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $995,035; fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,594,560; and fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,812,812 will be obligated at the time of award, $541,045 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001923C0046).

Northrup Grumman, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $20,119,410 modification (P00198) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0014 for logistics support for the Special Electronic Mission Aircraft fleet. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2027. Fiscal 2010 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $20,119,410 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

B3 Enterprises LLC, Woodbridge, Virginia, was awarded a $16,705,554 modification (P00025) to contract W9124G-19-C-0006 for refuel and defuel services. Work will be performed at Fort Novosel, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of June 26, 2028. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $16,705,554 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Cottrell Contracting Corp., Chesapeake, Virginia, was awarded an $8,941,350 firm-fixed-price contract for Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay maintenance and dredging. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work will be performed in St. Marys, Georgia, with an estimated completion date of April 5, 2024. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $8,941,350 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (W912EP-23-C-0015).

Dominion Privatization South Carolina LLC, Richmond, Virginia, has been awarded an estimated $10,019,352 modification (P00062) to a 50‐year contract (SP0600‐18‐C‐8325) with no option periods for additional electric utility system services at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. This is a fixed‐price with economic‐price‐adjustment contract. Location of performance is South Carolina, with a May 1, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2069 Army operations and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Saliense Consulting LLC, Tysons Corner, Virginia, is awarded an $8,560,907 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Office of Naval Research (ONR) Information Technology (IT) Support Services. The objective of this contract is to enable the ONR CIO to deliver operational excellence in the day-to-day operation of ONR’s IT Enterprise. The ability to deliver stable and efficient operation of ONR’s IT services and supporting infrastructure is a critical enabler of ONR’s scientific research mission. ONR’s IT Enterprise supports the delivery of IT services such as, web hosting, applications support, video teleconferencing, network support, cloud services, knowledge management, and information assurance and internet/intranet access. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 29, 2024. The total cumulative value of the 60-month base period is $8,560,907, with four 12-month options totaling $35,980,332 that, if exercised, will run concurrently. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,434,608 are obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under Seaport NxG solicitation N00014-22-R-3003, with 14 proposals received. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00178-21-D-9323).