Might Robot Warships Trump 355 Ships?

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.

NavSec nominee Richard Spencer downplayed the call for a 355-ship Navy during a bipartisan lovefest confirmation hearing, reports Breaking Defense. He suggested robots at sea as possibly giving more yield in capability over capacity.

President Trump’s Navy secretary nominee also said he is “totally aware” of the threat posed by climate change, reports The Hill, and quotes his remarks to the Senate Armed Services Committee, “The Navy is totally aware of rising water issues, storm issues, etc.” And furthermore, still from The Hill, the nominee is open to another round of base closures and allowing women to serve in all combat roles.

The Verve reports on Net Neutrality Day of Action, as Wednesday was dubbed by some of the world’s biggest Internet companies and activist groups opposed to the FCC’s proposed rollback of net neutrality protections which assure equal access to the Internet and its content as is the current set-up.

Budget uncertainty continues as the Census pares back its 2018 final testing in preparation of the 2020 Census, reports FCW. Already some new methodologies anticipated to deploy for the 2020 count have been abandoned returning to existing technology and methodologies.

China sends troops to its first overseas naval base in Djibouti, reports South China Morning Post about the “logistics facility” built last year in the Horn of Africa to resupply naval vessels involved in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia.

Japan Times reports the US Navy temporarily relieved, for medical reasons, the commander of the destroyer that collided with a container vessel  killing seven American sailors. Six investigations have been launched, none yet assigning blame for the collision.

Breaking Defense reports the UK, Norway, and US signed an agreement to work together on anti-submarine warfare in the North Atlantic. This will leverage the joint acquisition of the P-8 aircraft.

The Navy is eliminating seven shipboard collateral duties, effective immediately, reports Navy Times. Top brass explains the action as refocusing on eliminating unnecessary tasks of sailors.

Contracts:

Envisioneering Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00173-17-D-2016); Applied Technology Inc., King George, Virginia (N00173-17-D-2014); DHPC Technologies Inc., Woodbridge, New Jersey (N00173-17-D-2015); and Praxis Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (N00173-17-D-2017), are being awarded a maximum value $95,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract to provide scientific, engineering and technical support for the US Naval Research Laboratory, Tactical Electronic Warfare Division, Washington, District of Columbia. All four contractors will be allowed to complete for task orders under this award. Work will be performed at the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Washington, District of Columbia (60 percent); and at a contractor’s location either in King George, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; or Woodbridge, New Jersey (40 percent). Work is expected to be completed July 12, 2022. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated at the time of award. No funds will expire at the end of current fiscal year. Task orders under this contract will be awarded on a cost-plus-fixed-fee basis. An initial task order will be awarded to Envisioneering Inc., in the amount of $1,866,477 and will run concurrent with the contract. This contract was competitively procured under Solicitation N00173-16-R-JF02, with  four offers received. The Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is being awarded $19,115,798 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order 2011 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001) to maintain and support operation of test equipment and test asset support equipment for P-8A flight test aircraft and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station System Integration Lab. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (90 percent); Dallas, Texas (5 percent); and Seattle, Washington (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Fiscal 2017 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $14,930,919 are being obligated on this 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.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., (a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp.), Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $41,295,387 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract in support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node E-11A platform maintenance requirement. This contract provides for logistics product support for four E-11A modified Bombardier BD-700 Global aircraft, as well as subsystems and support equipment in support of overseas contingency operations (OCO). Work will be performed in Kandahar, Afghanistan; and Maryland. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 23, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. Fiscal 2017 operations and maintenance OCO funds in the amount of $3,580,000 are being obligated at the time of contract award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Space, Aerial & Nuclear Networks Division Contracting Branch, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8726-17-C-0011).