March 29, 2024

Pentagon: Afghanistan Withdrawal Complete

Pentagon
US Central Command photo by Marine Corps 1st LT Mark Andries

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.

America’s 20-year war ended as the last plane with US troops left Afghanistan at 3:29 pm Monday, reports Fox News. US Central Commander GEN Frank McKenzie made the announcement at the Pentagon. 3:29 pm (EST) today, Aug. 31, marked the deadline for the US withdrawal. Earlier Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby called the final hours “particularly dangerous,” reports ABC News.

The US intercepted five rockets that targeted the airport in Kabul on Monday morning, reports Marine Corps Times. US forces used a defensive weapon known as C-RAM — a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar System — in response to the attack.

Late Monday, operations at the Kabul airport were shifting focus to get the remaining US troops and equipment out, reports Politico. Army MAJ GEN Hank Taylor said the US had relocated more than 122,000 people from Afghanistan since the end of July, including 5,400 American citizens. The administration believed roughly 300 Americans remained as of Sunday. The US said it had the capacity to evacuate the remaining US citizens who wanted to leave before the deadline, reports Air Force Times.

The Hill reports that the withdrawal will not be a clean break for the Biden administration, which must grapple with whether to continue evacuation missions for Americans and Afghan allies left behind.

A F-35B aircraft launched from the HMS Queen Elizabeth landed on the amphibious assault ship USS America to load ordnance and refuel, reports Air Recognition, making it the first time the US has cross-decked aircraft for a mission utilizing a foreign aircraft carrier.

The US Navy successfully tested the second stage solid rocket motor for the service’s Conventional Prompt Strike program and the Army’s Long Range Hypersonic Weapon, reports Breaking Defense.

The ship-based Initial Operational Test and Evaluation for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) program has been completed onboard the littoral combat ship USS Manchester, reports Navy Recognition. Designed for the LCS as part of the mine countermeasures mission package, the UISS consists of a mine countermeasures unmanned surface vehicle and a towed minesweeping payload for influence sweeping of magnetic, acoustic, and magnetic/acoustic combination mines, according to the Navy.

NAWCAD has contracted with PteroDynamics for the company to deliver three vertical take-off and landing prototypes for the Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS program, reports Seapower magazine. PteroDynamics, an aircraft design and manufacturing company, is headquartered in Colorado.

Firefly Aerospace is expected to launch its first Alpha rocket on Thursday, reports Breaking Defense. The launch, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, sets up what could be a rivalry with California-based Rocket Labs. “Firefly Alpha will provide a unique capability to the US Government that is not currently available: a 1,000 kg to orbit, commercial, domestic, launch vehicle that can be used for a wide variety of missions,” Firefly officials said in a news release.

 

 

A recent GovConWire question-and-answer session featured Preston Dunlap discussing the first phase of delivery for the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), the speed, and timing challenges of developing technologies. The Q&A coincides with the Building the Future Battle: The Keys to JADC2 virtual forum today, Aug. 31. Dunlap is the chief architect for the Air Force and Space Force.

JADC2 is the Defense Department’s concept to connect sensors from all of the military services into a single network. DoD points to ride-sharing service Uber as an analogy to describe its desired end state for JADC2, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

US military officials are debating whether to release information about a new secret space weapon, reports Ars Technica. There was talk that the weapon was going to be unveiled at the recent Space Symposium in Colorado, but that was put on hold because of recent events in Afghanistan.

North Korea appears to have resumed the operation of a nuclear reactor, UPI reports. The Yongbyon reactor has shown signs of operation for the first time since late 2018. the International Atomic Energy Agency said in its annual report.

CMDR Niels Olson is Military Times’ 2021 Sailor of the Year. The commander ran Naval Base Guam’s testing lab during the COVID-19 outbreak on the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt in spring 2020, reports Navy Times.

The European Union is set to recommend halting nonessential travel from the US because of the spread of COVID, reports Fox News.

Ida weakened to a tropical storm on Monday as it moved through Louisiana, reports CNN. At least one person died and millions were without power Monday morning, reports Fox News. The projected path of the storm has it approaching Maryland by Wednesday night into Thursday morning, reports the Fairfield Daily Voice. Forecasters are calling for 3 to 5 inches of rain in the region, reports WTOP News.

2020 was among the three warmest years in records dating back to the mid-1800s, reports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The State of the Climate was release in August by the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Maryland veteran Xavier Bruce is helping Black veterans make the transition from military to civilian life through his organization, Uplift In-Powerment, reports WTOP News. Bruce, who spent 24 years in the military, also started the Western Maryland chapter of the National Association for Black Veterans.

Contracts:

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems’ (LM-RMS), Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $53,100,635 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6258 to exercise options for material production and spares in support of all new construction and in-service class submarines. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (76%); Chantilly, Virginia (13%); Marion, Massachusetts (7%); and Newport, Rhode Island (4%), and is expected to be completed by December 2023. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,414,691 (43%); fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,763,306 (35%); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $865,858 (11%); fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $685,135 (9%); and fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $127,000 (2%) 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.

Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $22,986,018 firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee hybrid modification, P00018, to exercise Option Period Three under previously awarded contract M95494-18-F-0009. The work to be performed provides a variety of professional services to support Marine Corps Installation Command Headquarters (MCICOM) directorates in fulfilling mission deficiencies and providing enhanced capabilities. Broad level task areas required are program management; logistics program support; information technology program support; operations support; planning support; government and external affairs support; facilities support; and enterprise content management support. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed August 2023. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $20,890,018 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. MCICOM Headquarters, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Liverpool, New York, is awarded a $21,185,841 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-6120 to exercise an option for Navy equipment, components, engineering services, and other direct costs. This effort will award the procurement of Navy equipment and engineering services. Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (66%); Millersville, Maryland (33%); Marion, Massachusetts (1%), and is expected to be completed by September 2023. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $13,037,440 (61.5%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,889,041 (23.1%); fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,629,680 (7.7%); and fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,629,680 (7.7%) funding 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.

Serco – IPS Corp., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded a $12,526,821, cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00174-18-C-0015 to procure professional support services for the Naval Sea System Command’s director for surface ship maintenance and modernization (SEA 21). This procurement is for professional support services in the areas of program management, administrative support, surface ship modernization, inactive ships, surface ships readiness, surface training systems, business and financial management, records management, and information technology (IT) support. Work will be performed in Washington, DC (55%); Norfolk, Virginia (19%); San Diego, California (18%); Mayport, Florida (2%); Yokosuka, Japan (2%); Sasebo, Japan (1%); Manama, Bahrain (1%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (1%); and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (1%), and is expected to be complete by October 2021. Fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,290,333; fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,334; fiscal 2020 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,456,683; fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $260,868; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,570,412 will be obligated at time of award, of which $9,865,079 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

Palantir USG Inc. Palo Alto, California, was awarded a $48,500,000 firm-fixed-price definitization modification (PZ0004) to contract FA8806-21-C-0010 for a Data-as-a-Service Platform. This effort will provide the government with a term software licenses, cloud hosting, enablement services, support and training for each platform solution. The location of performance is El Segundo California; Palo Alto, California, Washington, DC; and New York, New York. The work is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2021, with three six-month options. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $91,500,000. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,000,000; and fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $12,500,000 were obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC, Laurel, Maryland, has been awarded a $26,750,000 task order to previously awarded contract FA8819-18-D-0009 for Program Technical Direction Agents to support and improve the understanding of events in the space, air and surface domains, as well as protect United States space capabilities and assets. Work will be performed at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, and is expected to be completed by May 10, 2025. The total value of the task order is $26,750,000, and fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 operation and maintenance; and research and development funds in the amount of $3,118,000 is being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command, Los Angeles AFB, California, is the contracting activity.

Attain LLC, McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $10,450,399 modification (BA0743) to contract W91QUZ-11-D-0016 for Logistics Modernization Program sustainment support. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Army working capital funds in the amount of $10,450,399 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity.

Skyline Software Systems Inc., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded an $8,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract for renewal of commercial-off-the-shelf node-locked site license for TerraExplorer Pro with Command and Control/Mission Planning and TerraBuilder 3D Geospatial Viewing and Analysis software. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 29, 2026. US Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56JSR-21-D-0010).

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