US Military ‘Inadequate’ to Face Dual Threats
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America’s National Defense Strategy is out of date, its military inappropriately structured, and the industrial base “grossly inadequate” to confront the dual threats of Russia and China, according to the high-powered formal review, by the Commission on the National Defense Strategy, published this week. Breaking Defense quotes from the report, “A bipartisan ‘call to arms’ is urgently needed so that the United States can make the major changes and significant investments now rather than wait for the next Pearl Harbor or 9/11. The support and resolve of the American public are indispensable.”
The shipbuilding capacity of the United States when compared against China is “deeply concerning” and reflective of a need for the US Navy to “step up” as it prepares for a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific, Kurt Campbell, a senior State Department official told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week. “We have to do better in this arena, or we will not be the great naval power that we need to be for the 21st century,” reports Breaking Defense.
President Joe Biden Friday nominated Air Force MAJ GEN Jennifer M. Short as a senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense, reports UPI.
A North Korean military intelligence operative has been indicted in a conspiracy to hack into American health care providers, NASA, US military bases, and international entities. Military Times reports the indictment of Rim Jong Hyok by a grand jury in Kansas City, KS, accuses him of laundering the money through a Chinese bank and then using it to buy computer servers and fund more cyberattacks on defense, technology, and government entities around the world.
Negotiations on a performance-based logistics contract for the F-35 sustainment enterprise appear stalled indefinitely after the US government backed away from negotiations late last year. Breaking Defense reports Greg Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said that that “the customer has stepped away” from the negotiations.
Lockheed Martin will launch a competition to overhaul the F-35’s cooling system, which could see Honeywell Aerospace and RTX subsidiary Collins Aerospace battle for the much-anticipated upgrade, Breaking Defense reports.
Pratt plans 3-D printed parts for F-35 engine, reports Breaking Defense. The engine maker is also introducing additive manufacturing in other existing engine designs to reduce their cost and speed up their manufacturing, in a bid to make them more attractive for programs that seek to mass produce cheap drones.
Five companies will get money to develop autonomous control systems for the Air Force’s planned robot wingmen — and the service is keeping the list a secret to safeguard the designs from spies, reports Defense One.
The Air Force needs to rethink how small, low-cost drones could change the definition of air superiority, says Vice Chief of Staff GEN James C. Slife. The US has used F-22, F-15, and F-16 fighters, along with costly missiles. to counter drones. Since October 2023, dozens of American service members have been injured and three killed in more than 170 drone, rocket, and missile attacks, reports Air and Space Forces.
The US forces conducted an airstrike on Tuesday in the Musayib in Babil Province, south of Baghdad, Iraq, “targeting combatants attempting to launch one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems,” ABC News quotes an official. “Based on recent attacks in Iraq and Syria, US Central Command assessed that the [drone] posed a threat to US and Coalition Forces.”
The Israel Defense Forces have reportedly been using unmanned versions of multiple vehicles in combat zones in Gaza, as technology improves enough to put unmanned platforms into combat situations, keeping more soldiers out of harm’s way, reports Breaking Defense.
Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik on Sunday urged North Korea to immediately stop sending balloons carrying trash across its southern border. The two also agreed to work closer with their Japanese counterpart to curb the communist regime’s provocations, reports Stars and Stripes.
Several Chinese and Russian ships and a Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle operated around Japan on Sunday and Monday, according to the Japanese Joint Staff Office, reports USNI.org.
Three Russian warships arrived in Cuban waters on Saturday, Moscow’s second such maritime voyage in as many months in a reflection of deepening ties between Russia and Cuba, reports AP News.
The US will send $1.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including an array of munitions for air defense systems, artillery, mortars and anti-tank, and anti-ship missiles, reports AP News. The package includes $1.5 billion in funding for long-term contracts through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and $200 million in immediate military aid taken from Pentagon stockpiles.
Seeking to avoid a disruption in veterans benefits payments later this year, a bipartisan group of senators has introduced a bill to fix a nearly $3 billion shortfall for disability and education benefits the Department of Veterans Affairs expects to face by October, reports Military.com.
The Space Force is offering a hefty financial incentive for select guardians to reenlist, reports Military Times. The service recently released its fiscal 2024 selective retention bonus list, which specifies which types of guardians qualify for a bonus that maxes out at $180,000 for certain positions.
The 2024 Farnborough Airshow wrapped up July 25, and although it appeared the attendance at this year’s show was lighter than in past years., says Breaking Defense, there were still plenty of interesting items on display at the show, some seen in photos here.
A Drought Watch was put into effect today by the Drought Coordination Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, despite recent rainfall. Residents and businesses in the metropolitan Washington region are being asked to take voluntary measures to conserve water and help reduce demand on the region’s water supply systems. The regional drought watch applies to nearly six million residents across metropolitan Washington, according to a news release from the council.
Contracts:
KBR Wyle Services LLC, Lexington Park, Maryland, is awarded a $59,070,550 cost-plus-fix-fee, level-of-effort, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides engineering services for procurement specification development, technical contract administration, quality assurance, data link in-service engineering, installation engineering, fleet support, intermediate and depot-level repairs, equipment reproductions and overhauls, design engineering and implementation services for data link stimulators/simulators, and specialized test equipment for troubleshooting, repair, and performance/quality evaluation of data links in support of the Light Airborne Multipurpose System MK III and similar data links for the Navy and other government projects. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland (95%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (5%), and is expected to be completed June 2030. No funds will be obligated at the time of the award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0042124D0024).
Chimes District of Columbia, Baltimore, Maryland, was awarded a $47,638,213 firm-fixed-price contract for custodial 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 May 31, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56ZTN-24-D-0009).
AICI-Archirodon JV, Mclean, Virginia, was awarded a $31,888,000 firm-fixed-price contract to build facilities overseas. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, with an estimated completion date of June 22, 2026. Fiscal 2024 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $31,888,000 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Middle East District, is the contracting activity (W912ER-24-C-0006).
ECA Federal LLC, Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded a $23,999,837 firm-fixed-price contract for a commercial item solution to meet information collection management requirements. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGY-24-D-0006).
Sealing Technologies LLC, Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $9,588,231 firm-fixed-price contract for Deployable Defensive Cyber Operations System support. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Fort Eisenhower, Georgia; and Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of July 30, 2027. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $9,588,231 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W519TC-24-C-0026).
CACI Inc.-FEDERAL, Chantilly, Virginia, has been awarded a $9,529,158 modification (P00010) to previously awarded contract FA8821-24-B-0001 for the Satellite Control Network. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $336,103,036. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by June 21, 2026. Fiscal 2022 and 2024 procurement funding in the amount of $9,529,158 is being obligated at the time of award. The Space Systems Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado is the contracting activity.
Gauss Management Research and Engineering Inc., Ogden, Utah (FA8003-24-D-0015); Luna Labs USA LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0016); TransTecs Corp., Wichita, Kansas (FA8003-24-D-0017); Frontier Technology Inc., Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0018); SelectTech Services Corp., Dayton, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0019); Boston Engineering Corp., Waltham, Massachusetts (FA8003-24-D-0020); SynapseMX Inc., Newnan, Georgia (FA8003-24-D-0021); Redshred LLC, Catonsville, Maryland (FA8003-24-D-0022); Expansia Group LLC, Nashua, New Hampshire (FA8003-24-D-0023); Design Interactive Inc., Orlando, Florida (FA8003-24-D-0024); Aging Aircraft Consulting, Warner Robins, Georgia (FA8003-24-D-0025); The University of Dayton Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0026); Kennon Products Inc., Sheridan, Wyoming (FA8003-24-D-0027); Brighton Technologies LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0028); Raytheon Co., Sterling, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0029); D’Angelo Technologies LLC, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0030); Essentium Inc., Pflugerville, Texas (FA8003-24-D-0031); Kaiva Field LLC, Ivins, Utah (FA8003-24-D-0032); Authentise Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (FA8003-24-D-0033); MEC Energy Services LLC, New Town, North Dakota, (FA8003-24-D-0034); Ripple Two LLC, Charleston, South Carolina, (FA8003-24-D-0035); Phillips Corp., Hanover, Maryland (FA8003-24-D-0036); Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas (FA8003-24-D-0037); Crow King Studios LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana(FA8003-24-D-0038); C5Mi Insight LLC, Neptune Beach, Florida (FA8003-24- D-0039); Aviation Resources and Consulting Services LLC, Cookeville, Tennessee (FA8003-24-D[1]0040); Gamma Alloys Inc., Santa Clarita, California (FA8003-24-D-0041); Modern Technology Solutions Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0042); Shift5 Inc., Arlington, Virginia (FA8003-24- D-0043); Electric Power Systems Inc., North Logan, Utah (FA8003-24-D-0044); Trac9 LLC, Huntsville, Alabama (FA8003-24-D-0045); Dynepic Inc., Reno, Nevada (FA8003-24-D-0046); CarahSoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0047); Mercer Engineering Research Center, Warner Robins, Georgia (FA8003-24-D-0048); KUOG Corp., Huntsville, Alabama (FA8003-24- D-0049); Engineering and Software System Solutions Inc., Midwest City, Oklahoma (FA8003-24-D[1]0050); Bunker Supply Co. LLC, Goleta, California (FA8003-24-D-0051); Spee3d Inc., Wilmington, Delaware (FA8003-24-D-0052); Stone Solutions and Research Collective LLC, Phoenix, Arizona (FA8003-24-D-0053); Taqtile Inc., Seattle, Washington (FA8003-24-D-0054); Game Plan Tech LLC, Great Falls, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0055); National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, Johnstown, Pennsylvania (FA8003-24-D-0056); Solutions Through Innovative Technologies Inc., Fairborn, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0057); RedHorse Corp., Arlington, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0058); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota (FA8003-24-D-0059); Vana Solutions LLC, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0060); Easy Aerial Inc., Brooklyn, New York (FA8003-24-D-0061); Sparkcognition Government Systems Inc., Austin, Texas (FA8003-24-D-0062); Pvilion Inc., Brooklyn, New York (FA8003-24-D-0063); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0064); CourtAvenue LLC, San Diego, California (FA8003-24-D-0065); ARCTOS Technology Solutions LLC, Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0066); 540.co LLC, Arlington, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0067); Renaissance Services Inc., Beavercreek, Ohio (FA8003-24-D-0068); RJ Lee Group Inc., Monroeville, Pennsylvania (FA8003-24-D-0069); Quidient LLC, Easton, Maryland (FA8003-24-D-0070); VS Merlot LLC, Ruston, Louisiana (FA8003-24-D-0071); Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas (FA8003-24-D-0072); Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas (FA8003-24-D-0073); Virtualitics Inc., Pasadena, California (FA8003-24-D-0074); IBC Materials & Technologies LLC, Lebanon, Indiana (FA8003-24-D-0075); BetaFLIX Inc., Ruston, Louisiana (FA8003- 24-D-0076); MELD Manufacturing Corp., Christiansburg, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0077); 3D Systems Inc., Rock Hill, South Carolina (FA8003-24-D-0078); MetroStar Systems LLC, Reston, Virginia (FA8003-24-D-0079); JSToogood LLC, Southlake, Texas (FA8003-24-D-0080); and JuliaHub Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts (FA8003-24-D-0081), have been awarded a combined, not-to-exceed $975,000,000 multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office. This contract enables the Air Force to optimize the operational readiness and lifecycle sustainment costs of its fielded weapon systems by rapidly identifying, integrating, prototyping, testing, qualifying, demonstrating, and scaling emerging technology applications in advanced manufacturing, automation and robotics, advanced composites, corrosion prevention and control, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and several other high-impact technical focus areas spanning the aircraft logistics and sustainment enterprise. Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed by July 29, 2033. These awards are the result of a competitive acquisition initiated under Request for Proposal FA8003-24-R-0002 and 68 offers were received. Fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $67,000 ($1,000 per awardee) are being obligated at time of award. The 771st Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was awarded a $49,999,999 ceiling, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for F-16 System Program Office Foreign Military Sales support. This contract provides for the repair and return of F-16 radar (AN/APG-68 version 9) components for 11 foreign military sales countries. Work will be performed at Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2030. This contract involves foreign military sales to Chile, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Pakistan, Türkiye, Indonesia, Oman, Thailand, and Poland. This contract was a sole source acquisition. Indonesia Foreign Military Sales funds authorized by Letter of Offer and Acceptance Case ID-D-QAX in the amount of $278,400 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, F-16 Foreign Military Sales Contracting, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8232-24-D-0002).
Four Points Technology, Herndon, Virginia, was awarded an $11,199,000 firm-fixed-price delivery order, excluding unexercised options, for cloud computing services. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of July 2025. Fiscal 2023 and 2024 research and development funds in the amount of $2,799,750 are being obligated at the time of award. The solicitation was competed on NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement Group B as a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business set-aside and received one quote. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR001124F0459).
Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia, was awarded a $11,825,485 modification (P00003) to contract W911SF-24-F-0009 for engineering services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2028. Army Field Directorate Office, Fort Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $14,465,153, in-scope, add-work modification (P00012) to previously awarded contract FA8650-23-C-1054 for continued research and development. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $14,705,256 to $29,170,409. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 18, 2026. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,770,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
UPDATE: The Dec. 5, 2023, task order originally awarded to EMESEC Inc., Reston, Virginia, for $83,088,429, is now awarded to Centuria Corp., Reston, Virginia. Centuria Corp. was awarded an estimated $83,184,747 firm-fixed-price task order under the General Services Administration Veterans Technology Services 2 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (47QTCH-18-D-0008) for defensive cyber realization, integration, and operational support II services. Work will be performed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and is expected to be completed by July 8, 2029. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and 10 offers were received. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $1,136,630 are being obligated at the time of award. The Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Detachment, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8773-24-F-0095).
C.E.R. Inc., Severna Park, Maryland (N40080-24-D-0006); CJW Contractors Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N40080-24-D-0007); Edifice Services JV LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland (N40080-24-D-0008); ENCON Desbuild JV3 LLC, Hyattsville, Maryland (N40080-24-D-0009); EVCON-CWC JV LLC, Washington, DC (N40080-24-D-0010); Fastbreak General Contractors LLC, Hampton, Virginia (N40080-24-D-0011); Ocean Construction Services Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N40080-24-D-0012); and Ritz Construction, Frederick, Maryland (N40080-24-D-0013), are awarded a combined $750,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award, design-build/design-bid-build construction contract for small general construction projects located primarily in the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of operations. Each awardee will be awarded $5,000 (minimum guarantee per awardee) at contract award. The maximum dollar value, including the two-year base period and two, three-year option periods for all eight contracts combined, is not-to-exceed $750,000,000. Work will be performed primarily in Washington, DC, and is expected to be completed by July 2032. Fiscal 2024 defense working capital funds in the amount of $40,000 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance, (Navy), and military construction funding. This contract was competitively procured via the Contract Opportunities (Sam.gov) website with 26 proposals received. These eight contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. NAVFAC Washington, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $11,717,322 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-19-C-2100 to procure additional support for pre-advanced planning for Nimitz (CVN 68) class aircraft carrier defueling and inactivation. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2024. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,717,322 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin, Moorestown, New Jersey, is awarded a $84,990,855 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, and cost-only modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2300 to exercise options for Littoral Combat Ship class design support and integrated data and product model environment support. Work will be performed in Hampton, Virginia (31%); Washington, DC (30%); Marinette, Wisconsin (23%); and Moorestown, New Jersey (16%), and is expected to be completed by August 2025. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $4,000,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded a $54,997,317 fixed-priced incentive (firm-target) contract modification to previously awarded contract N00024-22-C-2463 to exercise the options for the construction of two landing craft, Utility 1700 class craft. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (60%); Harahan, Louisiana (8%); Shoreline, Washington (5%); Semmes, Alabama (5%); Peoria, Illinois (3%); Houma, Louisiana (3%); Mandeville, Louisiana (3%); Morgan City, Louisiana (1%); Chesapeake, Virginia (1%); Worcester, Massachusetts (1%); and other locations below 1% (collectively totaling 10%), and is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $54,997,317 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
