Lost 52 Finds Another Lost Sub: USS Harder

4D photogrammetry model of USS Harder (SS 257) wreck site by The Lost 52. The Lost 52 Project scanned the entire boat and stitched all the images together in a multi-dimensional model used to study and explore the site. (Photo by Tim Taylor and The Lost 52 Project via US Navy)

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.

The final resting place of the 79 sailors aboard the submarine Harder has been found. The boat was sunk by Japanese depth charges on Aug. 24, 1944, while on patrol. Its last known location was in the South China Sea, near the Philippines, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command, reports Military Times. The command confirmed the location with the help of Tiburon Subsea CEO Tim Taylor and the Lost 52 project, a group that works to find and memorialize the 52 US submarines lost during World War II. In addition to Harder, the group has located fellow fallen subs Grayback, Stickleback, R-12, S-26, S-28, and Grunion, according to the Navy. Taylor received the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2021 for his efforts.

An F-35 crashed near the Albuquerque, NM, airport around 2pm Tuesday, reports Military Times. The pilot escaped and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, according to the city’s fire department. The fighter jet had left Fort Worth, TX, headed to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles, when it crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM. The jet crashed on a hillside on the south side of Albuquerque’s airport.

North Korea flew hundreds of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, says Military.com. The action prompted the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.

Americans view military families more favorably than other US institutions including the police, the presidency, Congress, the news media, and even the military itself, according to a new Blue Star Families/YouGov survey, reports The Hill. Around nine in 10 Americans, 90%, said they have a favorable view of military families — higher than the military, which was at 83% favorability, police, with 73%t, and the Supreme Court, which received 55%, according to survey numbers first reviewed by The Hill.

The Department of Veterans Affairs encourages veterans and survivors to complete the submission of toxic exposure benefits claims before a deadline elapses this summer that would cause them to lose out on compensation. Military Times reports an “intent to file” can be submitted to hold eligibility status open another year. An estimated 300,000 active, yet-to-be-filed claims remain open from last summer.

The temporary pier taking humanitarian aid to starving Palestinians will be removed from the coast of Gaza to be repaired after getting damaged in rough seas and weather, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Military Times reports the pier will be pulled out and sent to the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, where US Central Command expects it will take more than a week to repair.

US soldiers had been stuck on three Army boats beached in Gaza over the weekend after high seas and a storm broke apart the aid pier, reports Military.com. US Central Command confirmed the soldiers had been evacuated from the boats by Tuesday after the vessels broke free from their moorings on Saturday.

Navy base security personnel are catching and evicting a steadily increasing number of foreign nationals — particularly Chinese citizens — who are attempting to glean national security secrets, reports The Maritime Executive. Chinese visitors have been arrested for accessing or spying on US naval installations multiple times in recent years, and two US Navy service members who were born in China were recently arrested on espionage charges. The more insidious, high-volume, low-effort Chinese attempts at naval base espionage have been gathering pace, according to Fleet Forces Commander ADM Daryl Caudle.

Chinese firms are rebranding and creating US-domiciled businesses to sell their wares as the Biden administration expands the lists that restrict Chinese companies’ business dealings in the US, reports The Wall Street Journal. The blacklisting has also created opportunities for American entrepreneurs who want to work with Chinese companies that are popular with US consumers.

A Chinese lab reports a breakthrough that could increase Beijing’s control of the lithium-ion battery market, reports Defense One. The new manufacturing technique enables a battery to charge more quickly and hold a charge far longer, according to the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

US DefSec Lloyd Austin is scheduled to make an official visit to Cambodia, one of China’s closest allies in Southeast Asia, after holding talks with his Chinese counterpart at an annual security conference in Singapore, reports AP News.

Washington is facing mounting pressure from NATO and several key European allies to lift restrictions and allow Ukraine to use the full force of US-provided weapons to strike military targets inside Russia. The demands reflect new alarm in the West over Russian battlefield advances in recent days, including the seizure of several villages in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions and brutal bombings that have killed dozens of civilians, reports The Washington Post.

Defense officials in NATO member Poland presented plans on Monday for fortifying its eastern border with Moscow ally Belarus. Defense News reports the government says that Poland, which supports Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression, is being targeted by hostile actions from Russia and Belarus. They include cyberattacks, attempted arson and migrants being pushed illegally across the border, which officials describe as intended to destabilize the European Union, of which Poland is a member.

Out of a $95 billion foreign aid bill passed in April, the Pentagon is sending its fourth package of weapons to Ukraine, valued at $275 million, reports Defense News. The aid includes additional precision strike rockets for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, air-launched munitions, and anti-tank weapons, according to the Pentagon.

Contracts:

Aviation Systems Engineering Co. Inc., Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $12,258,815 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable modification (P00009) to a previously awarded contract (N6833522C0256). This modification exercises an option to procure engineering, technical, and logistics assistance to safely operate and maintain the P-8A weapons systems in the US and the Republic of Korea. These services include training to incorporate the mission systems desktop trainer and flight management systems trainer training devices. The curriculum is based upon existing Navy classroom and flight training syllabi and utilizes the Mission Systems Desktop Trainer and Flight Management Systems Trainer training devices and commercial operational flight trainer, aircraft on ground events, and flight training evolutions in the actual aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed in May 2025. Foreign Military Sales customer funds in the amount of $12,258,815 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $31,586,005 cost-plus fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, and cost only modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-22-C-5231) to exercise the option for integrated logistic support, fleet maintenance support, and lifecycle sustainment of the Navy’s AN/SQQ-89 surface ship Undersea Warfare combat systems. Work will be performed in Chesapeake, Virginia (42%); San Diego, California (31%); Seattle, Washington (8%); Mayport, Florida (7%); Yokosuka, Japan (6%); Bath, Maine (3%); and Pascagoula, Mississippi (3%), and is expected to be completed by May 2025. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $4,373,718 (31%); fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $4,258,317 (30%); fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance, Navy funding in the amount of $1,157,750 (8%); fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $1,116,196 (8%); fiscal 2023 other procurement, Navy funding in the amount of $1,018,917 (7%); Foreign Military Sales, Japan Case funding in the amount of $655,000 (5%); fiscal 2022 other procurement, Navy funding in the amount of $650,864 (5%); fiscal 2024 other procurement, Navy funding in the amount of $649,908 (4%); Foreign Military Sales, Australia Case funding in the amount of $120,000 (1%); and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $77,000 (1%), will be obligated at time of award and $1,808,614 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico (HDTRA124D0002); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia (HDTRA124D0003); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (HDTRA124D0004); Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia (HDTRA124D0005); SRC Inc., North Syracuse, New York (HDTRA124D0006); Two Six Labs LLC (doing business as Two Six Technologies), Arlington, Virginia (HDTRA124D0007); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (HDTRA124D0008); Noblis Inc., Reston Virginia (HDTRA124D0009); Parsons Government Services Inc., Centreville, Virginia (HDTRA124D0010); and Signalscape Inc., Cary, North Carolina (HDTRA124D0011), were awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum cumulative ceiling of $4,000,000,000 for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Research and Development Directorate.  This contract provides for performing research, development, test and evaluation, procurement, maintenance, support, systems engineering and/or sustainment to provide scientific and technological solutions to meet the Department of Defense’s priority Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction objectives. Work under this program is divided into three pools: artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and software development (Pool 1); operations and countermeasures in a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environment (Pool 2); and targeting, information operations and irregular warfare (Pool 3). The maximum ceiling value applies to all awards issued under all three pools. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test and evaluation funding in the amount of $500,000 ($50,000 minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of fiscal 2025. All other funding will be obligated as task orders are issued using research, development, test and evaluation; operations and maintenance; procurement; and other funding. Work locations will be determined at the task order level. The contract will include a five-year base ordering period and a five-year optional ordering period. The ordering period will go through May 2029; if all options are exercised, the ordering period will go through May 2034. This award is the result of a full and open competitive acquisition. Proposals were solicited through SAM.gov and 27 offers were received. DTRA, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $738,446,386 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Air Force National Capital Region (NCR) information technology services. This contract provides for a full range of classified and unclassified information technology and telecommunication services in the National Capital Region. This contract also provides services to the National Military Command Center’s strategic watch, crisis response, and worldwide monitoring missions. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 2, 2029. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. The Air Force District of Washington NCR Enterprise Support Division, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA2860-24-D-0007).

Ardent Management Consulting LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma (FA8003-24-D-0002); Woolpert Inc., Dayton, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0004); Gannett Fleming Inc., doing business as GeoDecisions, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania (FA8003-24-D-0005); NV5 Geospatial, St. Petersburg, Florida (FA8003-24-D-0006); 22nd Century Technologies Inc., McLean, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0007); TMS LLC, Chattanooga, Tennessee (FA8003-24-D-0008); Compusult Systems Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0009); Tukuh Technologies LLC, Kansas City, Missouri (FA8003-24-D-00010); Navancio LLC, Las Vegas, Nevada (FA8003-24-D-0011); KFS LLC, Huntsville, Alabama (FA8003-24-D-0012); Geospatial Consulting Group International LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0082); The Bison Group LLC, Ashburn, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0083); True North JV, Bloomington, Indiana (FA8003-24-D-0084); and AcmeSolv LLC, Bethesda, Maryland (FA8003-24-D-0085), have been awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a not-to-exceed combined ceiling of $220,000,000. The general supplies and services (GS&S) 2.0 multiple award contract provides GS&S supporting the Department of the Air Force, other Department of Defense (DOD) organizations, and non-DOD organizations. The GS&S 2.0 multiple award contract will facilitate consistent, aligned and unified GS&S for improved shared situational awareness and decision making across the various echelons of military hierarchy including the unit, installation, and management headquarters levels. The locations of performance are to be determined at the contract directed order level and are expected to be complete by Nov. 28, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,000 are being obligated against each awardee at the time of award. The Air Force Installation Contracting Center 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

HGL-ER JV LLC, Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $40,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for remediation services. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 28, 2029. US Army Corps of Engineers, Concord, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (W912WJ-24-D-0007).

Heartland Manufacturing Inc., Brentwood, New York (W911QY-24-D-0006); and Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (W911QY-24-D-0005), will compete for each order of the $39,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the Cold Weather Glove System. 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 May 29, 2029. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Threat Tec – Yorktown Systems Group JV LLC, Hampton, Virginia, was awarded a $33,990,441 modification (P00038) to contract W911S0-20-C-0007 for intelligence support services. Work will be performed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 8, 2025. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $6,102,830 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.