Mattis Says 16-Year-Old War Authorization Sufficient
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A bipartisan update to a 16-year-old authorization for ongoing US military operations against the Islamic State is still out of reach, but DefSec James Mattis tells Congress the “2001 and 2002 authorizations to use military force remain a sound basis for ongoing US military operations against a mutating threat,” reports Military Times. President Obama had pushed to replace those open-ended authorizations before leaving office, but Republicans called his proposals too limiting for future presidents, and some Democrats labeled them still too open-ended.
SecState Rex Tillerson says the US military could stay in Iraq to fight ISIS whether wanted or not, reports Defense News. The White House denied this week the Iranian government’s claim that President Donald Trump asked to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, but was turned down, reports NBC News.
Military Times reports North Korea’s threat to detonate a hydrogen bomb above the Pacific Ocean is being treated as credible based on the regime’s past actions, according to officials at Joint Base Pearl Harbor. Even as that nation pursues a nuclear warhead, Military Times reports a more worrisome potential threat in the Pacific is that China has practiced bombing runs targeting Guam.
President Trump has agreed to send more “strategic assets” to South Korea to deter North Korean provocations, reports The Washington Post, but DoD has provided few additional details.
Thousands of South Koreans are expected to demonstrate during Trump’s upcoming visit, reports DW. Many say the US leader is bringing the Korean peninsula to a state of crisis.
Bloomberg says renewed conflict on the Korean peninsula could kill hundreds of thousands of people in the first few days alone even if no nuclear weapons are involved, according to a new report by the Congressional Research Service.
Military Times reports a federal court ruled this week the president cannot force transgender service members out of the ranks.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) returns to the Naval Academy, his alma mater, to thank midshipmen for their sacrifice to nation, reports Navy Times. McCain, 81, described himself as an “undistinguished member of the class of 1958″ and now stands as the “luckiest guy you’ll ever know.”
Quality control on Northrop’s antimissile system for the Army and surveillance aircraft for the Air Force is under scrutiny, Bloomberg reports on the company’s multibillion-dollar weapons systems.
URS Federal Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, has been awarded a $63,997,562 modification (000218) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0028 for Army Prepositioned Stock (APS-2) logistics support services in Mannheim and Dulmen, Germany. Work will be performed in Mannheim and Dulmen, Germany, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 21, 2021. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $16,100,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC, Columbia, Maryland, has been awarded a $12,269,262 modification (000125) to contract W52P1J-12-G-0061 for Army Prepositioned Stock (APS-4), logistics support services in Korea. Work will be performed in Daegu, Korea, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 29, 2018. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $12,269,262 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
Hampton Roads Produce Distribution Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,046,926 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for warehouse and distribution operations. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. Location of performance is Virginia, with an Oct. 31, 2022, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 through 2023 defense working capital funds; $1,991,530 will be obligated using fiscal 2018 funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania (SP3300-18-D-5001).
Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Systems Division, Dulles, Virginia, has been awarded a $33,982,424 firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursement contract for long duration propulsive evolved expendable launch vehicle secondary payload adapter and extends Air Force Space Command’s standard service policy for rideshare, leveraging previous propulsive evolved expendable launch vehicle secondary payload adapter development. Work will be performed at Dulles, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 1, 2019. This award is the result of a federal business opportunities solicitation and two offers were received. Fiscal 2016 procurement funds in the amount of $33,982,424 are being obligated at time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA8818-18-C-0001).