Russian Jet Buzzes Navy Poseidon

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 P-8A Poseidon above the Black Sea was violently rocked when a Russian jet cut 50 feet in front of it, reports Navy Times. Saturday’s incident follows a similar but less-severe interaction Oct. 28, when two F/A-18 Hornets were scrambled to intercept two Russian bombers flying toward the Japan-based aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan.

Aviation Week reports on an FAA study finding drone collisions with aircraft will cause more impact damage than a bird strike of equivalent size and speed.

Dozens of Air Force service members charged with or convicted of serious crimes were never reported to the federal gun background-check database as required, reports The New York Times. The revelation came after the Air Force disclosed that it had failed to report the domestic violence conviction of Devin P. Kelley, the gunman who opened fire at a church in Texas.

Turkey plans to deploy a long-range air and anti-missile defense system, acquired from Russia, in 2019, reports Defense News.

North Korea resumes ballistic missile tests, launching its highest missile to date and showing the potential to hit Washington, DC, reports Air Force Times. “It’s a research and development effort on their part to continue building ballistic missiles that can threaten everywhere in the world basically,” DefSec James Mattis said.

NSA was hit with another major security breach, reports FCW, after classified and sensitive Army documents were left on a public Amazon cloud server, available for anyone to download.

Despite a lack of immediate legislation dealing with cybersecurity, Federal Times reports many argue we are experiencing a cyber war now. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) offers three ways Congress can boost cybersecurity in the civilian federal government, even without legislation, reports Federal Times.

South China Morning Post reports on an American think tank’s warning that China is is racing toward military artificial intelligence superiority and is no longer technologically inferior to America.

PBS provides three charts on how the Senate tax bill affects rich and poor. The Hill reports on increasing odds of a government shutdown after Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) backing out of a White House meeting after President Donald Trump tweeted that he saw no path to a year-end deal with Democrats “Chuck and Nancy.”

Puerto Rico still waits for supplies as FEMA yanks a $30 million dollar contract, reports CBS News, after Bronze Star LLC failed to deliver emergency tarps and plastic sheeting. Whitefish also had its utility contract canceled. Thousands of Puerto Ricans remain homeless after widespread flooding from recent rainfall.

Future military robots could need softer, stronger, more flexible appendages , reports Defense One. A team of MIT and Harvard scientists have created robot “muscles” that use hydraulics rather than electric motors for greater lifting capacity

President Trump gets blowback for his “Pocahontas” jab during a Navajo Code Talkers event, reports Military Times.

Contracts:

Atlantic Diving Supply, doing business as ADS, Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EH-18-D-0001); W.S. Darley Co., Itasca, Illinois (SPE8EH-18-D-0002); Unifire Inc., Spokane, Washington (SPE8EH-18-D-0003); Mallory Safety and Supply, Longview, Washington (SPE8EH-18-D-0004); Federal Resources Supply Co., Stevensville, Maryland (SPE8EH-18-D-0005); and L.N. Curtis and Sons, Oakland, California (SPE8EH-18-D-0006), are all sharing a maximum $92,000,000 contract for fire and emergency services equipment tailored logistics support. These are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, 243-day bridge contracts. Locations of performance are California, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, with a July 30, 2018, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2018 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kings Bay Support Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia, is being awarded a $39,074,534 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity modification under a previously awarded contract (N69450-11-D-7578) to exercise option two for base operations support services at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. The work to be performed provides for base operations support services including public safety, harbor security, security operations, supply, personnel support, facilities support, facility management/facility investment, other (swimming pools), pavement clearance, utilities, chiller, electrical, wastewater, steam, water, telecommunications, compressed air, base support vehicles and equipment, environmental, and vertical transportation equipment. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $275,343,932. Work will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia (99 percent); and Shellman Bluff, Georgia (1 percent). Work for this option period is expected to be completed November 2018. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy); fiscal 2018 Navy working capital funds; fiscal 2018 Defense health program funds; and fiscal 2018 family housing operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $3,000,848 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Melwood Horticultural Training Center Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is being awarded $8,008,672 under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N40080-16-D-0303) to exercise the second option period for custodial services located at the Naval Academy Complex. The work to be performed provides for custodial services such as trash removal, cleaning, vacuuming, floor cleaning and scrubbing, re-lamping, specialized cleaning of the John Paul Jones Crypt, and basketball floor installation and removal. After award of this option, the total cumulative contract value will be $24,823,872. Work will be performed at various installations in Annapolis, Maryland, and this option period is expected to be completed November 2018. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Fiscal 2018 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $8,008,672 for recurring work will be obligated on individual task orders as issued during the option period. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Public Works Department, Annapolis, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Advanced Alliant Solutions Team, Fairfax, Virginia, is being awarded $7,191,278 for modification P00010 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00421-16-C-0068) to exercise an option for information assurance services in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Information Technology and Cyber Security Department (AIR-7.2). Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in November 2018. Working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,054,740 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.