Two Known Dead in E-11A Crash
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Munitions dropped on the Taliban in Afghanistan approach a 10-year high, reports Military Times. In the backdrop of peace negotiations to end the 18-year long war, US aircraft continue bombing the Taliban and other militants as the warring parties slog through discussions to bring the fighting to a close.
The US is not withdrawing from Iraq, but building several new bases in Iraq near Iran. Three semi-permanent new bases are being constructed very close to the Iranian border in northern Iraq, Israeli sources tell Breaking Defense.
Islamic State vows to attack Israel and blasts US Mideast plan, reports Military Times. The ISIS audio message appears to seek extremist group popularity in the region as President Donald Trump’s “Deal of the Century” for Middle East peace that was released Tuesday. Here are some of the specifics from The New York Times. Although the Palestinians were not consulted on the deal they pre-emptively rejected it, Politico reports that Trump predicts Palestinians will buy into his Middle East peace plan. “We think we will ultimately have the support of the Palestinians,” Trump said, but also said “life goes on” if the plan doesn’t succeed.
The World Health Organization chief to meet Chinese officials in Beijing as coronavirus deaths rise, reports CNBC. The WHO has not yet declared the dangerous respiratory disease a global health emergency. The infection has spread from China and has been identified in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, France, Australia, and the US. As of Tuesday afternoon EST, Aljazeera reports the virus has so far killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500.
A Monday night attack on the American embassy in Baghdad was a mortar attack, not rockets, injuring one, reports Military Times. The mortar attack started a fire that was put out. Except for the one US national who received a minor injury, everyone has returned to work.
The Navy is investigating how peephole footage ended up on a porn site, reports Navy Times. “Explicit videos and images” of service members were posted to a pornographic website, officials confirmed. “Potential victims are being notified in a coordinated effort by [Naval Criminal Investigative Service], command leadership, and Victim’s Legal Counsel,” said Lt. James Adams, a spokesman for US Pacific Fleet.
The Navy’s first two MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft deploy to Guam, reports USNI News, about a year later than initially expected. They significantly increase the Navy’s Western Pacific reconnaissance and surveillance capability.
China is now the world’s second largest arms producer, reports Navy Times. The report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a Swedish arms watchdog, places China behind the US and ahead of Russia.
The mother of a Marine veteran kidnapped in Syria accuses a senior US official of “stalling” her son’s release, reports Marine Corps Times. Her son was taken hostage while working as a freelance journalist in Syria. She believes a senior government official is standing between her son and his freedom.
The 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, based in Camp Pendleton, CA, is the most physically fit Marine unit in the Corps — at least for 2019, reports Marine Corps Times. The new Corps’ Superior Unit Physical Fitness Award, in its second year, is given to the unit with the highest combined average Physical Fitness Test and Combat Fitness Test score, according to the Marine Corps.
Contracts:
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded an $80,138,963 firm-fixed-price modification (P00011) to previously-awarded contract FA8106-18-D-0002 for C-20 and C-37 fleet sustainment. The contract modification is for exercise of Option Year Three, to include issuance of task orders for one year extension of contract term to support the C-20 and C-37 fleet for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard; funding uninterrupted continuation of contractor logistics. Work will be performed at Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland; Joint Base Pearl-Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base, Hawaii; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, District of Columbia. The work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $594,429,554. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded an $18,728,696 firm-fixed-price modification (P00012) to previously awarded contract FA8106-16-D-0006 for C-20 and C-37 fleet sustainment. The contract modification is for exercise of Option Year Four, to include issuance of task orders for one year extension of contract term to support the C-20 and C-37 fleet for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard; funding uninterrupted continuation of engineering services. Work will be performed at Savannah, Georgia; and Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $83,700,000. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
