US Readies For ‘Emerging Battlefield’ on Internet

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.

Lt. Gen. James K. “Kevin” McLaughlin, deputy commander of the US Cyber Command, sat down with The Wall Street Journal to discuss the emerging battlefield on the Internet. Who should the US fear the most? McLaughlin said the Islamic State is “a very dangerous foe.” He also noted that Russia and China are “very, very capable cyber actors. We look at them seriously.”

Defense Systems reports that Defense Department networks are under constant attack. Officials continue to develop necessary defensive measures and say that big data tools and analytic capabilities that have played a big role in the past will continue to be vitally important in defending against a vast array of cyber attacks.

Foreign Policy reports that as ISIS has made use of social media to recruit followers and inspire attacks, US government officials have pleaded with Silicon Valley to do something to crack down on the terrorist’s online presence.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter unveiled earlier this month his “Force of the Future” personnel reform plan, Military Times reports. The DefSec wants to allow for more “lateral entry” into the military’s upper ranks, clearing the way for lifelong civilians with the needed skills and strong résumés to enter the officer corps.

Reuters reports that US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said the cost of new Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets could go up unless the US government approves foreign sales of the jets. Mabus is frustrated by delays in approving the sale of the jets to a US ally, warning that this could affect the cost of jets the Navy still wants to buy, according to the report.

Congress wants the US Air Force to speed up the replacement of the Vietnam-era UH-1N Hueys that are used to support security at nuclear missile bases in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota, the Air Force Times reports.

Denmark celebrated earlier this month the delivery of its first three MH-60R Seahawk helicopters by the US Navy, Aviation Pros reports. To mark the new additions, the ceremony began with one of the Lockheed Martin helicopters landing aboard a Danish frigate.

The Navy recently christened a new stealth destroyer, the USS Michael Monsoor. Monsoor was a petty officer second class and a Navy SEAL killed in Iraq in 2006. The ship is the second of three planned in the Zumwalt-class of stealth destroyers. See a CNN video here

During the Vietnam War, troops were exposed to Agent Orange that was later determined to cause cancer in some veterans. The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that Iraq and Afghan vets might have their own Agent Orange. President Obama has pledged quick action, the paper reports, to make determinations about the effect of burn pits on as many as 60,000 US troops in areas of the Middle East.

Contracts:

Interstate Electronics Corp., Anaheim, CA, is being awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee contract of $11,877,790 for flight test instrumentation engineering services support.  The work will be performed in Anaheim, CA (55 percent); Cape Canaveral, FL (27 percent); Washington, DC (4 percent); Bremerton, WA (3 percent); Kings Bay, GA (3 percent); Norfolk, VA (3 percent); Laurel, MD (2 percent); Silverdale, WA (2 percent); Austin, TX (less than 1 percent); and El Segundo, CA (less than 1 percent), with an expected completion date of  May 31, 2018. Fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $11,290,426; and fiscal 2016 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $587,364 are being obligated on this award. Contract funds in the amount of $11,290,426 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 US Code 2304(c)(1).  Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00030-16-C-0040).

 A-T Solutions, Fredericksburg, VA, was awarded a $20,488,140 modification (P00017) to contract W911S0-13-C-0009 for a one-year extension for Asymmetric Warfare Group operations support. Work will be performed at Fort Meade, MD, with an estimated completion date of June 14, 2017. Fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $20,488,141 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Fort Eustis, VA, is the contracting activity.

Clark Construction Group LLC, Bethesda, MD, was awarded a $616,311,000 firm-fixed-price, incrementally funded contract with options to design and build a multi-story office building. Seven bids were solicited with seven received. Work will be performed at Fort Meade, MD, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 11, 2020. Fiscal 2016 military construction funds in the amount of $24,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, MD, is the contracting activity (W912DR-16-C-0013). 

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems Inc., Bethesda, MD, was awarded a $34,027,588 modification (P00019) to contract W912DY-15-F-0164 for Next Generation Technical Services IV. Work will be performed in Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; Stennis Space Center, MS; Vicksburg, MS; and Lorton, VA, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 17, 2016. Fiscal 2016 research, development, testing, and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntsville, AL, is the contracting activity.