Is Navy Reconsidering 355-Ship Fleet?
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Navy Vice Chief ADM Robert Burke suggested the service is reconsidering its goal of a 355-ship fleet, reports Breaking Defense, floating the idea that a number around 310 ships would be about the best it can do if current funding projections hold. “We can keep around 305 to 310 ships whole — properly manned, properly maintained, properly equipped,” the admiral said. Although a 355-ship fleet “is a great target for us, it’s more important that we have the maximum capability to address every challenge that we might face.” ADM Burke also said that the Navy is fixing its readiness problems, reports Navy Times.
The USS Indianapolis, homeported at Naval Station Mayport, was commissioned by the US Navy into active service Saturday, reports The Florida Times-Union. It is the nation’s ninth Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship.
President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision not to give Democratic congressional leaders advance notice of the raid that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, Fox News reports, saying he was concerned the details would leak out. The Washington Post explains how the raid went down. WTOP News reports that the death of Baghdadi leaves many questions about the future of ISIS.
The Pentagon expects to send more than 50 F-35s to Europe over the next few years to deter Russia and help NATO prepare for a new kind of warfare, reports Fox News. “By the time our planes get there, there will be 100-plus F-35s there with our European partners,” Air Force Gen. James Holmes said.
The US Air Force is moving to a system of “indefinite enlistment” for airmen with at least 12 years of service, reports Air Force Times. Under the new system, airmen who hit 12 years time-in-service will automatically have their enlistments extended to their rank’s high year of tenure mark.
The Air Force is looking to buy two different models of light-attack aircraft, reports Defense News. The service will purchase two to three aircraft each of the Textron Aviation AT-6 Wolverine and Sierra Nevada/Embraer Defense & Security A-29 Super Tucano aircraft.
The Air Force has taken delivery of its first high-energy laser weapon system to counter unmanned aerial systems, reports Air Force Times.
Saturday, Nov. 2, will provide the opportunity to view a day launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket launch from Wallops Flight Facility, NASA reports. The launch of the rocket, carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station, is expected to be at 9:59 am. The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Experts question whether the additional 3,000 American troops, Air Force F-15s, and Patriot missile batteries will be enough to counter the growing capability of Iranian and Yemen-based Houthi drones and missiles in the Persian Gulf region, reports Military Times.
Soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, recently tested a parachute system that delivers equipment as large as a vehicle at lower altitudes and with fewer parachutes, report Army Times. The Army wants to find better ways to get supplies to soldiers.
Military Times reports many companies still struggle to translate military skills into corporate assignments, but retired Army Lt. Col. J.C. Glick believes that most businesses would be better off focusing on what veterans can learn rather than what they have already done.
Congress created a new office within the Veterans Affairs department to investigate employee misconduct and protect whistleblowers from retaliation, Federal News Radio reports. But instead, the VA has put whistleblowers in further danger and failed to live up to other aspects of its mission, according to an inspector general review.
Contracts:
IAP Worldwide Services Inc., Cape Canaveral, Florida, is awarded an $84,573,278 modification (P00058) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract (N00019-15-C-0120). This modification exercises an option to provide logistics services in support of the E-6B aircraft and the requirement for parts industry management and support equipment maintenance for the E-6B Take Change and Move Out and Airborne Command Post aircraft. Logistics support to the aircraft weapon system as well as systems engineering, associated support sites, and supporting organizations. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (70%); Bellevue, Nebraska (10%); Fairfield, California (10%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (10%), and is expected to be completed in November 2020. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $26,592,990 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $7,027,643,109 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, cost-reimbursable contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the procurement of 114 F-35 aircraft for Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy; non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Specifically the modification procures 48 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force, 20 F-35B aircraft for the Marine Corps, nine F-35C aircraft for the Navy, 12 F-35A aircraft for the government of Norway, 15 F-35A aircraft for the government of Australia, and eight F-35A and two F-35B aircraft for the government of Italy. The above US aircraft quantities are inclusive of fiscal 2019 (Lot 13) plus up aircraft. In addition, this modification adds scope for the Air System Diminishing Manufacturing Sources integration, software data loads, critical safety items, red gear, non-recurring engineering, recurring engineering and the Joint Strike Fighter Airborne Data Emulator. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (57%); El Segundo, California (14%); Warton, United Kingdom (9%); Cameri, Italy (4%); Orlando, Florida (4%); Nashua, New Hampshire (3%); Baltimore, Maryland (3%); San Diego, California (2%); Nagoya, Japan (2%); and various locations outside the continental US (2%), and is expected to be completed in March 2023. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy); non-DoD participants; and FMS funds in the amount of $7,027,643,109 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($2,812,512,346); Marine Corps ($1,297,487,314); Navy ($612,389,812); non-DoD participants ($2,243,321,947); and FMS ($61,931,690) customers. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Greenbelt, Maryland, is being awarded a $30,464,008 firm-fixed-price task order (N62473-20-F-4023) under a multiple award construction contract for an applied instruction facility, a training facility, and site utility infrastructure at Naval Base Coronado, California. The work to be performed provides for construction of two facilities and utilities infrastructure to support the Special Operations Forces Naval Special Warfare Center Advanced Training Command mission to train Maritime Special Operations Forces to meet operational requirements. The options, if exercised, provide for recycled water plumbing, additional parking area with permeable pavers, exterior trellis structures, additional floor area for the training facility, aircraft fuselage trainer and concrete pads and helicopter training fuselages. The planned modifications, if issued, provides for furniture, fixtures, and equipment, audio-visual equipment and physical security equipment. The task order also contains 11 unexercised options and six planned modifications, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $37,782,887. Work will be performed in Coronado, California, and is expected to be completed by May 2022. Fiscal 2019 military construction (Defense-wide) contract funds in the amount of $30,464,008 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Three proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-17-D-0822).
