May 13, 2020 | International, Aerospace
By: Valerie Insinna
WASHINGTON — The COVID-19 pandemic could make it more difficult for the U.S. Air Force's newest F-35 squadron to organize its personnel and jets on schedule.
On April 21, the 356th Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, became the service's northernmost fighter squadron after receiving its first two F-35s. Pilots began flying those jets for training three days later, and another four F-35s on loan from Hill Air Force Base in Utah flew to Alaska on April 27.
But a couple key challenges could hamper the assemblage of the new squadron, said Col. Benjamin Bishop, commander of the base's 354th Fighter Wing.
“We're actually on timeline,” he told Defense News in an exclusive interview on April 28. “We have the pilots and maintainers already here to support operations throughout the summer. However, as you know, the Department of Defense has put a stop-movement order through [June 30], and that is something we're working through on a case-by-case basis.”
Under the current order, pilots and maintainers who are moving through the training pipeline have been granted a blanket exception to transfer to Eielson. But more experienced pilots, maintainers and support personnel coming from an operational base like Hill Air Force Base will need to receive an exception.
Getting additional F-35s to Eielson could also be an obstacle, as Lockheed Martin assesses whether it must slow down deliveries of the F-35 due to disruptions to its supply chain. In a statement to Defense News, Lockheed spokesman Brett Ashworth could not say whether the company was on track to deliver F-35s to Eielson on schedule.
“Lockheed Martin continues to work with our suppliers daily to determine the impacts of COVID-19 on F-35 production,” he said. “We are analyzing impacts at this time and should have more detail in the coming weeks.”
If the coronavirus pandemic delays the pace of F-35 deliveries to Eielson, the squadron will have to mitigate the shortfall in jets, Bishop said. “Currently, we're at a good pace on the road to readiness for our F-35 program here, and we'll continue to adapt and adjust to bring this mission capability to its full potential in the Indo-Pacific theater,” he noted.
Despite COVID-19 and the potential logistical challenges involved in sending people and F-35s to Eielson, day-to-day training operations have continued as normal, said Col. James Christensen, 356th Fighter Squadron commander. Having six F-35s on base allows maintainers to use the jets for training while also maximizing flight hours for the eight pilots currently in the 356th.
“We still do the mission the way we always have. We have the masks and the wipe procedures and social distancing,” Christensen said. “So [we're] being creative but still being able to get the mission done.”
There are strategic benefits to being the U.S. Air Force's northernmost fighter squadron, starting with access. With support from an aerial refueling tanker, the F-35s at Eielson can reach and target any location in Europe or the Asia-Pacific, Bishop said.
And even the harsh climate of Eielson has its perks. It's a short flight away from the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the Defense Department's largest instrumented training range, with 77,000 square miles of airspace, according to the 354th Fighter Wing.
“The F-35 is going to be able to fly in that airspace, but they're not going to be alone,” Bishop said. F-35s training in that area will regularly be joined by F-22s based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, as well as the F-16s in Eielson's 18th Aggressor Squadron that simulate enemy combat jets.
“You're going to see amazing fifth-generation tactics and integration tactics emerge,” he said.
Russia is investing in its Arctic infrastructure, and the U.S. military must make its own improvements to how it operates from and trains in the region, said Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, who leads U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
“It's great to see some of the additional forces that are going in, whether it's the F-35s going to Eielson, whether it's the work of the Coast Guard to develop icebreakers,” he said during a May 4 event. “These are all relevant things for us to be able to operate in the Arctic. And that is absolutely, to me, key to our ability to defend ourselves.”
As the 356th stands up and becomes combat-ready, it will participate in the next Red Flag-Alaska, a multinational air-to-air combat training exercise slated to be held this August. The squadron is also looking for opportunities to deploy around the Asia-Pacific so that pilots can acclimate themselves to the long geographical distances that characterize the region, Christensen said.
“Everyone is excited just to have F-35s here because of the awesome training we can do, but we're also thinking about at some point we have to project this air power out into the Indo-Pacific theater as a combat force. And transitioning everyone, including the wing and including [Pacific Air Forces] — they all have to adjust the mission of Eielson,” he said.
Unlike other fighter bases, which usually swap out existing aircraft of existing squadrons with new jets, the two F-35 squadrons coming to Eielson aren't replacing anything, and infrastructure needs to be built to accommodate the anticipated growth in both people and aircraft.
When the first members of the 356th Fighter Squadron arrived on base in July 2019, Eielson was home to about 1,750 active-duty personnel, Bishop said. By December 2021, that number is expected to double, with the addition of about 1,500 airmen. In that time, 54 F-35s will be delivered to the base for a total of two squadrons — a notable increase from the 30 F-16s and KC-135s previously at Eielson.
An estimated $500 million will be spent on military construction to support the buildup at Eielson, including new operations buildings, a simulator building, heated hangars and other maintenance facilities, and a new cafeteria. A total of 41 facilities will be either built or refurbished with that funding, with 29 of those projects finished and others still under construction to support a second F-35 squadron, Bishop said.
And everything — from constructing new facilities to maintaining runways — is tougher in the subzero temperatures of the Arctic.
“Early on in this job, I learned that there are two seasons in Alaska,” Bishop said. “There's winter and construction season, with the former a lot longer than the latter. From a beddown perspective, how you put your construction plan together, you have to maneuver around that season.”
“In order to maintain efficiency of fighter operations up here, one of the things we did is we built walled weather shelters for our aircraft, so all of our aircraft are actually housed in weather shelters," he added. "That's not necessarily for the aircraft. That's more for the maintainers because having that insulated and heating facility, now you can do maintenance around the clock.”
Corrected at 5/12/20 at 2:53 p.m. with the correct size of the JPARC, which was recently expanded to 77,000 square miles of airspace.
January 9, 2024 | International, Aerospace
NATO is expanding its space radar to build closer relations with space industries. NATO is inviting the commercial space sector to its Space Reverse Industry Event on 20 February 2024 in Brussels to give a new impetus to dialogue and engagement with this growing sector.
March 3, 2024 | International, Aerospace
February 15, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
AIR FORCE AECOM Technical Services Inc., Los Angeles, California (FA8903-21-D-0002); APTIM Federal Services LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (FA8903-21-D-0001); Atkins Black & Veatch FSB JV, Denver, Colorado (FA8903-21-D-0003); Benham – Mead & Hunt, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (FA8903-21-D-0005); Burns & McDonnell Inc., Kansas City, Missouri (FA8903-21-D-0006); HDR Environmental, Operations and Construction Inc. Spring Branch, Texas (FA8903-21-D-007); Jacobs Government Services Co., San Antonio, Texas (FA8903-21-D-0008); OTIE-Merrick JV, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (FA8903-21-D-0010); Michael Baker International Inc., Moon Township, Pennsylvania (FA8903-21-D-0004); Parsons Government Services Inc., Pasadena, California (FA8903-21-D-0011); Leo A Daly Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota (FA8903-21-D-0009); Pond-CDM Smith JV LP, Peachtree Corners, Georgia (FA8903-21-D-0012); Tetra Tech Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts (FA8903-21-D-0013); TransSystems GHD JV, Berkeley, California (FA8903-21-D-0014); Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions Inc., Blue Bell, Pennsylvania (FA8903-21-D-015); Woolpert RS&H LLC, Dayton, Ohio (FA8903-21-D-0016); and WSP Mason Hanger JV, Washington, D.C. (FA8903-21-D-0017), have collectively been awarded a $2,000,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award task order contract for architect and engineering services. This contract supports the Air Force worldwide infrastructure design and construction missions, specifically for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and Army Installation Management Command directorates. Work is expected to be completed by February 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $51,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron, San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. SURVICE Engineering Co. LLC, Belcamp, Maryland, has been awarded an $87,800,749 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Department of Defense (DOD) Information Analysis Center (IAC) Basic Center of Operations. This contract provides for the acquisition, storage, retrieval, synthesis, analysis and dissemination of 22 technical focus areas and scientific technical information for the DOD IAC mission. Work will be performed in Belcamp, Maryland, and is expected to be completed February 2027. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. No specific funds are being obligated on the basic contract. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $147,340 will be obligated shortly after award on a separate task order. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (FA8075-21-D-0001). (This contract was originally announced May 19, 2020, but was not awarded until Feb. 12, 2021) Ampex Data Systems, Hayward, California, has been awarded a $9,999,999 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for telemetric electrical system-supplies and ancillary services. The contractor will furnish all personnel, equipment, labor, tools, materials and other items necessary to provide recorders, parts, technical engineering support, upgrades and the ability for maintenance sustainment of airborne data recorders and ground data recorders for the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California; Eglin AFB, Florida; and other Department of Defense and National Aeronautics and Space Administration continental U.S. activities. Work will be performed at Edwards AFB, California, and is expected to be completed Feb. 11, 2026, and if option is exercised, Feb 11, 2031. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $140,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, California, is the contracting activity (FA9302-21-D-0003). Acierto LLC, Farr West, Utah (FA4686-21-D-0001); Amplified Industrial Inc., Sacramento, California (FA4686-21-D-0002); Polu Kai Tidewater JV, Falls Church, Virginia (FA4686-21-D-0003); Trinity Builders LLC, Plumas Lake, California (FA4686-21-D-0004); and V Lopez Jr & Sons, Santa Maria, California (FA4686-21-D-0005), will compete for each order of a $9,200,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for infrastructure repair requirements. Work will consist of multiple disciplines in general construction categories for the military base facilities of Beale Air Force Base, California. Bids were solicited via the government-wide point of entry via solicitation and 10 bids were received. Exact work location and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated contract completion date of Feb. 11, 2029. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be used with no funds being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Installation Contracting Center, Beale Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,681,160 modification (P00002) to contract FA2517-20-C-0003 for Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance system support. Work will be performed in Socorro, New Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; and Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and is expected to be completed April 30, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the full amount will be obligated the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $57,097,418. The 21st Contracting Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity. ARMY Moderna US, Cambridge, Massachusetts, was awarded a $1,650,000,000 modification (P00004) to contract W911QY-20-C-0100 for an additional 100 million doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 Moderna vaccine. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2021. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation (Army) funds in the amount of $1,650,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Awarded Feb. 11, 2021) General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Garland, Texas, was awarded an $111,853,284 firm-fixed-price contract for MK80 series general purpose tritonal bomb components. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Garland, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 30, 2022. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $111,853,284 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-F-0104). Armtec Countermeasures Co., Coachella, California, was awarded a $24,953,504 firm-fixed-price contract for Flare Aircraft Countermeasure M206 and Flare Aircraft Countermeasure MJU-7A/B. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Camden, Arkansas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement appropriations funds in the amount of $24,953,504 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-21-F-0101). NAVY Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum, Maryland, is awarded a $236,941,008 modification for the firm-fixed-price portion of previously awarded contract M67854-19-C-0043. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $686,355,923. This modification provides for the exercise of three option contract line items to procure eight Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar Gallium Nitride full rate production systems with associated travel and one lot of the initial provisioning package (spares) in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2024. Fiscal 2021 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $236,941,008 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract modification was not competitively procured. The base contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code § 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-19-C-0043). Association of Consultants and Engineers,* Leonardtown, Maryland, is awarded a maximum amount $30,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for multi-media environmental compliance services, with an emphasis on storm water, wastewater and drinking water for the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC), Washington, D.C., area of operations (AO) and U.S. territories. All work on this contract will be performed in the Washington, D.C., AO and U.S. territories. The term of the contract is not to exceed 66 months with an expected completion date of August 2026. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) (OM,N) contract funds in the amount of $10,000 for guaranteed minimum are obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Future task orders will be primarily funded by OM,N. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website with eight proposals received. NAVFAC Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-21-D-0013). Cianbro Corp., Pittsfield, Maine, is awarded a $20,850,000 firm-fixed-price contract modification for dredging requirements to support multi-mission Dry Dock #1 extension located at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. After award of this modification, the total cumulative contract value will be $197,615,254. Work will be performed in Kittery, Maine, and is expected to be completed by March 2022. Fiscal 2021 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $20,850,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N40085-20-C-8500). EPS Corp., Tinton Falls, New Jersey, is awarded a $10,017,166 cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed price modification to previously awarded indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract N00174-17-D-0026 to exercise an option for technical expertise in the development and testing of underwater weapons and underwater weapons systems components. Work will be performed in Tinton Falls, New Jersey (95%); and Cagliari, Italy (5%), and is expected to be completed by February 2022. No additional funds are being obligated at the time of this action. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, Indian Head, Maryland, is the contracting activity. L3 Harris Technologies Inc. Anaheim, California, is awarded an $8,203,414 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification (P00038) for options under previously awarded and announced contract N00030-18-C-0001. The work will provide services and support for Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI) systems. Work will be performed in Anaheim, California (60 %); Cape Canaveral, Florida (25 %); and Washington, D.C. (15%), with an expected completion date of Oct. 12, 2022. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,021,941 will be obligated at time of this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2021 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,423,298; fiscal 2021 weapons (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,814,175; and fiscal 2021 United Kingdom funds in the amount of $944,000, are being obligated at time of this award and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract modification is being awarded to the contractor on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities (now beta.SAM.gov) website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. Poway, California, was awarded a $9,037,064 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Longshot Phase One. This contract provides for the research, development, and demonstration of the Longshot. Work will be performed in Poway, California (71%); Orlando Florida (14%); Buffalo, New York (7%); Kirkland, Washington (5%); and Pontiac, Michigan (3%), with an estimated completion date of February 2022. Research and development funds in the amount of $2,141,687 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a limited sources competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement, HR0011-20-S-0037. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-21-C-0023). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Dominion Energy South Carolina Inc., Cayce, South Carolina, has been awarded a $10,758,408 modification (P00009) to 50‐year contract SP0600‐18‐C‐8326, with no option periods for the ownership, operation and maintenance of the natural gas distribution utility systems at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. This is a fixed‐price with economic‐price‐adjustment contract. Location of performance is South Carolina, with a Nov. 18, 2069, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2070 Army operation and maintenance funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Energy, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Lovell Government Services LLC, Pensacola, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $9,653,838 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for medical and surgical supplies. This was a competitive acquisition with 41 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no options. Location of performance is Florida, with a Feb. 11, 2026, ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2021 through 2026 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DE-21-D-0013). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2503055/source/GovDelivery/