US Launches Strikes Against ISIS in Syria

US airmen prepare to load GBU-31 munition systems onto F-15E Strike Eagles on Dec. 18 in support of Operation Hawkeye Strike in Syria. (US Air Force photo)

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.

The US began air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Friday following the deaths of three US citizens, reports Air & Space Forces Magazine. US F-15E Strike Eagles and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs hit dozens of ISIS sites. The sites included suspected ISIS infrastructure and weapons storage locations. Two Iowa National Guardsmen and a US civilian interpreter were killed Dec. 13, Air Force Times had reported.

Jordan confirmed Saturday that its air force was part of the US strikes, reports The Associated Press on MSN.

The Defense Department will pay out $2.6 billion as a one-time basic allowance for housing supplement to all eligible service members in pay grades O-6 and below, reports Navy Times. The “Warrior Dividend,” as the Trump administration is calling the $1,776 payment, commemorates the nation’s founding, reports Newsweek on MSN.

The Pentagon has failed its financial audit for eighth year in a row, reports Defense News. DoD has received a failing grade on every audit since Congress mandated annual reviews beginning in 2018 and is the only one of the government’s 24 major agencies never to pass.

President Donald Trump told NBC News that he will not rule out war with Venezuela, reports Politico. “He knows exactly what I want,” Trump said Thursday, referring to Nicolas Maduro, the country’s authoritarian leader. “He knows better than anybody.”

The US Coast Guard seized a second oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela on Saturday, reports The Hill, as Trump ratchets up the pressure on Maduro.

A majority of Americans oppose military action against the South American country, reports Military.com. Data for Progress surveyed likely voters about the ongoings in the Caribbean.

Joint Task Force Southern Spear announced three alleged drug boat strikes on three vessels in the eastern Pacific, one strike on Dec. 17 and two on Dec. 18, US Southern Command reports. A total of nine men were killed. As of Dec. 18, the Trump administration has disclosed 26 strikes, killing at least 98 people in support of what the Pentagon has called continued counternarcotics efforts. Navy Times has compiled a list of the boat strikes.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) said he has seen “no evidence of war crimes” committed during the US military’s Sept. 2 strikes against an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean, reports The Hill. Wicker said the strikes against “narco-terrorists” by the US Southern Command are based on “sound legal advice.”

LT GEN Francis Donovan has been nominated to be the next leader of the US Southern Command, reports The Hill. This comes a week after ADM Alvin Holsey’s retirement from the post two years ahead of schedule. Holsey spent more than three decades in the Navy and since November 2024 had led the command.

After dismantling tech units and pushing hundreds of thousands of government employees from their jobs, the Trump administration is recruiting technology talent. The initial goal seeks around 1,000 technologists placed in agencies for two-year stints, including recruits on leave from private sector companies, raising questions about conflicts of interest, reports NextGov/FCW.

New Trump administration space policy sets a 2028 deadline for a Moon base and a Golden Dome prototype, reports Breaking Defense.

The Missile Defense Agency added 1,086 firms to its SHIELD pool for Golden Dome-related technology, reports Breaking Defense. The new awards bring the total number to 2,100 firms qualified by the MDA to compete for future SHIELD tech development contracts.

Lockheed Martin, Rocket Lab USA, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris Technologies each won contracts worth $3.5 billion for next-gen missile tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer, reports Breaking Defense.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast (R-FL) has introduced a bill that would allow Congress to block exports of advanced AI chips to US foreign adversaries, reports The Hill. The Artificial Intelligence Oversight of Verified Exports and Restrictions on Weaponizable Advanced Technology to Covered High-Risk Actors, or AI Overwatch, Act would create a review process for chip exports modeled after Congress’ oversight of foreign arms sales.

A longer holiday break this year is in store for some federal workers, reports Yahoo News on MSN. Trump declared Thursday that Christmas Eve and Dec. 26 will be federal holidays this year, meaning that federal departments and agencies will be closed.

The US military will end its use of the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide, instead overhauling the military’s chaplain corps, reports The Hill, which provides religious and spiritual support to service members and their families. The Army rolled out a new Spiritual Fitness Guide in August to help soldiers develop greater internal resilience alongside physical endurance, Task & Purpose reported at the time. The nine-chapter guide was to function like a physical fitness guide, but for the spirit.

All US Marines in combat military occupational specialties will now have to meet the same standards on their Physical Fitness Test, or PFT, regardless of their gender, reports Marine Corps Times. The requirement begins Jan. 1.

TikTok has signed a deal to sell US assets to American investors Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, reports The Hill. Nearly 50% of the assets — or 15% each — will be held by the three companies. The rest will remain in the hands of affiliates of existing investors of TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance.

State and local leaders are preparing lawsuits and legal action against President Trump’s recent AI executive order preempting any state laws on artificial intelligence the administration feels “cumbersome,” reports Route Fifty. The order seeks to identify then challenge the offending laws in court while canceling the state’s broadband equity funds. Despite the executive order and other federal efforts to rein in state AI laws and loosen restrictions for developers and tech companies, state lawmakers of both parties continue to prefile legislation related to artificial intelligence in preparation for their 2026 legislative sessions.

The Navy apologized this month to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for waiting 11 months to disclose their detected of airborne radioactive material at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, reports KQED. The Navy said its air sample showed no immediate public health issues. Nevertheless, federal rules require the Navy to notify state and local agencies of potential threats to the public. “Of greater concern,” said San Francisco’s public health officer, Susan Philip, “is the delay in notifying the regulators, who are the ones who are to make that determination about safety.”

Contracts:

The Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, California, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $262,069,451 fixed-price-incentive, performance-based contract for V-22 Phase II consumable market basket items. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. The ordering period end date is Nov. 30, 2030. Using military services are Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2031 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPRPA1-26-D-0002).

Agile Decision Sciences LLC, Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $13,271,550 firm-fixed-price option under a previously awarded contract, HT001124C0007. This modification exercises an option to continue administrative, analytical, and consulting services to support, analyze, and investigate issues related to military public health, force health protection, and health service support during deployments, extended training missions, and operational testing. Services include management, planning and execution support; studies, analytical, and evaluation support; administrative support; document and records management; business process reengineering; logistical support; budget planning and management; knowledge management; and business office support. Supported organizations include the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Health Readiness Policy and Oversight, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Health Affairs, the Director, Defense Health Agency, the Chief of Staff, and other subordinate program directorates. The award obligates fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance appropriations for services from Dec. 7, 2025, through Dec. 6, 2026. The total value of the contract, including unexercised options, is $73,187,618. The principal place of performance is Falls Church, Virginia. The Defense Health Agency, Professional Services Contracting Division, Falls Church, Virginia, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 5, 2025)

AGILE JV LLC, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $445,321,398 cost reimbursable, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide logistics and engineering support to fleet support teams (FST) at the three main depots that fall under Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (FRC). FSTs are highly focused and provide specialized engineering, logistics and technical support services for multiple type/model/series aircraft, maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), MRO engineering, MRO logistics and MRO production services, in support of naval aircraft for new weapon systems, system modifications, Foreign Military Sales customers, and support systems to include related equipment, to perform full-spectrum aircraft maintenance operations. Work will be performed in Commander, FRC East, Cherry Point, North Carolina (48%); FRC Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida (46%); and FRC Southwest, San Diego, California (6%), and is expected to be completed in January 2031. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured as a small business set aside and one offer was received. Commander, FRC, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N6852026D0001). 

Amentum Services Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $26,063,040 modification to a previously awarded contract (N62742-25-C-3570) for support services to Department of War components. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $232,681,970. Work will be performed at various locations within the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Pacific area of operations, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Oceania, and is expected to be completed by December 2026. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,100,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. NAVFAC Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Mission Systems Sector, Linthicum Heights, Maryland, is awarded a $14,486,001 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-20-C-5519) for provisioned item spares and engineering change kits in support of the production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block Three subsystems. Work will be performed in Chelmsford, Massachusetts (60%); Hudson, New Hampshire (24%): and Woburn, Massachusetts (16%), and is expected to be completed by December 2029. Fiscal 2026 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,200,000 (70%); and fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,286,001 (30%), will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc. Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded an $11,048,000 cost reimbursable modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-15-C-2114) to exercise an option for Pier Three North facility upgrades for Nimitz-class aircraft carrier defueling and inactivation and to support Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by September 2027. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,048,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, has been awarded a $41,565,771 modification (P00149) to a previously awarded contract (FA8615-17-C-6047) for continued Active Electronically Scanned Array radar development. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,786,287,085 from $1,744,721,314. Work will be performed in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed June 03, 2028. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,006,517; and fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,002,165, for a total of $7,008,682, are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

FCN Inc., Rockville, Maryland, was awarded a $25,675,000, fixed-fee contract for the Elastic Program Enterprise License Agreement License Bundle. This contract provides for the Elastic License Bundle, which includes unlimited Enterprise resource unit software licenses, consulting services, professional annual training subscriptions, monthly training courses, and warranty coverage in support of the Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment and Hunter and Air Force Cyber Defense weapon systems. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Chapman Annex, San Antonio, Texas; Scott AFB, Illinois; and Hurlburt Field, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 18, 2026. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $25,675,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, JBSA-Lackland, Texas is the contracting activity. (NNG15SC71B, FA830726FB013)

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $99,894,351 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for field and depot level technical and maintenance support services for HIMARS/MLRS fire control systems and launcher-loader modules. Work will be performed in Agawam, Massachusetts; Atlanta, Georgia; Arlington, Euless, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lancaster, and North Richland Hills, Texas; Baltimore and Laurel, Maryland; Boca Raton, Key Largo, Melbourne, Odessa, and Tampa, Florida; Brownsboro, Huntsville, and Talladega, Alabama; Budd Lake, Swedesboro, and Whippany, New Jersey; Chambersburg, Clinton, and Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Chesterfield, and Jackson, Michigan; City of Industry, Chatsworth, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Ontario, and Valencia, California; Eastlake, and Fairfield, Ohio; Endicott, Farmingdale, Freeport, Hauppauge, Lancaster, Binghamton, and Rochester, New York; Freeport, Illinois; Jackson, Mississippi; Keyser, West Virginia; Mayville, Wisconsin; Peoria, Arizona; Sumter, South Carolina; and Wheatland, Indiana; with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2027. Fiscal Year 2026 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $14,293,230 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Huntington Ingalls Inc. Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia, is awarded a $12,500,000 cost-reimbursable modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-21-C-2106) for USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) to exercise an option for improved facilities for the RCOH and Inactivation workforce. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by December 2028. Fiscal year 2026 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $142,483,296 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery requirements contract modification (P00017) to previously awarded (FA8539-21-D-0001) to award and to exercise Option Year 5 and to award Option 6 for test, teardown and evaluation, repairs, and management of national stock numbers of the RQ-4B Global Hawk Unmanned Air-Vehicle System. Work will be performed at San Diego, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; El Segundo, California; San Jose, California; Buena Park, California; Harbor City, California; Irvine, California; Gardena California; Corona, California; Los Angeles, California; Reno, Nevada; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Valencia, California; Joplin, Missouri; Kalamazoo, MI; Vandalia, Ohio; Troy, Ohio; Longueuil, Quebec; Heroux, Canada; Eaton UK- Bedhampton, GB; Woodland Park, New Jersey; Whippany, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Woburn, Massachusetts; Twinsburg, Ohio; Medford, New York; Cypress, California; Wichita, Kansas; Linthicum, Maryland; Sterling, Virginia; Dulles, Virginia; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Sunnyvale, California; Tempe, Arizona; Forest, Mississippi; Warner Robins, Georgia; and Macon, Georgia; and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2026. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Fiscal year 2026 contract depot maintenance direct cite funds in the amount of $13,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. (FA8539-21-D-0001-P00017)