March 29, 2024

Reports of Lasers Aimed at Aircraft on the Rise

Lasers

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.

The Federal Aviation Administration has released a report on incidents involving lasers being pointed at aircraft across the US during the period from 2010 to 2020. There was 534 incidents reported in Maryland during that time, reports Maryland Matters. Yearly reports of lasers being aimed at aircraft topped out at 7,398 in 2016, according to FAA data, dropping to 5,663 by 2018, but has been steadily increasing since then.

The US Navy has identified five sailors who died when their MH-60S Seahawk crashed last week, reports Navy Times. The helicopter was operating off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln near San Diego, CA, when it crashed Tuesday. One crewmember was rescued. Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns, 31, of Severna Park, MD, was among the crewmembers killed, reports The Baltimore Sun.

The House Armed Services Committee approved by a vote of 35-24 to require women to register for the draft, reports The Hill. References in the law would change from requiring a “male citizen” to register for the Selective Service System to “citizen.”

Virginia-based government contractor American Systems announced plans last week to consolidate its office space in the Lexington Exchange property across from Wildewood on Route 235 in California, MD, reports St. John Properties. The new lease by American Systems will allow the company to add to its 17-office network across the US.

The St. Mary’s County Regional Airport hosted an open forum last month with representatives from NAS Pax River’s Air Operations and local pilots, reports somdnews.com. The main topic of discussion was Pax River’s Class Delta airspace, which includes a five-mile radius up to 2,500 feet and associated restricted areas. “We want to make sure both sides are operating safely,” said Ensign Brandon Wood, an air traffic controller at Pax. “We make sure they understand our airspace and our restricted areas, and that they’re not encroaching upon anything we’re trying to do.

Georgia officials are touting a new tax incentives for businesses that went into effect earlier this summer, reports Georgia Star News. Lockheed Martin is hoping to make a new investment in its Marietta plant there, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The company hopes to win contracts to build the next generation of military jets at the facility. Company execs say the incentives could also bolster the “skunk works” project focusing on futuristic developments.

The Navy established a maritime space officer designator and will recruit qualified officers to form a community of maritime space integration and planning professionals, reports The Tester.

A Firefly Aerospace rocket was destroyed Thursday in an explosion over the Pacific Ocean shortly after liftoff, reports Military Times. Firefly said an “anomaly” occurred during the first-stage ascent that “resulted in the loss of the vehicle” about two minutes, 30 seconds into the flight.

The third and final Zumwalt-class destroyer Lyndon B. Johnson conducted its builder’s trials, reports Military Times, returning to General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works in Maine after five days at sea.

 

 

The US and Indian air forces will work together to develop air-launched unmanned aerial vehicles, reports Inside Defense, a move that officials say represents the first co-development project between the two countries under their bilateral defense cooperation framework.

Military Times reports that 25,600 Afghans have arrived in the US at eight different military bases. Air Force GEN Glenn VanHerck, head of US Northern Command, said the military is working toward processing about 50,000 Afghan evacuees. Army GEN Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there were about 43,000 evacuees in nine countries in Europe and the Middle East, reports Reuters.

Fifteen Marines injured in the terrorist attack in Kabul last month are being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, reports Navy Times.

New research shows that equine therapy can be the path to starting to treat veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, reports UPI.com. “We’re at a very pivotal moment where programs like this … and the other military support programs for veterans are of the utmost importance,” said Matthew Pyba, a retired US Marine who runs a wellness center for military families.

Sailors and Marines need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the next 90 days, reports Navy Times, or face “punitive or administrative action or both.”

Two staff sergeants — one Army, one Marine — have filed a lawsuit against three federal agencies, challenging plans to conduct the mandatory COVID vaccinations of military troops, reports Navy Times.

Virginia Congressman Donald McEachin is pushing for Fort Lee to be renamed Fort Gregg, reports The Progress-Index. LT GEN Arthur Gregg, who spent 35 years in the Army, retired in 1981 as the highest-ranked minority general and the second-highest ranked Black servicemember at that time.

Forbes listed Lockheed Martin as the best employer in Virginia, Patch.com reports. Microsoft, NASA, the Federal Reserve System, and Wegmans Food Markets round out the top five in the rankings for Virginia.

Maryland ranks 11th as the hardest-working state on the WalletHub list, reports Maryland Matters. Alaska ranks No. 1.

Contracts:

The Air Force awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling of $46,000,000,000 to 55 vendors: Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia; Sierra Nevada Corp., Centennial, Colorado; Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, California; Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona; General Dynamics OTS Inc., Niceville, Florida; Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Applied Research Associates Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico; L3 Technologies Inc., Camden, New Jersey; General Atomics, San Diego, California; MBDA Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Tangram Flex Inc., Dayton, Ohio; Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Northridge, California; Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Logicquest LLC, Huntsville, Alabama; Intuitive Research and Technology Corp., Huntsville, Alabama; Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia; Kihomac Inc., Reston, Virginia; Linquest Corp., Los Angeles, California; DCA Corp., Alexandria, Virginia; Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida; Odyssey Systems Consulting Group LTD, Wakefield, Massachusetts; Zitech Inc., Niceville, Florida; Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California; KBR Services LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland; Cummings Aerospace Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Radiance Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; MAG Aerospace, Fairfax, Virginia; Applied Research Solutions Inc., Beavercreek, Ohio; Autonodyne LLC, Boston, Massachusetts; Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Morsecorp Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts; Blue Force Technologies Inc., Morrisville, North Carolina; OST Inc., McLean, Virginia; Signalink Inc., Madison, Alabama; Strategic Technology Consulting LLC, Toms River, New Jersey; Cintel Inc., Huntsville, Alabama; Graham Technologies LLC, Largo, Maryland; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado; The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri; AGR LLC, Dallas, Texas; CFD Research Corp., Huntsville, Alabama; Corvid Technologies LLC, Mooresville, North Carolina; Shield AI Inc., San Diego, California; Systems & Technology Research LLC, Woburn, Massachusetts; Strategic Technical Services LLC, Carmel, Indiana; Textron Systems Corporation, Hunt Valley, Maryland; Cyberspace Solutions LLC, Herndon, Virginia; Episys Science Inc., Poway, California; Opto-Knowledge Systems Inc., Torrance, California; Riverside Research Institute, New York, New York; Defense Warriors Government Solutions LLC, Portsmouth, Virginia; Systima Technologies Inc., Mukileto, Washington; The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts; Simmonds Precision Products, a part of Collins Aerospace, Vergennes, Vermont; and Accurate Machine & Tool Corp., Madison, Alabama, for work within the Eglin Air Force Base Armament Mission. This contract provides for work in digital engineering and model based systems engineering, agile processes, open systems architecture, weapons and enterprise analytics for Eglin AFB, Florida, and its mission partners. The location of performance spans across the 55 vendors’ locations receiving award, and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 6, 2032. This award is the result of a competitive source selection for which one solicitation was published and 58 offers were received. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 3600 (research and development) funds in the amount of $55,000 were obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8656-21-D-A001).

Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia (N00189-21-D-Z046); CACI Inc. – Federal, Chantilly, Virginia (N00189-21-D-Z047); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (N00189-21-D-Z048); Capstone Corp., Alexandria, Virginia (N00189-21-D-Z049); and 22nd Century Technologies Inc., McLean, Virginia (N00189-21-D-Z050), are awarded an estimated $556,014,538 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract that will include terms and conditions for the placement of both cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price task orders to provide technical services that include information technology (IT) enterprise architecture, portfolio management, governance operations, information management/IT requirements management, development and refinement of legacy information systems sustainment and transformation to the optimized MyNavyHR operational construct, and continuum of on-site and off-site support in support of Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) Information Technology Department Command Information Office statutory oversight responsibilities. The contracts will run concurrently and will include a 60-month base ordering period with an additional six-month ordering period option, which if exercised, will bring the estimated cumulative value to $800,000,000. The base ordering period will begin November 2021 and is expected to be completed by October 2026; if the option is exercised, the ordering period will be completed by April 2027. Work will be performed in Pensacola, Florida (40%); Millington, Tennessee (30%); Arlington, Virginia (20%); and various locations throughout the continental US in which those locations cannot be determined at this time (10%). Fiscal 2022 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $50,000 ($10,000 on each of the three contracts) will be obligated to fund the contracts’ minimum amounts, and funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual task orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate fiscal year appropriations at the time of their issuance. This contract was competitively procured for the award of multiple contracts pursuant to the authority set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation 16.504 with the solicitation posted on beta.SAM.gov, with 17 offers received. Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Norfolk, Contracting Department, Philadelphia Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin – Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $63,625,766 modification to increase the ceiling of the existing indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, and firm-fixed price contract (N00039-18-D-0001) for the Integrated Common Processor (ICP) on behalf of the Program Executive Office Submarines’ Maritime Surveillance Systems Program Office. The ICP program provides a common Integrated Undersea Surveillance Systems (IUSS) signal processing and display system software and hardware suite for Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System ships and IUSS shore sites. No funding is being placed on the modification. Contract actions will be issued and funds obligated as individual delivery orders. Funds will be placed on contract with an initial delivery order issued to the contractor at the time of award. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2022. This contract was not competitively procured because it is a sole source acquisition pursuant to the authority of 10 US Code 2304(c)(1) – Only One Responsible Source (Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 6.302-1). Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Sept. 2, 2021)

LEIDOS Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $49,417,035 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Multi-Domain Radar for a Contested Environment (MuDRaCE) effort. The Marines currently uses centralized, high power radio frequency radar assets to detect and target adversaries. These systems have limited mobility, are susceptible to detection and attack which represents a significant failure point. MuDRaCE seeks to provide greater interoperability, ease of integration with emerging technologies and improved sensor fusion-based situational awareness while maintaining legacy capability resulting in a robust survivable sensing network. Work will be performed in Reston, Virginia (67.7%); Huntsville, Alabama (18.6%); Longmont, Colorado (6.2%); Taunton, Maryland (4.6%); and Fulton, Maryland (2.9%). Work for the base period is expected to be completed by Sept. 6, 2024. The maximum dollar value, including a 36-month base period and seven 12-month option periods, is $49,417,035. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,141,655 are obligated at time of award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-21-S-B001, “Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science & Technology.” Since proposals are received throughout the year under the long range BAA, the number of proposals received in response to the solicitation is unknown. The Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N00014-21-C-1042).

Advanced Technology International, Summerville, South Carolina (N00174-18-D-0009); and PAE National Security Solutions LLC, Fredericksburg, Virginia (N00174-18-D-0008), are awarded a total of $15,762,382 in modifications to a previously awarded, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity contract to exercise Option IV for support services for the Demonstration and Assessment Team. Advanced Technology International is awarded an $8,118,017 modification; and PAE National Security Solutions Inc., is awarded a $7,644,365 modification. This requirement will provide support services to the Demonstration and Assessment Team for coordination of operation forces to include warfighter workshops and other engagement activities; preparation and facilitation of technology demonstration and assessment planning and readiness meetings; and analysis and reporting of warfighting/warfighter inputs and concepts. Each task order will be competitively procured. The location of the work to be performed will be determined by individual task orders and is expected to be completed by September 2022. No funding is obligated at the time of award. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Trace Systems Inc., Vienna, Virginia, was awarded a competitive, single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide communications systems acquisition, integration, installation, and operations and maintenance in support of US Air Forces Central Command (USAFCENT) deployed mission requirements. The not-to-exceed/ceiling value of the contract is $600,000,000. The minimum guarantee will be funded by fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds. Primary performance will be at USAFCENT locations throughout Southwest Asia. The solicitation (HC1028-19-R-0009) was issued as a full and open competitive action via Beta.Sam.Gov, and seven proposals were received. The ordering period consists of a one-year base period (Sept. 20, 2021, through Sept. 19, 2022) with four one-year option periods for a total contract life cycle of five years (Sept. 20, 2021, through Sept. 19, 2026). The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity (HC1028-21-D-0002).

Technology, Automation & Management Inc. Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $47,022,794 firm-fixed-price contract for Program Executive Office Aviation information technology support services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 34 received. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2027. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement, Army in the amount of $6,126,032 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W9124P-21-F-0693).

Ernst & Young LLP, New York, New York (HT001121F0085), is awarded an $18,933,139 one-year bridge task order to continue the audit sustainment, audit response, remediation of notices of findings and recommendation, internal control oversight and management, financial reporting compilation and analysis, and continuous risk management and internal control training and program services of the previously awarded firm-fixed-price task order (HT001116F0014). Work will be performed at Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia; Defense Health Agency – Contract Resource Management, Aurora, Colorado; US Army Medical Command, San Antonio, Texas; National Capital Region Market; and the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, beginning Sept. 8, 2021. This task order was not competitively procured and was prepared under the authority of the multiple award schedule program, 41 US Code 152(3) and 40 US Code 501, and regulatory authority, as implemented by Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation 8.405-6(a)(1)(i)(C). The new work is a logical follow-on to a Federal Supply Schedule order, placed in accordance with Federal Supply Schedule ordering procedures and fully executed on Sept. 3, 2021, under Task Order HT001121F0085 with a period of performance of Sept. 8, 2021, through Sept. 7, 2022. Operation and maintenance funds for $18,933,139 are obligated for fiscal 2021. The Defense Health Agency, Professional Services Contracting Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00006) with a value of $7,912,536. The contract (HT0038-21-C-0001) provides sustainment of the software suites contained in the Theater Medical Information Program-Joint. This contract has a period of performance from Sept. 7, 2021, to Jan. 6, 2022. Work will primarily occur in Chantilly, Virginia. The contract will be funded by fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds. Defense Health Agency, Contracting Division – Defense Healthcare Management Systems, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Radiance Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $13,169,089 modification (P00007) to exercise an option to previously awarded contract HR0011-20-C-0146 for the Secure Advanced Framework for Simulation and Modeling (SAFE-SiM) program. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $23,410,995 from $10,241,906. Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Chantilly, Virginia; San Diego, California; and Rome, New York, with an expected completion date of January 2023. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,500,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Accenture Federal Service LLC, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a firm-fixed-price and time and materials contract (HQ0034-21-F-0495). The amount of this action is $9,004,715, and the cumulative total if all options are exercised is $22,504,466. The purpose of this contract is to provide a broad range of Department of Defense Warehouse Utilization services to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment, and the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics, as a means to achieve the Secretary of Defense Reform Initiative to improve the Department of Defense’s warehouse utilization to 75% and achieve savings of over $575,000,000. Defense-wide working capital funds will be obligated in the amount of $9,004,715 at the time of award. The expected completion date is Sept. 2, 2022. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Black Construction/MACE International JV, Harmon, Guam (N40084-21-D-0079); ECC Diego Garcia LLC, Burlingame, California (N40084-21-D-0080); JSK Diego Services LLC, Austin, Texas (N40084-21-D-0081); MVL-Bromgrove JV LLC, Lansing, Michigan (N40084-21-D-0082); and Parsons Colas UKP JV, Centreville, Virginia (N40084-21-D-0083), are being awarded a combined $249,000,000 indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity, multiple award, design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for construction projects at US Navy Support Facility (NSF), Diego Garcia. The work to be performed may include, but is not limited to, office renovation, building demolition, built-in equipment repair/replacement, piping repair/replacement, pipe lagging, electrical work, mechanical work, road pavement, fencing, roofing, painting, site work, removal and disposal of lead based paint and asbestos containing material, welding and masonry. Black Construction/MACE International JV is being awarded an initial task order at $4,023,160. The remaining four contractors are each being awarded a $100,000 task order to satisfy the guaranteed minimum. Work for this task order is expected to be completed by September 2022. All work on this contract will be performed in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, with an expected completion date of September 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) (O&M,N); and Navy working capital funds (WCF) in the amount of $4,423,160 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by O&M,N and Navy WCF. This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website with five proposals received. These five contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Far East, Yokosuka, Japan, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $12,649,373 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N6426718C0132 to exercise options for Aegis design agent field engineering services. Services include test and evaluation, engineering change development, ordnance/ship alterations, modernization engineering, logistics and technical support, ordnance alterations kit development, integration and test support, AN/SPY-1 series radar antenna refurbishment and Coast Guard deep-water program design agent field engineering support. These services are in support of Aegis-equipped CGs and DDGs, allied Aegis-equipped ships, and Coast Guard Aegis-configured ships. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $63,992,064. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (30%); San Diego, California (30%); Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (10%); Wallops Island, Virginia (10%); Yokosuka, Japan (8%); Seattle, Washington (3%); Mayport, Florida (3%); Dahlgren, Virginia (3%); and Port Hueneme, California (3%), and is expected to be completed by September 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $379,629 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Virginia, was awarded a $40,003,512 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provides air and missile defense planning and control system tactical support services. 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. 1, 2024. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-21-D-0020).

Valneva USA Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $40,401,200 modification (P00001) exercising the first one-year option period of a one-year base contract (SPE2DP-20-D-0005) with two one-year option periods for Japanese Encephalitis vaccines. 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 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Locations of performance are Maryland and United Kingdom, with a Sept. 1, 2022, ordering period end date. Using military services are Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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