Must-See Aviation Event Underway

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.

Farnborough Air Show, in the United Kingdom, has been dubbed the must-go aviation event, and CNN reports this year’s displays will include the future of some of the biggest names in aviation, the rise of unmanned aerial vehicles, emerging plane makers, and barnstorming displays of military and civilian hardware.

Two years later than planned, the F-35 makes its UK debut at the air show and brightened a mood dimmed by Britain’s vote to exit the European Union, Aviation Week Network reports. “Following recent events, some people might say after Brexit that England is retreating into its shell,” a British official said. “But this will demonstrate to the world that Britain is not retreating. … We are back, and we will be an important ally for our partners in NATO projecting power with the F-35.”

WTOP Radio reports Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford (R) and Maryland Commerce Department Secretary Mike Gill are leading the state’s delegation to the show this week. Representatives from nine small and mid-sized companies in the state also are attending. They will be promoting Maryland as an aerospace destination for companies that want to get into the US market. Aviation Systems Engineering Co., headquartered in Lexington Park, is one of the companies representing the state.

Flight Global has created a landing page for the biennial Farnborough International Air Show this week. Check it out for updates on the year’s biggest aviation event.

Canada talked to potential bidders — Boeing, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin, and Saab — to map the next steps  to replace its aging fleet of CF-18 fighter jets built by Boeing, Reuters reports. The government is expected to assess its options over the summer. But Sputnik US reports that the Canadian government appears intent on procuring Boeing’s F/A 18E Super Hornet to replace its air force’s CF-18 fleet citing lower costs, earlier availability, and higher performance.

US military leaders testified before the House Armed Services Committee, reports Fox News, that years of budget cuts have left the military with a “decrepit air fleet that could compromise armed service branches’ ability to perform in battle.

The Washington Post reports now that President Obama has abandoned his plan to greatly scale back US involvement in the Afghan war, military commanders are drawing up plans to help Afghan forces hammer Taliban insurgents.

US Walter Reed Army Institute of Research is teaming up with a French pharmaceutical company to develop a Zika vaccine candidate using an inactivated version of the virus, Bloomberg News reports.

US Navy sailors take the plunge! This MSN News video shows what just might be the coolest job perk in the world.

Contracts:

International Business Machines Corp., Bethesda, MD, is being awarded a multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum of $142,000,000. Contract S5121A-16-D-0003 supports Defense Contract Management Agency sustainment and modernization efforts for the overall lifecycle management of mechanization of contract administration services, MOCAS related systems, and Department of Defense e-commerce programs. The awards consist of a two-year basic contract, with four two-year option periods for a total period of performance of 10-years with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2026. Task orders will be competed between awardees. Work location is task order dependent but primarily will occur at contractor facilities. No funds have been obligated to the contract; task order will be funded with operations and maintenance funds. This contract was competitively solicited via Federal Business Opportunity website, with 10 proposals received. The Defense Contract Management Agency, Fort Lee, VA, is the contracting activity.

Ventech Solutions Inc., Baltimore, MD, is being awarded a multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum of $142,000,000. Contract S5121A-16-D-0006 supports Defense Contract Management Agency sustainment and modernization efforts for the overall lifecycle management of mechanization of contract administration services, MOCAS related systems, and Department of Defense e-commerce programs. The awards consist of a two-year basic contract, with four two-year option periods for a total period of performance of 10-years with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2026. Task orders will be competed between awardees. Work location is task order dependent but primarily will occur at contractor facilities. No funds have been obligated to the contract; task order will be funded with operations and maintenance funds. This contract was competitively solicited via Federal Business Opportunity website, with 10 proposals received. The Defense Contract Management Agency, Fort Lee, VA, is the contracting activity. 

Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, Baltimore, MD, is being awarded $10,676,521 for cost-plus-award-fee order ER06 against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00024-15-G-2303) to provide engineering and management services for Littoral Combat Ship LCS-5 Post Shakedown Availability. Lockheed Martin will provide engineering and management services in support of the following: (1) 40,000 man-hours level of effort and to provide the work specification, pre-fabrication, and material for LCS-5 PSA; (2) a stern ramp capable of accepting continuous stowage of an 1l meter Rigid hull inflatable Boats and the associated technical impact statement package; (3) additional berthing capacity and (4) a reverse osmosis plant modification.  Work will be performed in New York, NY (60 percent); Baltimore, MD (33 percent); and Marinette, WI (7 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 2017. Fiscal 2016 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) and fiscal 2016 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $10,676,521 will be obligated at time of award and $550,000 is expiring at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, Bath, ME, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Electronic Systems, Linthicum Heights, MD, has been awarded a $7,257,887 modification (P00010) to contract HR0011-15-C-0003, exercising the first option to the 21-month base contract for Phase 2 (CLIN 0002) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Supply Chain Hardware Integrity for Electronics Defense program. This is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. Exercise of the option via modification P00010 brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $19,585,490 from $12,327,603. Work will be performed in Linthicum, MD (68 percent); Albuquerque, NM (9 percent); Santa Clara, CA (6 percent); Reston, VA (9 percent); Lubbock, TX (5 percent); and Atlanta, GA (3 percent), with an expected completion date of Jan. 11, 2018. Fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $3,628,943 are being obligated at time of the award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, VA, is the contracting activity.