Nimitz Returns to Mideast as Tensions Rise

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.

The USS Nimitz is back in the Persian Gulf, reports Navy Times. The Pentagon cited the drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq as the reason for the decision, saying “it was prudent to have additional defensive capabilities in the region to meet any contingency.”

An Iranian scientist was killed in a shooting on Friday near Tehran, reports Fox News, with the Iranian regime alleging involvement by Israel. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was widely seen by Western intelligence as the mastermind of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, reports Reuters. The killing risks further raising tensions across the Mideast, reports The Manila Times.

Guided-missile destroyer John S. McCain was conducting a freedom of navigation operation in the Sea of Japan last week when Russia says the destroyer was trespassing in its waters, reports Navy Times. After issuing a verbal warning, the Russian Defense Ministry says the McCain returned to international waters. The US 7th Fleet says the trespassing claim isn’t valid.

Support for Michèle Flournoy to be secretary of defense has emerged, reports Defense News. House Armed Services Committee Democrats, a former defense secretary, and many other supporters were publicly stumping for her before the holiday to become the first woman to run the Pentagon. While Ms. Flournoy is a strong contender, six people close to the transition say the president-elect is not entirely sold on her, reports Politico.

Former DefSec Jim Mattis is urging President-elect Joe Biden to eliminate the “America First” tenet of defense strategy, reports Military.com. He also recommends a slow pullout of troops from Afghanistan.

Retired Navy ADM James Stavridis said last week that he was confident the president-elect’s administration would maintain a US troop presence in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future, reports Voice of America.

US Navy CAPT Cassidy “Dudley” Norman has landed on six classes of aircraft carriers in his career, reports Navy Times. CAPT Norman notched his sixth carrier class landing aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford as part of a fleet replacement squadron carrier qualification wave with Strike Fighter Squadron 106 in October.

 

 

The US State Department plans to sell 18 MQ-9B drones worth an estimated $2.9 billion to the United Arab Emirates, reports Breaking Defense, as part of a deal that includes up to 50 F-35s, as well as air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.

The Defense Department deployed dozens of medical personnel to two states and one territory to bolster civilian medical facilities battling COVID-19, and hundreds more remain on standby as the pandemic surges, reports Air Force Magazine.

More than 6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses will be allocated to states and could begin distribution early next month, reports UPI.com.

The pandemic didn’t stop Thanksgiving for troops overseas, reports Military Times. “Our supply chain takes the holidays very seriously. Our troops are far away from home, and they definitely look forward to this meal. Disappointing them is not an option,” US Army COL Eric McCoy said.

DoD installations around the world received 131 tons of gourmet eats for deployed troops to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day, reports Military.com.

The Navy plans to offer “limited, voluntary early separations” for sailors in certain overmanned ratings and year groups who want to leave the service before their contractual obligations are up, reports Navy Times.

The Marine Corps will no longer conduct an annual training class asking Marines to quit smoking or dipping chewing tobacco, reports Marine Crops Times. Tobacco cessation training, along with training on social media conduct, combating trafficking, and violence prevention awareness all have been eliminated from the annual training requirement.

Lockheed Martin has acquired Integration Innovation Inc.’s (i3) Hypersonics portfolio, reports Airforce Technology. The deal is expected to boost the capabilities of Lockheed for the design, development, and production of integrated hypersonic weapon systems.

Contracts:

The Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $188,572,655 modification (P00010) exercising the second one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPRPA1-17-D-009U) with four one-year option periods for performance-based logistics and engineering support for the V-22 platform. This is a firm-fixed-price requirements contract. Locations of performance are Maryland, Texas, and Pennsylvania, with a Nov. 30, 2021, performance completion date. Using customers are Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and military services in Japan. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 (Air Force, Navy, Special Operations Command and Foreign Military Sales) appropriated funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded an estimated $16,881,210 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to add pricing for the repair of modular receiver exciters and common radar processor components and other depot-level reparable items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 US Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year base contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is Maryland, with a Sept. 9, 2023, ordering period end date. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2023 Air Force operation and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma (SPRTA1-21-D-0001).

Adept Process Services Inc. (APS Marine), National City, California (N55236-21-D-0001); Amee Bay LLC, Hanahan, South Carolina (N55236-21-D-0002); Delphinus Engineering Inc., Eddystone, Pennsylvania (N55236-21-D-0003); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., San Diego, California (N55236-21-D-0004); Integrated Marine Services Inc., Chula Vista, California (N55236-21-D-0005); Marine Group Boat Works LLC, Chula Vista, California (N55236-21-D-0006); Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N55236-21-D-0007); and Willard Marine Inc., Anaheim, California (N55235-21-D-0008), are awarded an overall maximum ceiling value of $64,349,360 in firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts with a five base year ordering period to provide marine boatyard services (Lot 1) including specific modifications, upgrades, service life extension and repairs to non-commissioned boats, craft, and lighterage/service crafts that can be transported via roadway by a trailer that is less than 15 meters or 50 feet in length. It includes their associated systems (i.e., hull, mechanical, electrical and electronic systems; trailers; transporters; deployment systems; slings and hoisting systems; launch and retrieval systems, etc.) and periodic maintenance. These eight companies will have an opportunity to compete for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed within the San Diego-Los Angeles County areas. These contracts have a five-year base ordering period and work is expected to be completed by November 2025. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $80,000 ($10,000 for minimum guarantee per contract) will be obligated under each contract’s initial delivery order and funding will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the beta.sam.gov website; nine offers were received. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Innovative Defense Technologies, Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $14,071,754 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for automated test and analysis capability supporting Navy surface combatant combat system development. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia (50%); and Mount Laurel, New Jersey (50%), and is expected to be completed by November 2021. This contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $90,490,587 and be completed in November 2025. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(5). This award is the result of a Small Business Innovative Research Phase III sole-source acquisition. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-21-C-5100).

Perspecta Engineering Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $9,731,342 cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering services in support of test and evaluation and systems engineering activities related to AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency. Work will be performed in Kauai, Hawaii (90%); Oahu, Hawaii (4%); Santa Clara, California (3%); Point Mugu, California (2%); and Chantilly, Virginia (1%). Work is expected to be completed in November 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award and funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-21-D-0007).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded an $11,538,508 modification (P00014) to contract W911S0-18-C-0004 to provide mission support for planning, coordination and execution of exercises conducted by the Army’s Mission Command Training Program. Work will be performed in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 14, 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $11,538,508 were obligated at the time of the award. The US Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is the contracting activity.