US Moves to Halt F-35 Sale to Turkey

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 stops F-35 fighter jet parts delivery to Turkey, reports Defense News, in retaliation for Ankara’s decision to purchase a Russian missile system, the first step toward ending the aircraft’s planned delivery this summer.

House lawmakers push for more F-35s, reports Defense News. Out of a budget dogfight between Lockheed’s F-35 and Boeing’s F-15X, a bipartisan group of 99 representatives wish to add 24 more F-35s to President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget request, for a total of 102.

US Africa Command receives $15 million to get aid into Mozambique, reports Military Times, which was hit by the strongest-ever cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere in March. The US Agency for International Development is leading the operation and has thus far provided $6.2 million, reports Air Force Times.

US brings F-35Bs to Philippines’ annual military exercise, reports Stars and Stripes. The Balikatan 2019 exercises involve thousands of troops and, for the first time, advanced F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters training in the Southeast Asian nation.

Modern War Institute reports on how to kill a city and how to protect it. Urban warfare is the most destructive  imaginable. Destruction of the physical terrain, populations, and infrastructure of cities during combat leave effects that can be felt for generations.

The Navy is assembling a hacker team to fight off small drones, reports Defense One. The Navy’s team of engineers, researchers, and hackers will seek ways to protect warships and bases.

The Air Force’s VR flight training has piqued the interest of the United Kingdom, reports Air Force Times. For the last year, the Air Force has been experimenting with an innovative virtual reality and artificial intelligence system to train new pilots.

Contract for new Coast Guard icebreaker could be awarded this month, reports Military.com. The estimated cost of a new new Coast Guard icebreaker is significant, but the need is urgent given the state of the only heavy icebreaker currently in service, Coast Guard Commandant ADM Karl Schultz said last week. ADM Schultz said the first of three planned icebreakers, called Polar Security Cutters, was now estimated to cost between $925 and $940 million.

Marines identify two pilots killed in AH-1Z Viper helicopter crash, reports Marine Corps Times. Maj. Matthew M. Wiegand, 34, of Ambler, Pennsylvania, and Capt. Travis W. Brannon, 30, of Nashville, Tennessee.

A Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson infantryman was killed in a live-fire training accident at the Alaska base, reports Army Times. Nicholas DiMona III, 20, died of his injuries after being flown to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

NATO chief SecGen Jens Stoltenberg to meet President Trump at the 70th anniversary of the alliance, reports Agence France-Presse. Trump, in an unlikely role for the president of NATO’s founding member, has long questioned the usefulness of the alliance and characterized fellow members as freeloaders.

Contracts:

Bowhead Manufacturing Technologies LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (N39430-18-D-2132); and Truston Technologies Inc., Annapolis, Maryland (N39430-18-D-2131), are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award services contract located primarily within the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC), Naval Base Ventura County, California. The maximum dollar value including the base period and one six-month option for both contracts combined is $78,000,000. The work to be performed provides for services for the procurement, kitting and packing, and delivery of kits, facilities, and assemblies of Table of Allowance (TOA) items. NAVFAC EXWC plans to provide expeditionary equipment in TOAs to support mission requirements. These two contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed in Alexandria, Virginia; Annapolis, Maryland; and Chickasaw, Alabama. The term of the contract is not to exceed 60 months, plus a six-month option, with an expected completion date of April 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the total amount of $20,000, consisting of two $10,000 minimum guarantees, are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be funded with a combination of the appropriations operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds; and other procurement (Navy) funds, in an amount not to exceed $78,000,000. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website and Federal Business Opportunities website with two proposals received. NAVFAC EXWC, Naval Base Ventura County, California, is the contracting activity.

Arrow DJB II JV, Upper Marlboro, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0010); Ironshore Contracting LLC, Baltimore, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0012); EG Management Services Inc., Germantown, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0013); Roofing & Sustainable Systems Inc., Rosedale, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0014); and Island Contracting Inc., Beltsville, Maryland (N40080-18-D-0015), are being awarded Option Year One under firm-fixed-price multiple award contract for construction, repair, alteration, and related demolition of new roofing for facilities within the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington area of responsibility (AOR). The combined total value for all five contractors is $19,800,000. The total contract amount after exercise of this option will be is $39,600,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. Work will be performed at various administrative facilities within the NAVFAC Washington AOR, including but not limited to, Maryland (45 percent); Washington, District of Columbia (30 percent); and Virginia (20 percent), and is expected to be completed April 2020. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. Task orders will be primarily funded by operation and maintenance (Navy and Marine Corps); and Navy working capital funds. NAVFAC Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.