Pilot Dies in Blue Angels Crash in Tennessee

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.

A Blue Angels F/A-18 fighter jet crashed Thursday near Nashville, TN, killing the pilot just days before a weekend air show performance, Business Insider reports. The pilot was identified as Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss. The Colorado native was remembered by his parents in an exclusive interview with ABC Denver 7 News. The Blue Angels are slated to perform at the 2016 air show at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in October.

A boat dropped to the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay last week, in 10 feet of water near Bloodsworth Island forcing a group of fourth-graders to await rescue on its canopy. The boat hit something and, according to a US Coast Guard official, had ventured into a prohibited area, Fox 5 DC News reports. The Navy warns of unexploded bombs in the vicinity.

The missile intended to replace the Hellfire was fired from a Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system and hit a moving target in Utah, according to the US Army’s Joint Attack Munition Systems project manager, reports Defense News.

The best wage versus cost of living deal in the US is Silicon Valley, says Market Watch, and the second best deal is California-Lexington Park, Maryland; this according to a Pew Research Center report that examined average wages after factoring in cost-of-living adjustments. The study looked at third-quarter wage data by metropolitan area, and then adjusted them by a 2013 survey.

The US issues a warning to China: Continued construction on a South China Sea islet claimed by the Philippines would prompt “actions being taken,” MSN reports. DefSec Ash Carter said, “I hope that this development doesn’t occur because it will result in actions being taken both by the United States, and actions being taken by others in the region that will have the effect of not only increasing tensions but isolating China.”

The DefSec has praised US diplomatic relations with Singapore and highlighted the importance of cooperation in maritime security and anti-terrorism, the Department of Defense reports. “We have no better friend than Singapore,” Mr. Carter said. “I’m grateful for that.” The relationship between the two countries has been described as “very strong.”

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says that the US is not doing enough to challenge China on ongoing issues in the South China Sea, Breaking Defense reports.

The US is stepping up its military missions in Yemen, Military Times reports. Nine air strikes have been reported so far in 2016.

Lockheed Martin Corp is studying the possibility of selling commercial helicopters to Iran, Reuters reports. The article says the market might be small, and the company needs guidance from the US government.

A Motley Fool opinion piece explores these questions: Could Lockheed Martin’s strong stock performance over the past year actually be a warning sign that things are about to get worse for the corporation’s shareholders? Could it be a clue that the entire defense industry is in for hard times?

Organizers of the Africa Aerospace Defence exhibition trade show set for September 2016 are hoping to draw US Air Force aircraft never before seen in South Africa, defenceWeb reports. Among them would be the MQ-9 Reaper.

Contracts:

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, CA, is being awarded $62,406,998 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-15-C-0007) to exercise an option for operation and maintenance services in support of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance-Demonstrator program.  In addition, this option provides for logistics support, organization, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, and field services representatives to ensure the BAMS-D aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.  Work will be performed in Patuxent River, MD (70 percent); Rancho Bernardo, CA (5 percent); and various forward operating locations (25 percent), is expected to be completed in June 2017.  Fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance (Navy) overseas contingency operations funding in the amount of $62,406,998 will be obligated at time of award; all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River  is the contracting activity.

ACADEMI Training Center LLC, Moyock, NC(H92222-16-D-0036); AECOM-URS, Germantown, MD (H92222-16-D-0037); ARMA Global Corp., Tampa, FL (H92222-16-D-0038); Fulcrum IT Services LLC, Centerville, VA (H92222-16-D-0039); Jacobs Technology Inc., Tampa, FL (H92222-16-D-0040); and Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC, Orlando, FL (H92222-16-D-0041), have been added as awardees to a previously announced (July 28, 2015) maximum ceiling $900,000,000, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity group of contracts for U.S. Special Operations Command Wide Mission Support services. These contracts are being added to the previously awarded suite of contracts in response to a bid protest. These contracts will provide U.S. Special Operations Command with a variety of services in the following knowledge-based services portfolios: program management, engineering and technical, and professional services. Work will be performed at multiple locations both in the U.S. and overseas, with an ordering period expiring on July 28, 2020.  Additional fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $15,000 are obligated to satisfy the minimum guarantee of $2,500 on each contract added. Additional funding will be obligated on a competitive task order basis. These contracts resulted from a competitive acquisition, with 17 proposals received.  Special Operations Command, Tampa, FL, is the contracting activity. (Awarded on June 2, 2016)