Robot Hotel Heading to Space Station
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.
NASA will launch a “robot hotel” to the Space Station on its next SpaceX resupply mission, reports Tech Crunch. The “hotel” designation might not be quite as appropriate as “garage” — this unit is essentially a protected parking space for robots previously stored in the ISS, taking up much needed space when not in use.
Next year, US Air Force F-35 pilots will be able to hop into a simulator and practice large-scale coordinated attacks with other F-35A users in simulators around the globe, reports Defense News.
Senate Republicans raise concerns over President Donald Trump pardoning service members, reports The Hill, saying it sets a bad precedent and undermines the military justice system. The president’s intervention was opposed by senior military leaders, who warned that disrupting the chain of command could erode discipline. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a retired Air Force judge advocate general, said Mr. Trump’s actions risk harming the Defense Department’s legal mechanisms.
France and the European Union say they are ready to retaliate if President Trump acts on a threat to impose duties of up to 100% on imports of champagne, handbags, and other French products worth $2.4 billion, reports Reuters. Trump’s threat followed findings that a new digital services tax in France would harm US tech companies. A trade dispute already festers between the EU and US.
US and China struggle to defuse the trade conflict before a Dec. 15 import tax hike hits another $160 billion in Chinese goods, reports AP News.
House leaders fret that demanding South Korea pay more for the US presence drives a wedge between allies, reports Military Times. Leaders from the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees are worried about the Trump administration dismantling relationships with key Asian allies, amid reports that the US is pressuring South Korea to pay nearly five times as much in host-nation support to keep approximately 28,000 US troops there.
Neighbors of two US air bases on Okinawa have filed new lawsuits this week against the Japanese government seeking compensation for physical and mental damage from aircraft noise, reports Stars and Stripes. One suit seeks $1.16 million for 110 residents around Kadena Air Base and the other, $642,00 for 102 residents near Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.
The Cybersecurity Tech Accord, a collection of more than 100 companies seeking to improve the security, stability, and resilience of cyberspace, and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs announced a partnership Dec. 3 to host “Digital Apps 4 Peace,” an open competition to “develop original technology-based solutions to both help limit the use of the internet as a domain of conflict and to increase the stability of our online environment,” reports FCW.
A Colorado weapons manufacturer has agreed to a $1 million settlement for allegedly shipping subpar grenade launchers to the US Army, reports Army Times, even though officials knew the launchers’ barrels did not meet specifications and that two shipments included firing pins made of the wrong type of steel. Capco did not admit any liability in the settlement and said it has no reason to believe its products were unsafe or ineffective.
United orders 50 long-range Airbus jets to replace older Boeing planes, reports CNBC. The Chicago-based airline intends to use the planes for international service in 2024. The carrier is the latest of several US airlines to opt for the planes. The decision comes as Boeing is hobbled by the crisis surrounding its 737 Max planes after two crashes, preventing it from dedicating more energy to designing an all-new, middle-market plane.
“Time for talk is over”: Senators rip military brass over substandard housing, reports The Washington Times.
Failure to conduct timely logistics assessments between 2000 and 2018 contributed to the current shortage of spare parts for Navy fighter jets, reports Navy Times. A shortage of critical spare parts for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter fleet might’ve been helped by conducting logistics assessments that are supposed to take place every five years, according a DoD Inspector General report that found the assessment would have identified the problems in getting spare parts and allowed the Navy to address the need before this critical stage.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan agrees to delay key vote on Beltway, I-270 toll lane plan, reports The Washington Post. Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) asked Hogan (R) to delay the vote by the state’s Board of Public Works over concerns changes proposed by Maryland Department of Transportation “would substantially broaden and accelerate” the plan that he had agreed to in June.
Carmakers shedding 80,000 jobs as Electric Era upends industry, reports Bloomberg. Most job losses are concentrated in Germany, UK, and US, while China and India are also seeing cuts after rapid sales growth.
What happens when the Redskins beat the Panthers? The coach gets fired! ESPN quotes Panthers owner David Tepper on Ron Rivera firing, “I thought it was time.”
Contracts:
SciTech Services Inc., Havre de Grace, Maryland, is awarded a $33,952,020 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract will provide engineering and project management support to Navy science and technology management organizations and small business innovation research/small business technology transfer program offices. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (70%); Washington, District of Columbia (15%); Arlington, Virginia (10%); San Diego, California (2.5%); and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (2.5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was a small business set-aside competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; five offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0006)
