The U.S. Marine Corps is focusing its activities to support more expeditionary warfare to guard against near-peer adversaries, such as China and Russia. The service’s work is all part of a greater force construction effort, which includes a new infantry battalion construct that leaders are developing to be capable of operating in a more globally distributed fashion in a contested maritime environment. One particular warfighting group that the service is creating is the so-called Marine Littoral Regiment.
Marine Corps
Holograms paired with advanced communications networks are assisting the Navy, Marine Corps and special forces with logistics and operational efforts. Certain organizations in the services are relying on large-format holographic projection capabilities that display volumetric images. In desktop applications, the capabilities allow groups of people to collaborate around complex, visual data, and smaller, more mobile groups or single users at the tactical edge to see information quickly on handheld, portable devices. Most 3D-ready content can be applied to the solutions, such as augmented reality and virtual reality formats, and used for simulated and in-situ training exercises with gesture and touch screen interaction capabilities.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $21,164,178 firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract for the production of the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) naval strike missile (NSM) launcher unit (NLU) and weapon control system (WCS) production representative models. NMESIS is a land-based missile launcher platform that provides the Fleet Marine Force with an anti-ship capability. NMESIS integrates a NLU, capable of launching two NSMs, onto a Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires carrier. The NLU is controlled by the WCS located externally in a command and control vehicle.
Maj. Gen. Gregg P. Olson, USMC, has been nominated for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general, and assignment as director, Marine Corps Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
As part of its transformation back to a maritime force, the U.S. Marine Corps is focusing on greater integration with naval and joint forces. This will require information technology systems that are extremely mobile, can work anywhere and operate in a denied environment, according to the Marine Corps deputy chief information officer (CIO).
Ideal Aerosmith Inc., Grand Forks, North Dakota, is awarded a $25,685,970 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Expeditionary Mission Support Station (EMSS) effort. EMSS, including updating the advanced mission planning systems, is strategically important for allowing dedicated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to gather ISR data that can be used in the planning process. This contract provides for the creation of mission planning software that will have the ability to plan multi-day routes with dynamic weather considerations changing over both time and location. Work will be performed in Grand Forks, North Dakota, with an expected completion date of September19, 2024.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $37,490,229 firm-fixed-price modification (P00012) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N0001919D0015). This modification increases the contract ceiling and adds scope to procure ancillary mission equipment in support of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lot 15 production aircraft for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Foreign Military Sales customers, and non-U.S. Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued.
Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $23,957,584 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the delivery of up to 15 low-rate initial production air-to-air launchers, ancillary components, training, and associated engineering services in support of the Program Manager Ground Based Air Defense, Marine Air Defense Integrated System Increment 1 program. All work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of September 14, 2026. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,219,117 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will not expire this fiscal year.
Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a $49,417,035 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Multi-Domain Radar for a Contested Environment (MuDRaCE) effort. The Marines currently uses centralized, high power radio frequency radar assets to detect and target adversaries. These systems have limited mobility, are susceptible to detection and attack which represents a significant failure point. MuDRaCE seeks to provide greater interoperability, ease of integration with emerging technologies and improved sensor fusion-based situational awareness while maintaining legacy capability resulting in a robust survivable sensing network.
Caddell-Nan JV, Montgomery, Alabama, was awarded a $36,571,666 firm-fixed-price task order (N6274221F9933) under a multiple award construction contract for the design and construction of a high-bay warehouse at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Guam. The task order also contains one unexercised option, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $38,314,666. Work will be performed in Finegayan, Guam, and is to be completed by November 2023. The work to be performed provides for the design and construction of a base warehouse to serve MCB Guam.
The Fiscal Year 2022 Presidential budget request, released May 28, included $715 billion for the Department of Defense. Unique to that budget was the discontinuation—for the first time in 20 years—of separate Overseas Contingency Operation, or OCO, funds. Instead, the DoD’s direct war and enduring operation costs are now included as part of the base budget request, according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
The move stems from President Biden’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops by the end of September from Afghanistan, where a good portion of continued overseas operations and expenses had occurred.
L3 Communications Integrated Mission Systems L.P., Integrated Aerospace Systems, Waco, Texas, is awarded an $18,883,053 fixed-price incentive (firm target), firm-fixed-price contract. This contract provides non-recurring engineering and material to develop and qualify the degraded visual environment helmet mounted display and processor capability for integration into the Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft.
The U.S. Navy and Marines Corps are harnessing virtual platforms and advanced methods to teach cyber and communications skills. In some cases, the services are looking to a “blended model” of instruction from both industry and military cyber experts that produces multitudes of trained personnel for a single investment. Additionally, to create a powerful cyber force, technical training needs to be as realistic as possible, with high-fidelity cyber training ranges that can meet high standards for mission rehearsals and training on a daily basis and can be accessed anywhere in the world.
Happy with the five compact laser systems in hand, the U.S. Marine Corps issued a $2.5 million contract to Boeing to maintain the versatile weapon over the next year, with four possible one-year extensions. The Marine Corps’ Ground-Based Air Defense Program Office moved to add the maintenance service contract for the manportable weapon system after going from initially evaluating single demonstration prototype units to receiving the five manufactured systems from The Boeing Company in 2018.
William T. Brooks and Associates Inc.,* doing business as The Brooks Group, Greensboro, North Carolina, is awarded an $11,988,565 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract in support of the Marine Corps Recruiting Command for sales force training services to include instructional development, video development, graphic development, evaluations post-development, facilitation services, and technical writing. This contract has a five-year ordering period with a maximum value of $11,988,565.
To prepare, operate and fight in joint warfare against near-peer adversaries across all domains will take adroit leaders who provide effective decisions in near or real time. The Air Command and Staff College, or ACSC, has set a course to do just that: prepare leaders to thrive and fight with joint operations in a contested environment on a global scale using joint all-domain command and control, or JADC2. Leaders in the class learn to plan and execute multidomain operations against possible threats on land, sea, air, space and cyberspace to lead through the challenges of the expected future operational environment in 2030 and beyond.
Ahtna Logistics LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska (M67854-21-D-8010); Guard Unit LLC,* Morgantown, West Virginia (M67854-21-D-8011); Hatalom Corp.,* Orlando, Florida (M67854-21-D-8012); and Shock Stream LLC,* Oviedo, Florida (M67854-21-D-8013), are awarded a combined $124,500,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract for the procurement of services to facilitate design, development, testing, production, and fielding of several simulations/simulated training systems and devices.
Rear Adm. Margaret Grun Kibben, USN (Ret.), chaplain of the House of Representatives, was only 14 when she got the call into ministry. Though she knew early on what she wanted to be, it would take years for her to own her voice and her authority.
Adm. Kibben was the first woman to do a lot of things. She was the first—and only—woman to serve as chaplain of the U.S. Marine Corps; as chief of chaplains of the U.S. Navy; and in her current position as chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives. But that’s not the story.
Chenega IT Enterprise Services LLC,* Lorton, Virginia, is awarded a $25,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity single award contract to provide professional information technology support services to the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for installations and logistics. Work will be performed in Stafford, Virginia, and is expected to be completed March 2024. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $4,931,549 is being obligated under the contract’s initial task order to fund the minimum guarantee and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded an $183,840,645 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract M67854-16-0006 for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs). The total cumulative face value of the contract is $3,304,536,113. This modification provides for the exercise of options for the procurement of 36 full rate production ACVs and associated production and fielding and support costs. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania (60%); Aiken, South Carolina (15%); San Jose, California (15%); Sterling Heights, Michigan (5%); and Stafford, Virginia (5%). Work is expected to be completed in April 2023.
EC America Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $9,053,930 firm-fixed-price order (M67854-21-F-4906) against previously issued Department of Defense Enterprise Initiative blanket purchase agreement N66001-19-A-0057. This blanket purchase agreement call order provides for the renewal of Tanium brand software license subscriptions currently deployed in the Marine Corps Enterprise Network environment and associated onsite technical support in Quantico, Virginia (100%). Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,053,930 will be obligated at the time of award and funds will expire September 30, 2021.
Atlantic Signal LLC,* Topeka, Kansas, is awarded a $45,128,388 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of up to a combined maximum quantity of 233,736 units inclusive of hearing enhancement devices, cables, push-to-talks, hygiene kits and helmet adapters. Work will be performed in Topeka, Kansas, and is expected to be complete by September 2025. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $9,999,420 will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award and funds will expire on March 19, 2021. This contract was competitively procured via the beta.SAM.gov website, with seven offers received.
Boston Consulting Group, Bethesda, Maryland (HQ0034-16-A-0003), has been awarded a firm-fixed-price contract with a maximum amount of $29,978,698. The contract is to provide Marine Corps programs and resources support for their organizational requirements, resourcing, risk and reporting requirements (similar to a 10-K). Work performance will take place at the Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia. Appropriate fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds will be obligated at time of the award. The expected completion date is January 10, 2022. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Even in the summer, Norway offers challenging, rugged terrain that helps hone the cold-weather survival and mountain warfare skills of the U.S. Marines. In May, Marines and sailors with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, along with the Marine Forces Europe and Africa, deployed to northern Norway above the Arctic Circle as part of Marine Rotational Force-Europe (MRF-E) 20.2. The warfighters worked directly with the Norwegian Army to advance their skills and improve allied interoperability, says Lt. Col. Brian Donlon, USMC, commander of 3rd Battalion, who leads the MRF-E contingent.
Over the past several years, the U.S. military has focused on growing its cold-weather operation capabilities. The U.S. Marine Corps, through host and NATO ally Norway, has maintained a presence in the region to train and develop the skills necessary to operate in extreme conditions.
As a way to provide sea denial in support of naval operations, expeditionary advanced base operations are the Marine Corps’ bid for success in disrupting the fait accompli strategies of great power competitors. While highly promising, this concept possesses a critical vulnerability: signature management.
Detection or denial of command and control systems will hamstring expeditionary advanced base operations. Any misstep in communications discipline will reveal the locations of expeditionary advanced bases, putting them at risk. But emerging communications techniques and technologies provide viable solutions to signature management, validating the concept and ensuring the sea services will maintain a critical edge.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded an $87,498,287 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides non-recurring engineering for the development and maturation of the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) in support of data migration and transition to the newly developed F-35 Operational Integrated Data Network (ODIN). ALIS and ODIN provide maintenance capabilities to support worldwide F-35 operations.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Woodland Hills, California, is awarded a $79,083,495 modification (P00018) to previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract N68936-15-D-0013. This modification increases the ceiling for the research and development of AH-1Z and UH-1Y system configuration set mission computers in support of the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, California (98%); Salt Lake City, Utah (1%); and Baltimore, Maryland (1%).
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded a $12,355,663 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract M67400-18-F-0065 to exercise Option Year Two for analytics support for III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC). Work will be performed in Okinawa, Japan, and is expected to be complete by July 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $12,355,663 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The MCIPAC Regional Contracting Office, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan, is the contracting activity.
L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Rochester, New York, is awarded a $383,247,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of radio systems with National Security Agency certified Type 1 encryption, radio ancillaries, provisioning kits and required documentation for the procured High Frequency (HF) radio systems. Work will be performed in Rochester, New York. The proposed contract will provide for the procurement of L3 Harris portable HF receiver transmitters (RF-300H-MP man pack systems); vehicle-based HF systems (based around a RF-300H-MP); transit case HF systems (based around a RF-300H-MP); their ancillary components and instructor training for the Program Manager of Communications Systems.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $22,436,852 letter contract for the integration, demonstration, testing and operation of the Layered Laser Defense (LLD) weapon system prototype onboard a Navy littoral combat ship while that vessel is underway. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey (30%); Baltimore, Maryland (25%); Sunnyvale, California (12%); Woodinville, Washington (10%); Manassas, Virginia (5%); Dallas, Texas (15%); San Diego, California (2%); and Santa Cruz, California (1%).
The current National Defense Strategy looks at the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. Consequently, the military services are thoughtfully making strategic adjustments and adapting their operational concepts to meet new and emerging threats. Those changes are especially significant in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
In an era of complex geopolitics of peer and near-peer adversaries racing to advance electronic warfare (EW), the U.S. Marine Corps, like the other services, is centering on improving its signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic warfare operations. The service is examining its training and how it integrates the capabilities into its battalions.
The Marine Corps’ efforts in so-called SIGINT and EW was the focus of this year’s Signals Intelligence Day held on Capitol Hill and organized by the Association of Old Crows Advocacy’s Signals Intelligence Industry Partnership.
CACI Inc. - Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $41,514,235 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the Automated Data Capture System (ADCS) application and support services to U.S. Navy Fleet Readiness Centers at organization and depot level activities. The ADCS application captures data and information associated with integrated maintenance concept inspection results for all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft as well as inspection and configuration management of applicable aircraft engines.
Leaders in multiple military organizations need increased awareness of the dangers that arise from the systems used daily in training, deployment and garrison environments. The attacks these settings face are becoming more advanced and more specific as cyber attackers’ capabilities continue to improve. To mitigate the potential risk to military systems, the networks’ individual components must be identified and understood particularly at a time when component parts are manufactured outside the United States.
CACI, Inc.–Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, is awarded a $249,960,831 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-19-D-7614) for continued post-deployment system support including, service management, service operations; production and pre-production system sustainment; solution development environment; enterprise training and training devices; product lifecycle support; and service transition for change requests, engineering change proposals, and reduction of reports, interfaces, customizations, and extensions; and potential tasks to support Global Combat Support System – Marine Corps future initiatives.
A new partnership between NavalX, the Navy's Systems Commands and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) will strive to bring innovation into the Navy from hubs around the country. At a media event yesterday, Col. James “Hondo” Geurts, USAF (Ret.), assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, announced the creation of so-called NavalX Tech Bridges, according to reports from the Navy’s Research, Development and Acquisition Public Affairs Office and the Office of Naval Research’s Warren Duffie.
The Marine Corps is replacing aging communications technology at its U.S recruiting centers and has selected New-York-based MetTel to provide the improved infrastructure. MetTel will upgrade the service’s aging T-1 transmission lines with high speed broadband.
“We are putting broadband Internet services into 1,500 of their recruiting stations,” said Diana Gowen, general manager and senior vice president, MetTel Federal. “Compared to what they had previously, they're saving about 70% in telecommunications costs.”
Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, is awarded an $11,879,270 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract M67400-18-F-0065 to exercise option year one for analytics support for III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC). Work will be performed in Okinawa, Japan, and is expected to be completed July 7, 2020. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $11,879,270 will be obligated at the time of award. The MCIPAC Regional Contracting Office, Marine Corps Base, Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan, is the contracting activity.
Katmai Integrated Solutions LLC,* Anchorage, Alaska, is awarded a contract ceiling $21,625,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a three year ordering period to provide subject matter support services for Immersive Training Range Support (ITRS).
The U.S. Marine Corps recently began using a next-generation narrowband satellite communication system called the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) to help warfighters in connecting to networks on the battlefield and communicate in a tactical environment.
MUOS works by using antennas that let Marines access SATCOM networks while also providing them with secure and nonsecure internet access. The system applies to both mobile or stationary marines and was fielded in the first quarter of 2019. It includes updated firmware to the AN/PRC-117G radio system and one of three antenna kits.
BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Sterling Heights, Michigan, is awarded a not-to-exceed $67,000,000 modification for firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract line item numbers 8000, 8001, 8002, and 8100 to a previously awarded contract (M67854-16-C-0006), for the development of engineering drawings, manufacture, and test support for three Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) command and control Mission Role Variants (MRVs), and the development of engineering drawings for the ACV medium caliber cannon MRV. The ACV program is managed within the portfolio of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia.
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $958,049,562 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 30 full-rate production Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar units under the portfolio management of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. This procurement also includes spares parts and retrofit kits. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland (37 percent); East Syracuse, New York (28 percent); Stafford Springs, Connecticut (7 percent); Tulsa, Oklahoma (6 percent); Syracuse, New York (4 percent); Valencia, California (3 percent); San Diego, California (3 percent); Richardson, Texas (3 percent); Farmingdale, New York (2 percent); St.
Atlanta-based Envistacom reported on May 9 that it will be providing Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) support to the U.S. Navy and the Marines Corps under two Department of Defense indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts: the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command's C4I Integrated International Solutions (CIIS) contract and the SeaPort-NxG IDIQ vehicle. The CIIS contract supports the acquisition and procurement of interoperable communication systems, and engineering, implementation and sustainment services by U.S.
American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7870); Calibre Systems Inc., Alexandria, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7871); Corps Solutions, Stafford, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7872); Obsidian Solutions Group,* Fredericksburg, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7873); Science Applications International Corp., Reston, Virginia (M67854-19-D-7874); Solutions Through Innovative Technologies Inc., Fairborn, Ohio (M67854-19-D-7875); and Valiant Global Defense Services Inc., San Diego, California (M67854-19-D-7876), are awarded a multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-pricing arrangements for the procurement of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS), with a combined maximum ceiling amoun
Web Business Solutions Inc.,** Fredericksburg, Virginia, is awarded a $9,595,573 task order (M67854-19-F-7822) under previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (M67854-18-D-7821) for support services to the Command and Control Training and Education Center of Excellence (C2TECOE). The C2TECOE main effort is to provide a continuum of standards-based C2 systems instruction and home station training. Work will be performed at Camp Pendleton, California (27 percent); Quantico, Virginia (23 percent); Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (17 percent); Okinawa, Japan (16 percent); Twentynine Palms, California (10 percent); and Marine Corps Base Hawaii (7 percent), and is expected to be completed by March 10, 2020.
With the establishment of the Advanced Manufacturing Operations Cell, or AMOC, at the Marine Corps Systems Command, Marines can now get round-the-clock support for 3D printing, the command announced last week.
The AMOC team will be on hand to answer questions, field requests for 3D printing, as well as “fully vet” any part that requires fabrication by a Marine organization, which includes required legal and safety reviews. The AMOC is not limited to helping with 3D printing, but can assist with all forms of manufacturing and sustainment, reported Monique Randolph, of the command's Office of Pubic Affairs.
The U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia has unveiled a computer system aimed at giving Marine Corps recruiters state-of-the-art tools for the enlistment process.
Working with the Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC), the MCSC developed the Marine Corps Recruiting Information Support System II, known as MCRISS II. The system uses a customizable platform that recruiters can access across government-issued cellphones, laptops and tablets.
The maritime services continue to maintain a balance between cyber and kinetic weapons even while engaged in a daily cyber conflict.
Leaders for all three maritime services—the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard—participated in a town hall forum during the AFCEA-USNI West 2019 Conference in San Diego, and they agreed that cyber conflict rages on.
“If you’re asking me if I think we’re at war, I think I’d say yes,” Gen. Robert Neller, USMC, Marine Corps commandant, told one audience member. “We’re at war right now in cyberspace. We’ve been at war for maybe a decade. They’re pouring oil over the castle walls every day.”
Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, was awarded a $9,775,501 cost-plus fixed-fee contract for Low Cost UAS Swarm Technology Distributed Autonomy prototyping, analysis, and support. The contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the total cumulative value of the contract to $17,441,037. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and work is expected to be completed January 31, 2020. If options are exercised, work will continue through January 31, 2022. Fiscal year 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $9,061,486 are obligated at the time of award. No funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured under N00014-18-S-