March 29, 2024

Navy Plans for Unmanned ‘Ghost Fleet’

unmanned fleet

Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Morning Coffee logoeconomic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.

Navy’s plans for unmanned “ghost fleet” remain shrouded in secrecy, reports Military.com. What is known: the Navy plans for 10 large unmanned vessels able to operate without humans aboard and estimated at $2.7 billion over the next five years. The Navy wants $400 million in fiscal 2020 to build two of the vessels.

For US men failing to register for the draft has serious, long-term consequences, reports USA Today. For 39 years, it’s been a rite of passage for American men. Within 30 days of his 18th birthday, every male citizen and legal resident is required to register for Selective Service, either by filling out a postcard-size form or going online. Men who don’t register for the draft by age 26 often have problems later in life with federal and state benefits.

Air Force again halts KC-46 deliveries from Boeing after more debris found, reports Air Force Times.

Turkey’s marriage of F-35 and S-400 “absolutely unsustainable,”says EUCOM nominee, reports Defense News. Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, nominated to lead American forces in Europe said if Turkey buys the Russian S-400 air defense system, it “should not get” the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from the US.

Missile-tracking aircraft arrives on Okinawa amid fears North Korea may lift testing moratorium, reports Stars and Stripes. The US reconnaissance aircraft specializes in surveilling and collecting data on ballistic missiles.

US and South Korea “building capability up’”with military exercises, not scaling back, says acting DefSec Pat Shanahan. Stars and Stripes reports that joint military exercises conducted by the US and South Korea last month boosted readiness, defending changes aimed at maintaining calm with the North to facilitate nuclear talks.

Navy released its first-ever long-range ship maintenance plan to avoid future backlogs, reports USNI, by creating more capacity and more efficient processes by the time the surface fleet peaks in size in the 2030s.

Jan Stoltenberg, NATO chief, and President Donald Trump discussed German’s contributions, reports DW.com.

Merging commissary and exchange systems “may pose a threat” to the stores’ future, advocates tell Congress. Military Times reports that a coalition of 27 military and veteran organizations asked leaders of the House and Senate armed services committees for more study and congressional oversight before allowing DoD to merge the commissary and exchange systems.

The US Food and Drug Administration to hold a public hearing on regulations for the use of CBD in consumer products, including foods and beverages. FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said that the move was part of an effort to build “lawful pathways by which appropriate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds can be marketed” and made “more predictable and efficient.”

USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: April 1, 2019.

Contracts:

Keenan Fort Detrick Energy LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded a $1,600,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for energy services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Detrick, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2049. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $1 were obligated at the time of the award. US.Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9124J-19-C-0006).

AECOM Technical Services Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (W912DQ-19-D-4005); Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Missouri (W912DQ-19-D-4008); and Fisher Engineering, Johns Creek, Georgia (W912DQ-19-D-4009), will compete for each order of the $9,500,000 firm-fixed-price contract for Air Force Civil Engineering Fire Protection architecture and engineering services. Bids were solicited via the internet with nine received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 30, 2024. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri, is the contracting activity.

Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is issued a contract modification (HDTRA1-17-C-0019-P00013) to exercise Option Period Two of a time-and-materials contract with a ceiling value of $34,056,691, and does not include the value of the unexercised options. This contract is for scientific and technical services in support of various projects under the Cooperative Biological Engagement Program. Work will be performed at various locations throughout the world. The anticipated completion date is May 13, 2020 (Option Period Two); this contract includes two additional 12-month options that would end on May 13, 2022, if all options are exercised. The contract was a competitive acquisition; the government received 11 offers. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $32,345,388 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides research, development, test and evaluation services to include technology demonstrations and flight test events in support of mission, maintenance and future requirements for the development, employment and deployment of range instrumentation systems for the Pacific Range support team. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (45 percent); Camarillo, California (15 percent); and Point Mugu, California (40 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0033).

AECOM Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland, is awarded $30,571,740 for modification P00045 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N68335-17-C-0272). This modification provides for the procurement of aviation support equipment in support of the Fleet Readiness Centers. Work will be performed in Solomons, Maryland (15 percent); North Island, California (14 percent); Jacksonville, Florida (12 percent); Cherry Point, North Carolina (10 percent); Portsmouth, Virginia (9 percent); El Centro, California (8 percent); Lemoore, California (7 percent); Beaufort, South Carolina (5 percent); New Orleans, Louisiana (5 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (5 percent); Comalapa, El Salvador (4 percent); Cheatham Annex, Virginia (3 percent); Whidbey Island, Washington (2 percent); and Futenma, Japan (1 percent). Work is expected to be completed in April 2022. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,635,797 are being obligated at time of award, $11,548,797 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.

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