Backup Icebreaker. The National Science Foundation, which manages and funds the U.S. Antarctic Program, is conducting a market survey for potential long-term backup or on-call icebreaking services that could be used for the resupply of its McMurdo Station, pointing out that the vessel it currently relies on for icebreaking, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Polar Star, is old. The Antarctic Program relied on the Coast Guard’s icebreaking ships until they suffered casualties in 2006, causing the NSF to first charter a Swedish icebreaker from 2007 until 2011 and then a Russian vessel from 2012 to 2014 before the Polar Star came back on line. The Polar Star is expected to reach the end of its service life between 2020 and 2023, although service is examining a project to extend its life through 2028.
New FRC. The Coast Guard has accepted delivery of its 30th Fast Response cutter, the Robert Ward, which will be its second FRC stationed in San Pedro, Calif. The 154-foot coastal patrol vessel was built by Bollinger Shipyards, which is building more than 60 for the Coast Guard, 58 for the service’s program of record and additional craft for use in the Persian Gulf. So far, 44 FRCs have been ordered and 28 are in service.
Executive Announcements. Huntington Ingalls Industries said Jason Ward is the new vice president of its Newport News Shipbuilding segment’s Columbia-class submarine construction program and that Dave Bolcar, who was previously vice president of all of the segment’s submarine construction, is now vice president of the Virginia-class submarine construction program. Ward was previously director of Columbia-class construction. Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. has named former Navy Rear Adm. David Duryea as director of Naval Initiatives. The company also said that former NASA Space Shuttle Commander and retired Air Force Col. Pamela Melroy has joined its board of directors.
PEO Subs. Rear Adm. David Goggins succeeded Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley as Program Executive officer (PEO) for Submarines during an Aug. 17 ceremony at the Washington Navy Yard. The PEO is responsible for developing, acquiring and modernizing the Navy’s undersea and submarine systems. Previously, Goggins was program director of the Columbia-class submarine program office (PMS-397) since June 2015. Earlier, from 2012 to 2015, he served as the Virginia-class submarine program manager after Jabaley left the position to move to PEO Submarines. Jabaley is retiring after 34 years of service.
Radios. The U.S. Navy awarded Rockwell Collins a $288.5 million modification to exercise option year one to manufacture and deliver the AN/ARC-210 family of radio equipment for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Foreign Military Sales customers. The work will occur in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is expected to be finished by September 2021.
Hawaii. U.S. Navy ships and submarines based in Hawaii and not undergoing maintenance availabilities sortied out to sea before Hurricane Lane headed toward the Hawaiian islands. Rear Adm. Brian Fort, commander of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, said the ships will be positioned to help respond after the storm, if needed. The units will remain at sea until the storm threat passes. The Navy routinely orders sorties during potentially extreme weather conditions to reduce the risk of damage to ships and piers.
Lockheed Martin/CCTT. Lockheed Martin has received a $356.3 million contract to modernize the manned module used on the Army’s Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT). CCTT trains Army soldiers for combat vehicle operations in virtualized simulation environments. Lockheed Martin’s work on the contract is expected to be completed in August 2028. “We look forward to working with the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation to modernize their collective training system through the Close Combat Tactical Trainer Manned Module Modernization program, in support of U.S. Army training worldwide,” a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said.
DHA IT. KBR said Aug. 23 its global government services subsidiary, KBRwyle, has been awarded a $71 million contract to provide cyber security services for the Defense Health Agency. Under the three-year deal, awarded by the Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic, KBRwyle will assist SSC Atlantic with cyber threat analysis and risk management framework initiatives for DHA. KBRwyle will also work directly with the DHA Assessment and Authorization division to secure healthcare IT systems used by Air Force, Army Navy warfighters and their families.
AFRL/Directed Energy. Leidos has been awarded a $15 million ceiling cost-reimbursement contract for a high energy combinable fiber laser advanced research effort, the Air Force said Thursday. The contract, managed by AFRL, “seeks to advance the development and demonstration of high-energy laser sources for developing and delivering novel solutions for the next-generation airborne laser weapons.” Work will be performed at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is slated to be completed by August 2023. About $1 million in FY‘18 RDT&E funds will be obligated at the time of award.
Trump Campaign Trail Plans. President Trump is hitting the campaign trail in support of Republican House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates who are running in November. Over the next six weeks, he is expected to hold at least eight rallies and at least 16 fundraisers in as many as 15 states, a person familiar with the president’s thinking said Tuesday during a media call. Those states could include North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nevada, Kentucky and Tennessee, along with more to be announced, the person said. Vulnerable lawmakers include Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) who sits on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs and is up for reelection. U.S. Rep. Kevin Kramer (R-N.D.) is running against her. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mon.), who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, are also defending their seats.
Next CENTCOM Chief Nominated. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., was nominated Tuesday to become the next commander for CENTCOM and to be promoted to the rank of general, according to a DoD notice. McKenzie is currently serving as director of the Joint Staff. Current CENTCOM Commander Army Gen. Joseph Votel is expected to retire next year.
STRATCOM and Brazil Share Space Situational Awareness. STRATCOM has signed an agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Defense to share space situational awareness (SSA) services and information, the command said Monday. The agreement is part of a larger effort to build a closer defense partnership with Brazil that will enhance each nation’s awareness within the space domain, and increase the safety of their spaceflight operations. Brazil joins 14 nations, two intergovernmental organizations, the European Space Agency and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, and over 70 commercial satellite owner/operator/launchers already participating in SSA data-sharing agreements with USSTRATCOM.
Election Security Coordination. The Department of Homeland Security said that along with the FBI, Facebook and Microsoft it hosted a call Aug. 24 for state election officials on recent actions the companies have taken to counter foreign threats. DHS said it is the second call it has hosted in recent weeks with Facebook and election security officials to share information on what is being done to combat foreign threats to election activities. “It is clear that Secretaries of State, state election officials, federal agencies and private sector partners are working diligently together to defend against foreign threats in order to protect or democracy,” Jim Condos, president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and Vermont’s Secretary of State, said.