The US has fired more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles in four weeks of war with Iran, a rate that has alarmed some Pentagon officials, reports The Washington Post. Only a few hundred are manufactured each year, meaning the global supply is limited. The Pentagon does not publicly disclose how many missiles are in its inventory at any one time.
US Needs Missiles, Maybe Ground Troops
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River 
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The Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 more ground troops to the Middle East to potentially support operations in Iran in a move aimed at giving President Donald Trump more military options, Stars and Stripes reported from The Wall Street Journal. If approved, the force would likely include infantry and armored vehicles, and would join the roughly 5,000 Marines headed to the region and thousands of Fort Bragg-based paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, defense officials told the Journal.
The Pentagon announced last week agreements with Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell Aerospace to surge production of a wide array of missile components, including ballistic interceptors, reports Defense News.
A dozen US service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, says Military Times. Two of the 12 personnel, all of whom were reportedly inside an installation building at the time of the attack, are in serious condition.
The US has deployed uncrewed drone speedboats for patrols as part of its operations against Iran, the first time Washington has confirmed using such vessels in an active conflict, reports Military Times. The vessels can be used for surveillance or kamikaze strikes.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte doubled down last week in his support for the Iran war after coming under recent criticism that he overstepped his role in the alliance when he endorsed Trump’s approach to the conflict, reports Stars and Stripes.
Crossings along the US southern border have plummeted since Trump’s inauguration and a strong military presence remains deployed—more than 20,000 troops in the past year—while Customs and Border Protection agents moved operations deeper into America. The War Horse details the swift military buildup at the border which began two days after the Jan. 20, 2025, inauguration and continues.
Massive construction robots are working around the clock at Fort Bliss, TX, transforming a vacant stretch of land into 10 barracks buildings capable of housing 560 soldiers in open bays within six months, reports Stars and Stripes. It’s the work of 3D printing begun this month and expected to be ready by August to house soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss for the southwest border mission.
The Army is retraining 15 horses from ceremonial units to patrolling the southwest border with Customs and Border Protection, reports Stars and Stripes. The horses came from Fort Huachuca, AZ, and Fort Irwin, CA, where they served in units that honored the history of the cavalry through ceremonies, parades, and community outreach events.
Active-duty Coast Guard personnel get paid, but its civilian employees haven’t received a paycheck since Feb. 14 as the partial government shutdown continues, reports Military Times. The service has stopped processing merchant mariner credentials, affecting 16,000 applications, and halted fisheries enforcement operations and routine maritime patrols.
The Space Force needs revised launch plans for some upcoming national security missions following a “significant performance anomaly” with a rocket motor of a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket during a mission last month. Defense Scoop reports the payloads were delivered as planned, but the Space Force halted forthcoming national security launches involving Vulcan to conduct an investigation. It is unclear how long the Vulcan rocket will be grounded.
DefSec Pete Hegseth said US military chaplains will no longer wear rank insignia, instead displaying symbols of their faith, reports Military Times. Chaplains will retain their rank, he said in a video announcement last week, but the new directive will shift how they are identified in uniform. Military Times reports that before the change a chaplain’s uniform carried their rank insignia along with a symbol denoting their religion.
Yesterday was Vietnam Veterans Day, first proclaimed on March 29, 2012, to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Vietnam War, and designated in 2017 to mark every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. March 29, 1973, is the day US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished and the last American combat troops came home, reports Stars and Stripes.
Contracts awarded in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., March 26-27, 2026:
National Technologies Associates Inc., California, Maryland, is awarded a $ 235,996,762 cost reimbursable and cost-no-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for contractor support for organizational, intermediate and depot-level tasks in support of presidential helicopter platforms and technical service requirements to perform planned and unplanned maintenance, modification and instrumentation of presidential helicopter aircraft and is expected to be complete by November 2031. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland (98%); and various other contiguous U.S. locations, each under 1% (2%). No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This effort was procured competitively, with three offers received. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001926D0013).
Advanced Engineering Solutions & Services LLC,* Belcamp, Maryland, was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for Sensors-Platform Integration production, replicating and enhancing prototype shelter systems and integrating technologies onto military and commercial platforms to address urgent Quick Reaction Capability C5ISR requirements. The amount of this action is $454,781,907. 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 March 25, 2031. Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground is the contracting activity (W56KGU-26-D-0002).
DigiFlight Inc., Columbia, Maryland, was awarded a $9,897,469 modification (P00100) to contract W31P4Q-19-F-E002 for integrated logistics services in support of the Apache Attack Helicopter Project Office. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $201,704,198. Work will be performed in Columbia, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2026. Fiscal 2025 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $8,787,233; and fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $1,110,237, were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Sedna Digital Solutions LLC,* Manassas, Virginia, is awarded a $14,395,395 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-23-C-6109) to exercise options for Navy engineering design, development, and supporting material and travel for Sonar systems. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2027. Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $500,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
Parsons Government Services Inc., Centreville, Virginia, was awarded a ceiling $98,451,047 cost plus fixed fee term task order for Gardem Two Command and Control-Space Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. This task order provides for research, development, engineering, prototyping, integration, testing, and demonstration of technologies and concepts; as well as enhancements, modifications, integration, testing, deployments, and maintenance of technologies and concepts in support of Global Application Research, Development, Engineering and Maintenance Two Command and Control, Space and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance software baselines. Work will be performed at Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by May 26, 2031. This task order was a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $549,210; and fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $50,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York is the contracting activity (FA8750-26-F-B003).
Heidrick and Struggles International Inc., Washington, D.C., has been awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (HQ003426DE012) with a ceiling of $75,000,000. The purpose of this contract is to find the best private sector leaders to examine, guide, and drive more effective and efficient management of key Department of War programs and services. These executives will provide strategic leadership to modernize systems, optimize resource utilization, and enhance operational effectiveness in alignment with the Department of War. Work locations will be performed at the Pentagon. The estimated completion date is March 25, 2029. Fiscal 2026 operations and maintenance, Defense wide, funding is in the amount of $75,000,000. The contracting activity is Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia.
J & J Maintenance Inc., doing business as CBRE Government & Defense Services, McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $80,288,548 firm-fixed-price contract for operations and maintenance services for the medical treatment facilities of Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 26, 2031. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District, is the contracting activity (W91278-26-D-A066).
Mistral Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded a $20,039,666 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of Mistral Thor System and payloads for the Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Product Office. 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 March 17, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-26-G-0026 W58RGZ-26-F-0226). (Awarded March 26, 2026).
Deloitte Consulting LLP, Arlington, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,173,322 firm-fixed-price modification (P00018) to contract FA7014-25-F-0145 for technical support services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $164,316,089 from $145,142,767. Work will be performed at Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed April 24, 2030. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force District of Washington Contracting Directorate, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Federal Prison Industries Inc.,** doing business as UNICOR, Washington, D.C., has been awarded a maximum $16,978,500 modification (P00011) exercising the third one‐year option period of a one‐year base contract (SPE1C1‐23‐D‐0017) with three one‐year option periods for extreme cold/wet weather jackets. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Kentucky, with a March 27, 2027, ordering period end date. Using military services are Army and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 through 2027 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
AERO International, Alexandria, Virginia, has been awarded a maximum $10,757,238 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SPRTA1-26-F-0139) issued against a five-year basic ordering agreement (SPE4A1-24-G-0016) for KC-135 air pressure controllers. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a two-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is March 30, 2028. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Northrop Grumman Corp., Chandler, Arizona is awarded a $127,319,699 firm-fixed-price contract (N0001926C0122). This contract will procure the GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea-skimming Target Full Rate Production Lot 18. This procurement consists of 28 GQM-163A targets and associated support, and related technical and administrative data in support of the Navy; the government of Japan; and the government of Korea. Work will be performed in Camden, Arizona (53%); Chandler, Arizona (31%); St. Petersburg, Florida (6%); Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (4%); Montville, New Jersey (4%); Manassas, Virginia (1%); and various other contiguous U.S. locations under 1%, and is expected to be completed in August 2030. Fiscal 2026 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $58,623,999; fiscal 2025 weapon procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,676,624; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $9,019,076, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is awarded a $96,129,279 modification (P000026) to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive (firm-target) contract (N0001922C0042). This modification procures the necessary hardware and systems engineering technical support, analysis, and studies to install the Department of Navy (DON) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) system onto Department of War aircraft for DON and other customers. Hardware for this procurement includes the following weapon replaceable assemblies: 153 advanced threat warning sensors for the Navy; 13 control indicator unit replaceable replacements for the Navy, and 20 for the Air Force; 30 DON LAIRCM processor units for the Navy, and 17 for the Air Force; 52 guardian laser transmitter assemblies for the Navy; 20 high capacity cards for the Navy, and 29 for the Air Force; 29 smart connector assemblies for the Navy, and 18 for the Air Force; and 76 battery kits for the Navy, and 23 for the Air Force. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois (32%); Goleta, California (18%); Longmont, Colorado (10%); Apopka, Florida (8%); Blacksburg, Virginia (7%); Westminster, Colorado (6%); Verona, Wisconsin (4%); Ashburn, Virginia (4%); Carlsbad, California (3%); Lewisburg, Tennessee (3%); Salt Lake City, Utah (2%); Tipp City, Ohio (2%); and Amherst, New York (1%), and is expected to be completed in July 2028. Fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $74,528,543; fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $6,336,620; fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $40,000; fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,532,674; fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $1,485,048; and Navy working capital funds in the amount of $4,206,394, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
