USS Truman Loses Yet Another Jet

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 USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier has lost another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet into the Red Sea, this is the second jet lost from the carrier in just over a week, reports CNN. The F/A-18 F fighter jet was attempting a nighttime landing onto the deck of the carrier when the crew was unable to stop it in time before going off the side, according to ABC News. The pilot and weapons systems officer ejected and suffered minor injuries. The $60 million jet has not been recovered. Separately, notes CNN, the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group “took a shot” at the Truman on Tuesday, despite President Donald Trump announcing an apparent ceasefire with the group hours earlier. It is not clear whether the two incidents are related.

Military.com reports that the Army is pausing helicopter flights near Reagan Washington National Airport, after two commercial planes had to abort landings last Thursday because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter that was flying to the Pentagon.  A Black Hawk priority air transport collided with a passenger jet in January at Reagan National, killing all 67 passengers and crew aboard the plane and helicopter.

The Hill reports TransSec Sean Duffy told Fox News on Tuesday the Pentagon had not responded to his inquiries about the Army helicopter that forced the two commercial passenger jets to abort their landings.

DoD designated a second military zone along the US border with Mexico. The newest area is in Texas, attached to the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso, reports Military Times. Like the first zone established in New Mexico, military personnel are authorized to take custody of migrants illegally crossing the border until they are transferred to civilian authorities in Homeland Security.

Army plans for a potential military parade on President Trump’s birthday in June call for more than 6,600 soldiers, at least 150 vehicles, 50 helicopters, seven bands, and possibly a couple thousand civilians, reports Military Times. The Army has long planned a 250th anniversary festival on the National Mall. The newly added large military parade that Trump has long wanted is still being discussed.

A Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II has returned to its home air station after undergoing “extensive troubleshooting, inspections, and maintenance” for more than a month at a civilian airport in southern Japan, reports Stars and Stripes. The jet landed at Kochi Airport on March 25 after the pilot received a warning indication during a routine training flight.

A walkout involving almost 3,000 Pratt & Whitney jet engine workers in Connecticut began Monday morning following an overwhelming vote to reject the company’s contract offer. The workers, members of the International Association of Machinists, join another 900 workers at Pentagon contractor Lockheed Martin in Denver, CO, and Orlando, FL, who struck last week after decisively rejecting a contract brought back by the United Auto Workers, reports WSWS.org.

The Trump administration has released the outline of its 2026 budget showing a 23% reduction in non-defense funding and 13% increase in defense spending. The budget takes aim at “woke” diversity programs and work on climate change; moves some work to the state and local level; and, according to the White House, rids the government of “weaponized rot,” with cuts to the IRS and the cybersecurity  programs that are “a hub in the Censorship Industrial Complex, conspiring against the First Amendment rights of President Trump and his supporters.”

While major discretionary funding cuts are planned for agencies like Education (down 15%) and Housing and Urban Development (down 44%), the White House plan calls for a $5.4 billion boost to the Veterans Affairs budget, representing a 4% increase, reports Military Times.

Maryland could see another $430 million in targeted cuts as part of Trump’s so-called “skinny” budget proposal, Maryland Matters reports. Senate President Bill Ferguson said on Tuesday that a new analysis of the federal spending proposal includes hundreds of millions in reductions to low-income housing and energy assistance programs. This is on top of expected cuts to Medicaid.

Some Republicans seemed skeptical of the administration’s proposed $2.5 billion cut to the IRS budget during a Tuesday hearing. NextGov/FCW reports, so far, the agency’s workforce has shrunk by 11%. But the IRS is reportedly planning to cut up to 40% of its employees, according to CBS News, which would put its workforce size as much as 20,000 employees below the 80,000-strong workforce it had at the end of fiscal 2021.

The top cybersecurity official in the National Security Council, Alexei Bulazel wants to normalize offensive cyber activity as a tool of US national power, reports Next/Gov. The US “could respond in-kind” to cyberattacks on America’s critical infrastructure systems. Bulazel said prior administrations had been hesitant to “punch back.”

TeleMessage has suspended service after a reported security incident, reports NextGov/FCW. 404 Media reported on Sunday, the hack, accomplished in as little as 20 minutes, included contents tied to US Customs and Border Protection. A Reuters photograph appeared to show then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz using TeleMessage during a cabinet meeting to chat with top officials, including Tulsi Gabbard and Marco Rubio.

The National Security Agency, the largest electronic spy agency in the world, must axe 8% of its civilian workforce, from administrative staff to defense and offensive cybersecurity operators. The total number of non-military personnel at NSA is classified, but between 1,500 and 2,000 positions are expected to be cut, people who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Recorded Future News.

The Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group was ordered on Tuesday to pay $167 million in damages to Meta, capping a six-year legal battle after NSO hacked 1,400 WhatsApp accounts belonging to journalists, human-rights activists, and government officials, reports The New York Times.

Islamaphobic and conspiratorial statements doomed Anthony Tata’s nomination in the first Trump administration, and he’s distanced himself from past comments in his bid to head personnel for the Pentagon’s more than 3 million uniformed and civilian workers in Trump’s second administration. But Tata defended more recent comments calling for purging military officers seen as disloyal to Trump and supporting using military force for law enforcement on US soil.

DefSec Pete Hegseth has ordered the military to cut the number of their highest-ranking officers — four-star generals and admirals — by at least 20%, reports Military.com. In a memo released Monday, Hegseth said senior leaders should be “unencumbered by unnecessary bureaucratic layers that hinder their growth and effectiveness” and “a critical step in this process is removing redundant force structure.” The memo also orders a similar reduction in the National Guard and at least a 10% cut across all generals and admirals in the military.

Speaking at an annual special operations force event held by annual Global SOF Foundation, Hegseth noted that over the past three years SOF-specific missions have risen by 200%, reports Military Times. And over the past six months, SOF units have killed 500 enemy combatants and captured another 600 in operations throughout the globe, Hegseth said.

Hegseth works hard to portray himself as a man of the troops. They might not be buying it, says Military.com. Interviews with service members and a review of hundreds of social media posts on message boards suggest the image the defense secretary tries to project is seen by some as overly manufactured and desperate for affirmation.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed, reports Military Times. The court acted in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies transgender people from military service. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

The bond rating agency Standard & Poor’s has issued a negative outlook for outstanding revenue bonds issued by the Maryland Transportation Authority, amid uncertainty surrounding the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, reports Maryland Matters. The agency reaffirmed the authority’s AA- bond rating, but an April 25 report downgraded its outlook from stable to negative and warned of the potential for future changes. In March, Moody’s issued a report citing concerns about cuts to federal employment and other concerns. The firm said Maryland is at greatest risk from those cuts. State officials continue to rely on promises of full federal funding for a replacement made by then-President Joe Biden (D) just hours after the span collapsed. But that promise is less certain since the election of Trump (R).

Contracts:

Sawyer Services Inc., Chesterfield, Michigan, was awarded a $7,562,327 firm-fixed-price contract to design-build a multipurpose dynamic training range. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Blackstone, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June 11, 2026. Fiscal 2024 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $7,562,327 were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (W91236-25-C-2008). 

SeaLandAire Technologies Inc., Jackson, Michigan, is awarded a $15,165,106 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide continued advanced technology and design for digital directional frequency analysis and recording vertical line array (DDVLA) sonobuoys in support of the advancement of the DDVLA sonobuoy successful transition from Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) phase III to engineering and manufacturing development and low-rate initial production. These efforts support SBIR phase III topic N101-014 entitled “High Gain Array of Velocity Sensors.” Work will be performed in Jackson, Michigan (98%); Washington, DC (1%); and Lexington Park, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in May 2030. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,482,405 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract action was competed; one offer was received. Naval Air Warfare Center, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N6833525C0010).

Rolls-Royce Marine North America Inc., Walpole, Massachusetts, is awarded a $23,567,609 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for highly specialized design agent engineering and technical services for the LCS, Freedom variant, machinery plant control and monitoring system, and control area network and monitoring ships control system, DDG-51 class machinery control system, and LSD 41/49 propulsion logic management units. Work will be performed in Walpole, Massachusetts (80%); Mayport, Florida (6%); Norfolk, Virginia (4%); San Diego, California (4%); and various locations outside and across the continental U.S., each less than 1% (6%). Work will be completed by May 2030. Fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $149,183 will be obligated for the minimum guarantee. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 US Code 3204(a)(1) (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-25-D-4003). 

Bollinger Shipyards Lockport LLC, Lockport, Louisiana, is awarded a $65,709,527 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-22-C-6305) to exercise options for the production of Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicles and incorporate engineering changes. Work will be performed in Lockport, Louisiana (65%); Portsmouth, Virginia (22%); Columbus, Indiana (8%); and Slidell, Louisiana (5%), and is expected to be completed by September 2028. Fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $11,135,465 (17%); and fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $54,574,062 (83%), 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, DC, is the contracting activity. 

L3 Technologies Inc., Herndon, Virginia, is awarded an $8,906,422 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-only contract for program management, systems engineering, software development, risk management, algorithm and software prototype development, configuration management, and information assurance in support of undersea warfare and surface warfare systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $46,677,661. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia (88%), Keyport, Washington (6%), and San Diego, California (6%) and is expected to be completed by May 2026. If all options are exercised, work will continue through May 2030. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,499,470 (47%); fiscal 2025 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,395,252 (43%); and fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $310,000 (10%), will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Section 1709 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act that modifies 15 US Code 638(r), this Small Business Innovative Research Phase (SBIR) III contract is being awarded to L3 Technologies, Inc., which is the same firm that was competitively selected for the SBIR Phase I and II awards. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-25-C-5212). 

General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., Falls Church, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0001); Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0002); Royce Geospatial Consultants Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0003); Reinventing Geospatial Inc., Fairfax, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0004); Research Innovations Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0005); OM Group Inc., Piscataway, New Jersey (W5J9CQ-25-D-0006); Solis Applied Science LLC, Charlottesville, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0007); and Strategic Alliance Consulting, Warrenton, Virginia (W5J9CQ-25-D-0008), will compete for each order of the $499,000,000 order-dependent contract for the Geospatial Research, Integration, Development and Support IV program. Bids were solicited via the internet with eight received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 4, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Army Geospatial Center, Alexandria, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $17,192,439 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to provide engineering and technical support, program management, non-recurring unique requirements, and training in support of integration efforts for the government for Greece as an F-35 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customer. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (60%); Orlando, Florida (18%); Greenville, South Carolina (11%); El Segundo, California (5%); Lancashire, United Kingdom (4%); and Baltimore, Maryland (2%), and is expected to be completed in May 2028. FMS customer funds in the amount of $17,192,439 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001925C0012).

AECOM Technical Services Inc., Arlington, Virginia (W912DY-25-D-0065); Baker-Stanley-Cardno JV, Moon Township, Pennsylvania (W912DY-25-D-0066); Black & Veatch Special Projects Corp., Overland Park, Kansas (W912DY-25-D-0067); HDR Engineering Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan (W912DY-25-D-0068); Jacobs Government Services Co., Arlington, Virginia (W912DY-25-D-0069); Tetra Tech/Mason & Hanger JV, Ann Arbor, Michigan (W912DY-25-D-0070); and Pond-SIA JV, Peachtree Corners, Georgia (W912DY-25-D-0071), will compete for each order of the $249,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for energy system design, engineering, commissioning and planning services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 23 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 6, 2030. US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Jones Lang Lasalle Americas Inc., Washington, DC, was awarded a $165,000,000 ceiling, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the Air Force housing and transient housing privatization initiative. This contract provides for long-term cradle to grave management of services in support of the AF privatized programs to include but not limited to housing, enhanced use lease, utilities privatization, and may include value-based transaction. This task order supports 63 Air Force military installations consisting of 31 military housing privatization initiative projects and is expected to be completed May 8, 2026. This contract was a competitive acquisition and three offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance appropriations funds in the amount of $15,352,282 will be obligated at the time of award. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity (FA8903-25-F-0024).

Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Virginia, was awarded an $84,292,640 cost-plus-fixed-fee task order for Vanish software/hardware prototype and reports. This task order provides for support to the Air Force Research Laboratory information directorate to respond to weapon information system development, acquisition, engineering, integration, and transition requirements. Work will be performed at McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by May 6, 2030. This award was a competitive acquisition and one offer was received. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $913,328 will be obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Research Laboratory Contracting Division, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity (FA8750-25-F-B009).

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, is awarded a $20,445,600 firm-fixed-price contract for the production and delivery of 63 H-1 technical refresh mission computers (TRMCs) and 28 TRMC trays for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers to include 33 TRMCs and 28 trays in support of the Nigeria AH-1Z Program; 25 TRMCs in support of Czech Republic UH-1Y and AH-1Z Program; and five TRMCs in support of the Bahrain AH-1Z Program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (60%); Baltimore, Maryland (25%); and Woodland Hills, California (15%), and is expected to be completed in March 2029. FMS customer funds in the amount of $20,445,600 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N0001925C0109).

Advanced Integrated Technologies LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0003); Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc., Portsmouth, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0004); Colonna’s Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0005); Tecnico Corp., Chesapeake, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0006); Auxiliary Systems Inc. LLC, Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0007); East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC, Portsmouth, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0008); Bay Metals & Fabrication LLC, Chesapeake, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0009); Lyon Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0010); and Q.E.D. Systems Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia (N50054-25-D-0011), each awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity, multiple award contract for the necessary management, technical services, labor, material, support services, and equipment to accomplish a full range of depot level repairs and alterations, troubleshooting, maintenance, installation, and removal of main and auxiliary, hull, mechanical and electrical equipment and systems onboard Navy or other military type vessels. Advanced Integrated Technologies LLC is being awarded $16,286,517, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $105,210,591. Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc. is being awarded $15,145,949, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $98,031,643. Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. is being awarded $14,932,730, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $96,925,544. Tecnico Corp. is being awarded $14,806,536, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $96,830,780. Auxiliary Systems Inc. LLC is being awarded $14,881,730, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $96,524,404. East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC is being awarded $13,896,416, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $89,935,191. Bay Metals & Fabrication LLC is being awarded $13,326,810, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $89,494,885. Lyon Shipyard Inc. is being awarded $12,262,384, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $80,677,166. Q.E.D. Systems Inc. is being awarded $10,939,450, and if all options are exercised the total value will be $71,394,407. If all options are exercised, the shared ceiling amongst all awardees is $105,210,591. Work will be primarily performed within a 50-mile radius of Norfolk, Virginia. Work is expected to be completed by May 9, 2026, and if all options are exercised, work will continue until May 9, 2030. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $45,000 ($5,000 per contract) will be obligated for the minimum guarantee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This multiple award contract was competitively procured as a small business set-aside via the System for Award Management website with 11 offers received. Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Minneapolis, Minnesota, was awarded a $10,662,488 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost (no fee) modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-23-C-5300) to exercise options to provide engineering, waterfront support, and alterations to MK 45-gun mounts. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia (25%); San Diego, California (25%); Louisville, Kentucky (15%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (15%); Mayport, Florida (10%); Bremerton, Washington (5%); and Yokosuka, Japan (5%), and is expected to be completed by April 2026. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $474,970 (80%); and fiscal 2025 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $116,681 (20%), will be obligated at time of award, of which $474,970 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. (Awarded on April 30, 2025)

Minburn Technology Group LLC, Great Falls, Virginia, has been awarded an $11,259,001 option exercise modification (P00005) to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (HS0021-24-F-0030) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). This modification exercises Option Period One to continue to provide DCSA Microsoft Enterprise License Agreement and Microsoft Office 365 software. No on-site work is required, and the estimated completion date is April 30, 2027 (with options). Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $255,180 and defense working capital funds in the amount of $11,003,821 were obligated at the time of award. The cumulative face value of the contract to date is $29,673,547. DCSA Contracting and Procurement Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.