Pendleton Detects PFAS in Drinking Water
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.
Camp Pendleton is the latest installation to find elevated levels of PFAS in drinking water, reports Military.com. Thousands of service members and civilians living and working near the base’s north end learned early this week that their drinking water contained a higher-than-desired level of PFAS, a potentially carcinogenic chemical that has been found in much of Southern California’s groundwater supply, according to The Orange County Register.
In recognition of this week’s 50th anniversary of the United States leaving Vietnam, Military Times provides its list of the 10 best Vietnam War movies.
The Navy is offering $100,000 to reserve officers through the Training and Administration of the Reserve Aviation Command Retention Bonus, reports Navy Times, the same amount offered last year. Officers will receive the bonus in an initial payment of $34,000, plus two additional annual payments of $33,000 for at least another three years of service that includes a post-command commander tour. The Navy stressed the significance of retention bonuses in its budget request, which dropped earlier this month amid challenges keeping and recruiting new sailors and officers.
US military pilots avoid health care or misrepresent and withhold health information from their flight surgeon at greater rates than civilian pilots out of fear they might lose their flying status. Air and Space Forces reports on the new study conducted by Air Force and civilian medical experts.
Ranking House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) is urging Air Force SEC Frank Kendall, Chief of Staff GEN Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., and Chief of Space Operations GEN B. Chance Saltzman to request funding to address alarming cancer rates tied to military service in the Air Force and Space Force, reports Military.com.
The cost of renaming the nine Army bases that honored the Confederacy has nearly doubled, to $39 million, said LT GEN Kevin Vereen, Army deputy chief of staff for installations. In 2022, the congressionally mandated Naming Commission estimated it would cost $21 million to rename the nine Army installations, reports Military Times.
New budget documents show that the three military branches that fly the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft have no plans to buy any more, reports Military.com. While the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force say the end of the buy is simply the end of the contract for the services, the news comes amid intense scrutiny of major issues with the Osprey’s gearbox that have caused at least 15 incidents over the life of the aircraft. Concerns over the Osprey led to groundings and now threaten to cost millions in repairs and maintenance.
The departments of Defense and the Interior announced this week an $80 million investment to preserve land around military installations through the new Readiness and Recreation Initiative, reports Military Times. According to a release, as part of the joint effort, the National Park Service will provide $40 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, with the Pentagon matching the contribution through a Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program.
The Space Systems Command announced March 24 it has selected 18 vendors to provide data analytics and software services to the space domain, reports Space News. The companies are Agility Consulting, August Schell Enterprises, Avantus Federal, BAE Systems, Bluestaq, C3 AI, Enlighten IT Consulting, Ernst & Young, Kinetica, MAG Aerospace., Map Large, Meroxa.io, NT Concepts, Oracle America, Palantir, Raft, Royce Geospatial Consultants, and World Wide Technology.
Disagreement between top military leaders as to why the US didn’t instantly shoot down the Chinese spy balloon as soon as it appeared on radar has spilled into public view and the GOP is seizing on it, according to POLITICO. Last week, a four-star general told senators that he wasn’t directly asked for his advice until days after the object had headed over land. Yet a Pentagon spokesperson later told POLITICO the general did provide recommendations and updates throughout the crisis.
China has completed the development of its next generation of indigenous military aircraft engines and will start mass production once supply chain issues with advanced alloys are resolved, according to Defense News.
AP reports that the United States and Russia have stopped sharing biannual nuclear weapons data under the faltering New START treaty, the last arms control pact between the two countries.
The US Air Force’s next big step toward establishing a network of drone wingmen could come in a small fleet of experimental self-flying F-16 fighters, says Defense News. The service’s proposed fiscal 2024 budget includes nearly $50 million to start Project Venom — or Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model — to help it experiment with and refine autonomous software loaded onto six F-16s.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft — autonomous aircraft — will be able to carry out missions without direction from crewed aircraft and may not always fly as their “wingmen,” in order to maximize employment flexibility, according to Air Force leaders developing and testing these new robotic platforms. Asked whether CCAs will be “tethered” to crewed platforms or carry out their own missions without such pairings, MAJ GEN Scott Jobe, Air Combat Command’s director of plans, programs, and requirements, replied, “Yes.” According to Wikipedia, the uncrewed CCA are meant to collaborate with the crewed Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft.
A US Air Force office focused on making sure aircraft and weapon systems are hardened against cyber intrusions wants to expand its reach within the Space Force, reports C4ISRNET. The Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems, also known as CROWS, works with acquisition and testing teams to make sure old and new platforms are protected against cyber threats. The organization established Cyber Focus Teams to do this work within Air Force program executive offices and wants to replicate that work within the Space Force.
A ship-scaling robot is getting new work with the US Navy’s fleet, reports Breaking Defense. Pennsylvania-based Gecko Robotics announced that the US Navy has expanded its use of the company’s hull-scaling robot to detect structural integrity problems and help reduce the Navy’s maintenance backlog.
Airbus Defence and Space and company subsidiary UpNext announced a successful test of an Airbus A310 tanker flight autonomously guiding DT-25 drones into mock refueling position, reports Breaking Defense. Autonomously guiding and controlling DT-25 targeting drones is considered a step toward wholly autonomous refueling.
Russia is unable to honor its arms delivery commitments to India because of the war in Ukraine, according to the Indian Air Force. CNN reports an IAF representative told an Indian parliamentary committee that due to the Ukraine war a “major delivery” from Moscow “is not going to take place.” Moscow is New Delhi’s largest defense supplier.
The International Olympic Committee still has not decided whether it will allow Russia or Belarus to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but it took a step toward doing so this week by providing guidance for allowing athletes from those countries to take part in international sporting events, including Olympic qualifiers, reports The Washington Post.
US Navy officials headed to Scotland to investigate R/V Petrel slipping off its supports and ending up at a 45 degrees list at dry dock at Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh. The mishap injured at least 33 people, reports USNI News. The ship, now owned by the Navy, was used in several shipwreck research missions when it was owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center is leading the investigation for the Navy, spokesman James Stossel told USNI News.
Foot problems are common among troops — here’s how to avoid injury, reports Military Times: Wear properly fitted boots, promptly care for injuries, and practice nail hygiene. Proper blister care is also a major component of foot health.
The Army has ribbons for just about everything. And now, that extensive list of awards includes a recently unveiled ribbon given to eligible soldiers who refer a friend to join the force, reports Military Times. Those who participate in the Soldier Referral Program can qualify for the new ribbon as long as the referred individual attends Basic Combat Training.
A former soldier on military death row for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, could face execution after the nation’s top military court hears the case, reports Military Times. Ex-Army MAJ Nidal Hasan, 52, is set for his case to stand before the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces on Tuesday for what is largely considered the deadliest mass shooting ever on a US military installation.
A Marine faces charges in a fatal rollover. But is the Corps to blame? Marine Corp Times reports Lance Cpl. Luis Ponce-Barrera, 20, faces charges of manslaughter and reckless operation of a vehicle in the January 2022 rollover of a medium tactical vehicle replacement, or seven-ton truck, that he’d been driving to a landing zone on base. As court-martial proceedings begin for the Marine behind the wheel in a fatal vehicle rollover that took place outside Camp Lejeune, NC, in 2022, he’ll be getting support inside the courtroom from an unlikely source: several of the parents of Marines killed and hurt in the tragedy.
St. Mary’s County will host its 40th annual Easter Egg Festival, reports The Southern Maryland Chronicle, on April 1, 2023, at the St. Mary’s County Fairgrounds, from 11:30am to 4pm.
Contracts:
ManTech Advanced Systems International Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $133,129,075 cost-plus-price-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide warfare analysis in support of ensuring engineering level performance and design are meeting campaign, mission, and engagement level warfighting capability requirements for the Warfare Effectiveness Department Warfare Effectiveness and Analysis Support Services for the Navy. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (95.5%); Arlington, Virginia (2.5%); and China Lake, California (2%), and is expected to be completed in March 2028. 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 Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042123D0007).
Amentum Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (N6893623D0008); Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., San Diego, California (N6893623D0009); CGW Technologies Inc., Great Mills, Maryland (N6893623D0010); Collins Aerospace, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (N6893623D0011); DRS Training & Control Systems LLC, Fort Walton Beach, Florida (N6893623D0012); Electronic Warfare Associates Triad LLC, Herndon, Virginia (N6893623D0013); Kranze Technology Solutions Inc., Des Plaines, Illinois (N6893623D0014); New Directions Technologies Inc., Ridgecrest, California (N6893623D0015); Nu Waves LTD, Middletown, Ohio (N6893623D0016); and Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N6893623D0017), are awarded a $249,869,545 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. These contracts provide for products and services in support of Test and Training (T&T) range instrumentation, to include airborne and ground-based elements, interfaces, auxiliary equipment to include remote ground stations, data collection systems, data processing and display systems, host range interface equipment, and testing and troubleshooting hardware. Products include various hardware and instrumentation systems identified at the order level to support validation of articles under test. Additionally, these contracts provide a full spectrum of support services, to include long-term sustainment support for existing T&T range systems, as well as new T&T range instrumentation systems that are designed, developed, fielded and integrated. Services also include providing onsite and in-plant engineering and technical support, as well as necessary studies, analyses, and site surveys for the Navy. The estimated aggregate ceiling for all contracts is $249,869,545, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California (38%); Des Plaines, Illinois (38%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (12%); Fort Walton Beach, Florida (4%); Great Mills, Maryland (2%); San Diego, California (2%); Middletown, Ohio (2%); Germantown, Maryland (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (1%), and is expected to be completed in March 2028. 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, 10 offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity.
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $14,399,683 modification (P00086) to contract W31P4Q-21-F-0033 for hardware-in-the-loop aviation systems engineering services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 28, 2025. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Strategic Analysis Inc., Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a task order (GS00Q14OADS434) firm-fixed-price, level of effort contract (HQ003423F0106) valued at $17,289,711 to provide professional, technical, analytical, financial, administrative, and specialized support operations to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,600,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The total value of the contract if all options are exercised is $109,034,303. The contractor will provide professional technical, analytical, financial, administrative, and specialized support operations to assist OUSD(R&E) with the Department of Defense Science and Technology Foundations and Futures programs within the organization of the Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Science and Technology. The work will be performed at the contractor office in Arlington, Virginia; the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia; and the Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia. The estimated contract completion date is March 23, 2028. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Huntington-Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $12,228,305 cost-plus-fixed fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-15-C-2114) for the procurement of material and labor associated with contractor furnished on-board repair parts for the outfitting of CVN 79. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) outfitting funding in the amount of $12,228,305 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Sedna Digital Solutions LLC, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $12,957,680 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract action for engineering design development procurement. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $91,063,239. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2024. If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2030. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,352,837 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was procured as a follow-on Small Business Innovative Research Phase III. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-23-C-6109).
Management Services Group Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, is awarded a $39,710,682 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5608 to exercise options for network, processing, and storage Technical Insertion 16, Modification 1 production equipment, spares, and engineering support. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2025. Fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $16,760,246 (42%); fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,788,951 (20%); Foreign Military Sales (Canada) funds in the amount of $6,946,176 (17%); fiscal 2022 defense-wide procurement funds in the amount of $5,253,482 (13%); fiscal 2023 research, development, test, and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,955,860 (7%); and fiscal 2022 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $5,967 (1%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. (Awarded March 27, 2023)
Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $619,242,288 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-22-C-5500 to exercise options for hardware production of the AN/SPY-6(V) family of radars. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (29%); Scottsdale, Arizona (14%); San Diego, California (12%); Sykesville, Maryland (10%); Syracuse, New York (8%); Cerritos, California (5%); Stafford Springs, Connecticut (5%); Huntsville, Alabama (3%); Indianapolis, Indiana (3%); Riverside, California (3%); Dallas, Texas (2%); Eau Claire, Wisconsin (2%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (2%); and Tulsa, Oklahoma (2%), and is expected to be completed by September 2026. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $470,624,139 (76%); and fiscal 2023 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $148,618,149 (24%) will be obligated at the 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.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded an $128,455,740.00 firm-fixed-price modification (P00083) to contract FA8615-17-C-6047 for Active Electronically Scanned Array radars of Air Force F-16 aircraft. This modification is for the exercise of options to include 48 radars, 4 initial spare kits, and 2 readiness spares kits. Work will be performed in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed May 30, 2031. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $1,481,312,105. Fiscal 2021 procurement funds in the amount of $457,758.00; fiscal 2022 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $55,146,210; and fiscal 2023 procurement funds in the amount of $72,851,772 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Digital Consultants LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is awarded an $8,726,215 hybrid (firm-fixed-price, time and materials, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity) single award contract to provide audio/visual and video teleconference maintenance and repair support services to Marine Corps Base Quantico and supported tenant commands. The ordering period is from March 29, 2023, to March 28, 2028. Work will be performed at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and Stafford, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed March 28, 2028. Fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $100,972 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. All other funding will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via the System for Award Management with four proposals received. The Marine Corps Installations, National Capital Region Regional Contracting Office, Quantico Virginia, is the contracting activity (M00264-23-D-0003).
Federal Prison Industries Inc., doing business as UNICOR, Washington, DC, has been awarded a maximum $13,749,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for physical fitness uniform jackets. This was a competitive acquisition with three responses received. This is a one-year contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Illinois, with a March 26, 2024, ordering period end date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2023 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-23-D-0037).
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $12,072,714 modification (P00058) to contract W31P4Q-21-F-0095 for engineering services to support hardware, modeling and simulation development. Work will be performed at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 27, 2024. Fiscal 2010 and 2023 other procurement, Army funds; fiscal 2023 aircraft procurement, Army funds; and fiscal 2023 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $12,072,714 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Seaward Marine Services LLC, Norfolk, Virginia, is awarded a $295,900,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for waterborne hull cleaning and associated efforts relating to the underwater portion of ships and craft to support the Director of Ocean Engineering, Supervisor of Salvage and Diving. Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed in March 2028. No funding will be obligated at the time of contract award as funds will be obligated upon the issuance of individual task orders under this contract. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-23-D-4311).
