US Wants to Resume North Korean Talks

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 Trump administration has reached out to North Korean to ask them to resume diplomacy, reports Axios. White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said, “We’ve been letting them know, through various channels, that we would like to get those [negotiations] back on track and to implement Chairman Kim’s commitment” to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The US Army is growing its force in the Pacific region, keeping rotational forces there longer with plans to increase the number of soldiers they send, and soon beginning a new division-strength rotation with thousands of soldiers going for short-term deployments, reports Army Times.

The US Air Force is working with AT&T to create a “smart base of the future,” including reconstructing and transforming the Tyndall Air Force Base’s communications infrastructure with 5G-powered capabilities, reports Defense Systems. The buildout at the installation in Florida is expected to take three to five years. The base continues to rebuild after Hurricane Michael hit in 2018.

Raja Chari, an Indian-American US Air Force colonel, is among the 11 new NASA graduates who completed basic astronaut training, reports Your Story. He is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Pax River.

All drone operators must receive permission before flying near any airport – and that includes NAS Pax River’s controlled airspace, reminds dcmilitary.com.

The US Marine Corps is offering some former Reserve pilots bonuses to get them back in the cockpit, reports We Are the Mighty. Former captains and majors qualified to fly certain aircraft who are willing to rejoin can pocket up to a $30,000 lump-sum bonus if they agree to a three-year term in the Active Reserve.

SecState Mike Pompeo said US military forces aren’t preparing to completely withdraw from Iraq, reports Military Times, but might trim down force numbers in coming months as officials reassess ongoing missions in the Middle East.

The US military tried, but failed, to take out another senior Iranian commander on the same day that an American airstrike killed Qasem Soleimani, reports The Associated Press.

The Pentagon identified two US soldiers killed in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on Saturday, reports Army Times. Staff Sgt. Ian P. McLaughlin and Pfc. Miguel A. Villalon died after their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device. Both were on their first combat deployments.

Marine Sgt. Maj. Richard D. Thresher will take over as the senior enlisted leader with US Africa Command responsible for all US military operations in Africa, reports Marine Corps Times.

Fifty-two F-35As put on a show, known as an “elephant walk,” at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, reports Popular Mechanics. The Air Force said the timing of the exercise, as the US entered a new crisis with Iran, was purely coincidental, and the exercise had been planned months in advance.

The Bible that will be used by the new Space Force was blessed on Sunday at Washington National Cathedral, reports The Washington Post. It will be used for such events as swearing-in ceremonies.

Maryland’s proposed Senate Bill 2 would allow the state to tax money made from digital advertising that targets state residents, reports WTOP News.  The money made from the new tax would go toward education funding.

Contracts:

Airbus Helicopters Inc., Grand Prairie, Texas, is awarded a $37,729,000 firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides performance-based logistics support to include ground and repair maintenance of five UH-72 aircraft, sustaining engineering required to maintain UH-72 Federal Aviation Administration certification, the incorporation of U.S. Navy Test Pilot School specific modifications, and the support to provide ground and flight training for the UH-72/EC-145 aircraft. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in January 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-20-D-0010).

C.E.R. Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $12,886,000 firm-fixed-price task order (N4008020F4121) under a multiple award construction contract for Gambo Creek Bridge replacement at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren. The work to be performed provides for a design build project to remove and replace Gambo Creek Bridge on Tisdale Road with a reinforced concrete bridge structure that complies with the Federal Highway Administration lane widths for two way traffic. Work will be performed in Dahlgren, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by November 2022. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $12,886,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five proposals were received for this task order. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington, Public Works Department, South Potomac, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40080-19-D-0011).