Nuclear Warheads Threatened by Budget CR
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economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff.
Nuclear officials warn that a long-term budget continuing resolution will result in delays for modernizing America’s nuclear warheads, reports Defense News, putting at risk an already challenging plan to build plutonium pits needed for the next generation of US intercontinental ballistic missiles. The current CR ends Nov. 21, but there is little expectation that regular budgeting will then resume.
The US may be set to test a new ground-launched ballistic missile in the coming weeks, reports Defense News, the first test of that particular weapon since the country withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty earlier this year.
The Air Force is preparing to experiment with linking the F-22 and F-35 fighter jets, in a series of experiments that USAF acquisition head Will Roper has dubbed “connect-a-thons,” reports C4ISR.net
Fort Hood soldiers in an intelligence unit with top-secret clearances were ordered to download an information app, triggering fear their secretive work could be harnessed and exploited by adversary governments, reports The Washington Post.
The top Senate Democrat asks why Army recruiters use Chinese-owned social media apps, reports Army Times. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wants answers from ArmySec Ryan McCarthy by Dec. 6 regarding the use of Chinese social media apps among soldiers.
The US Department of Education is using open-source intelligence to battle the cyber-threat of shadow IT, where employees create accounts for unvetted and unsecured online services such as word processors, cloud storage, or messaging, which can pose a threat to broader government systems, reports Fifth Domain.
Carrier USS Harry S. Truman is fixed and set to deploy soon, after extensive electrical problems delayed its anticipated deployment in September, reports USNI.
VADM Stuart Munsch takes reins of the Navy’s newly formed warfighting development directorate to organize training and education throughout the service, reports USNI News.
Amid disputes over trade and wartime history, South Korea plans to scrap an intelligence sharing agreement with Japan. Military Times reports Japan and the US agree that three-way ties with South Korea are key to security, reports Military Times.
Mold, rotting wood, and water prompt 10 military families to sue their privatized landlord at Fort Meade, reports Military Times.
Eight tips for vets who want to start their own businesses. Military Times reports that veterans have proven themselves to be among the country’s best entrepreneurs, starting major companies such as Fed Ex, Nike, and Walmart.
Military exchange extends return policy for holiday shopping, reports Military.com. Army and Air Force Exchange Service will accept returns with a receipt until Jan. 31, 2020.
Plastic threads are found in oysters and clams along the Oregon coast, reports Science News. The study is in the journal Limnology and Oceanography Letters. Of the 300 organisms sampled, just two were free of microplastics. Scientists found an average of 11 pieces of microplastic in oysters and nine in clams.
Cargo lock fix for KC-46 tanker approved by Air Force, reports Defense News.
Sea otters and seals in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Alaska, are infected with a virus that once was seen only in animals in the Atlantic, reports The New York Times. A new study suggests that melting ice in the Arctic may be to blame — and that climate change may help spread the disease to new areas and new animals.
Contracts:
BAE Systems, Jacksonville Ship Repair, Jacksonville, Fla. (N40027-17-D-1001); Colonna Shipyards Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N40027-17-D-1002); East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N40027-17-D-1003); Metro Machine Corp., Jacksonville, Fla. (N40027-17-D-1004); North Florida Shipyards, Jacksonville, Fla, (N40027-17-D-1005); and Tecnico Corp., Chesapeake, Va. (N40027-17-D-1006), are each awarded a maximum-value $270,601,012, firm-fixed-price modification to their respective previously-awarded contracts to exercise Option Year Three for the accomplishment of fixed-priced delivery orders for emergent and continuous ship maintenance availabilities for ships homeported in Mayport, Fla. These six companies will have the opportunity to provide offers for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in Mayport, Fla., and is expected to be completed by November 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of award. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
East Coast Repair & Fabrication, Norfolk, Va., is awarded a maximum value $83,087,424 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N40027-19-D-1001 to exercise Option Year One for the accomplishment of fixed priced delivery orders for docking and non-docking Chief of Naval Operations scheduled availabilities. Work will be performed in Mayport, Fla., and is expected to be complete by November 2020. No funding will be obligated at time of modification. East Coast Repair & Fabrication will have the opportunity to compete on individual delivery orders. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, Jacksonville, Fla., is the contracting activity.
Sedna Digital Solutions LLC, Manassas, Va., is awarded a $9,340,931 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-18-C-6264 to exercise and fund options for Navy engineering services and required material. Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy); and fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,660,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
