March 28, 2024

Morning Coffee: DoD Seeks Additional 2015 Funding

Pentagon

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 necessarily reflect those of the Leader’s owners or staff.Morning Coffee logo

The Pentagon is seeking $26 billion in additional funding outside of its 2015 budget request as part of the “Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative”, according to the National Journal. The requests include $2.3 billion for facility maintenance and $1.1 billion for P-8A Poseidon, C-40 Clipper and E-2D Hawkeye aircraft. The additional money would be raised through tax and spending reforms, but DoD faces a fight to receive the funding bonus. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon informed DefSec Chuck Hagel that he thinks disbursing the funding “would be wonderful, but it’s not going to happen.”

DefSec Hagel initiated a Pentagon-level review of the entire military awards system last week in an effort to determine how to honor drone pilots and cyberwarriors, reports the Military Times. Sec. Hagel stopped production of the Distinguished Warfare Medal almost a year ago after it was mocked as the “Nintendo Medal” and controversy arose over its place above the Bronze Star in the official order of precedence. Sec. Hagel wrote, “This review will primarily focus on combat and valor awards to determine if the program adequately recognizes all levels of combat valor and … [is] properly aligned with the joint nature of warfare.”

More time will be required for the Pentagon to define regulations that would require defense contractors with security clearances to quickly report network and information system security breaches, according to Inside Cybersecurity. A DoD committee that was tasked with developing the statutorily required cyber security guidelines was due to issue its report last Wednesday. The National Defense Authorization Act originally mandated the Defense Department to develop the procedures in 2013 but ongoing delays mean that the deadline for recommendations will again be extended.

Breaking Defense has provided an analysis and recommendations on how the Navy should configure its future fleet. The editorial advocates a halt in the production of Littoral Combat Ships, an expansion of the aircraft carrier fleet and a return of ship design back to the Navy. The report’s overall conclusion is that more ships are needed if the Navy is to maintain a strong, effective world-wide maritime presence.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) made three stops in St. Mary’s County last week that included talks with personnel at NAS Patuxent River, the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance and The Patuxent Partnership, reports Gazette.Net. She focused on job creation and how to keep Pax River “BRAC proof” as budget cuts are being enacted by Congress.

Dr. Frank Narducci, a Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) physicist at NAS Patuxent River, is helping St. Mary’s College of Maryland students to complete their college degrees, reports dcmilitary.com. Dr. Narducci, who has allowed the students to work in a real laboratory and aid development of warfighter technology for over 10 years, said, “I am a teacher at heart and just love teaching students, so it is very rewarding. The students ask questions and probe constantly, which really makes me have to stay on my toes and think about things in a different way, keeping my skills sharp.”

Veterans saw an improvement in employment in 2013 but are still behind civilians in getting a job, according to the Military Times. A new government report indicates that vet unemployment was down almost 1 percent from 2012 to 9 percent but gained little ground on the 2013 nonveteran rate of 7.2 percent.

A request for proposal (RFP) for a Navy unmanned carrier launched airborne surveillance and strike (UCLASS) program is expected to be released soon, reports Flightglobal. The Navy didn’t specify a date for the RFP’s release but usually releases them within 15 days of a synopsis posting, which occurred March 13. The competition is restricted to the four companies which already received Navy contracts to conduct UCLASS preliminary design reviews, and include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Northrop Grumman. The Navy stated, “Award to any contractor other than a [preliminary design review] participant would result in significant schedule delays and require substantial additional costs which are not expected to be recouped by the government through full and open competition.”

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